Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-04-16
WASHINGTON NEWS.


the Senate agreed TO the following:
Resolved, That the committee on public
lands be directed to ascertain by what an.
thority the timber cut on the public domain.
oy the consent and knowledge and under the
fuhngs and instructions of the interior and
land department, is seized bv said depart
ment without due process of law and ordered
to be sold without any judgment or execution
directing the same.
The Telephone Investigation.
The examination of MIR. Van Benthuvsen
was continued before the telephone inyesti.
eating committee today. Rsnney was abou,
to continue his inqulry into the issues involv-
ed IN the New Orleans case, when Eden OBJ.
Jected gong on with the subject. He didn't
see that the committee was charged with an
inquiry into the legal phases of the case. The
JUDICIARY committee had already decided the
question of the governments right to insti-
tute suit and this committee had nothing 10
do with it. Ranney maintained that the iu-
curry was proper because of the serious
charges that had been made but the commit
tee ruled the evidence out
Bill Relating to Yachts.
The bill introduced by Mr.. Belmont, re-
ianng to yachts. was today reported to the
House as agreed to by the shipping commit.
tee. The bill provides that the secretary of
the treasury may cause yachts of ten tons
measurement or over, used and employed ex-
cinsively as pleasure vessels. to be commits
stoned on terms which will authorize them to
proceed from Port to port IN the United States
and by sea to foreign ports. without entering
or clearing at the custom house.
Doings of the Senate in Executive
Session.
The Senate closed its doors TODAY, accord
ing to previous notice, at two o'clock. The
Hawailan treaty was about to be taken up
when Mr. Sherman made known the fact
that the committee on ways and means had
touay taken action with practical unanimity
looking TO the abrogation of the existing
treaty and suggested that the matter lie over
for the present. Thereupon its consideration
was postponed for fortnight.
The Van Wyck resolution for open con-
sideratlon, which applied to this treaty also
went over.
The We'll and Labra treaty was then taken
up. Mr.. Morgan made long speech in
favor OF it. The pending proposition is to
re open the treaty in order to give Mexico a
chance to introduce evidence to show that
the original treaty was severed by fraud
ne oll went over until tomorrow.
The Venezuelan treaty was then taken up
and read and ratified without debate.
The Senate then proceeded to the consid-
Grafton of nominations and a number of in
teresting reports from committees read,
Motions were made on several of them
that the injunction of the secretary be re-
moved.
Mr.. Salisbury thought that the reports
were of political nature and protested
against the use of the executive session to
suppress that which was favorable to tie
democracy and publish that which was de-
signed to make capital for the republicans.
The injunction in five reports was removed
despite protest.
Report of the Committee on Electoral
Count.
The report of the committee on electoral
count upon the Hoar bill, was presented to
the House today. The committee has made
several important amendments to the bill
which are explained in the report. In section
four, which prohibits the rejection of the vote
of any State from which but one return has
been received, except by an affirmative vote
OF both houses" the committee has struck out
the exception. The material amendment pro-
vides that those votes only shall be counted
which are cast by electors whose appointments
shall have been duly certified under the seal
OF the state and executive thereof, in accord
ance with the laws of the State, unless the
two houses acting separately shall concur
rently decide such votes to be lawful votes
of legally appointed electors of such States
Should this amendment be adopted by the
House and the bill passed, the mode of count
ing electoral votes may be thus briefly stated ::
In those States where tribunal has been es J..
tablished for the determination of contests
and concerning the appointment of electors
therein, and such tribunal has decided what
electors were duly appointed, the determine
ton of the State tribunal shall be conclusive.
Where there is but one return from State,
the vote so returned shall be counted, but in
case there should arise question as to which
of the two or more of such State authorities,
determining what electors had been appoint
ed, is the legal tribunal of such State, the
votes of the electors of such State shall be
counted whose title as electors, the two houses
acting separately, shall concurrently decide
| is supported by the decision of such State
| tribunal as was authorized by law under the
amendment already referred to. Where there
| is but one State government and two sets OF
returns, purporting to be vote of the State
! that return shall be counted which is sap
ported by the executives certificate, unless
| both houses, acting separately, shall decide
that that vote is not the lawful vote of ths
State.