Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-04-07

duuit alu the SOurt OF claims. The former re-
fused 10 entertain the claim, and the latter re-
jected 1t. -->..
The bin agreed to by the committee is sub
stituIe for one introduced by Mr.. ]. b. Weaver.
Mr.. L. +. Brown is said TO be the only survivor
OF the company.
Capitol Topics.
MORMON PETITION.
Mr.. Blair presented to- the Senate yesterday q
long petition sent to him from Utah and al
legged to have been signed by women of that
territory. 1t is understood that the petition was
written by well-known Mormon attorney, and
Is device to gain sympathy for the 'Saints."
Ihls petition relates various alleged circum-
stances in which United States officers are said
to have entered the bedrooms OF Mormon
women to ascertain whether or not the law was
being violated.
PERSONAL PROPERTY CAPTURED DURING THE
WAR.
The House committee on war claims yester-
day ordered a favorable report on Representa-
tive Hemphill's bill to authorize the Secretary
any sIIverware, teweiry, portraits, watches, and
other articles deposited In the treasury by the
Secretary of War in June, 1869, property
captured by the United States army during the
late war. The bill provides for the sale OF any
OF these articles which may remain in the
treasury two years after the passage of the act
CONTRIBUTIONS OF CIVIL SERVICE COMMITS
SIoNERS, ETC.
The Senate, in executive session yesterday,
confirmed the nominations of John II. Obery
and Charles Lyman civil-service commits
sioners; s. NJ. Stockslager, of Indiana, assistant
land commissioner, and Henri Nignaud, of
louisiana, secretary OF the United States lega-
ton at Paris.
A resolution was unanimously reported from
thority OF the Secretary of the Treasury that
there are no charges pending against suspended
revenue collectors.
EIGHT HOURS FOR LETTER CARRIERS.
In the Senate to-day Mr. Blair introduced a
bill to provide that eight hours shall constitute
a TOW Lott
the government and that there shall be no re-
duction of pay because of this limitation of the
hours OF labor. Referred to the committee on
education ana labor.
TAX ON CORPORATIONS.
In the Senateto-day Mr.. Morgan submitted
resolution directing the committee on finance
to inquire and report upon the following ques-
tions 1. Has Congress the power to lay a ia X
in any form on the capital stock of corporation
in the United States and territories, and i'm the
ent to lay such tax? 3. Can such tax be i'm
posed in the form of license to such corpora
tions to continue their business operations" A.
w hat classes OF corporations should be exempt
from taxation? Also directing the committee
to inquire whether it is eXpedient to set apart
the money to be derived from such taxation as
special fund for the payment OF pensions, and
If SO, what percentage of taxation will raise a
sum that will be adequate for that purpose.
SUDDEN DEATH OF MAJOR RIDLEY.
Major J. s. Ridley, of Kentucky, the clerk of
tuc I1OuSe private lauU CtdlILS COiuulttec. ulcu
suddenly of apoplexy last evening. The COM
mittee held a meeting this morning and passed
resolutions of regret. The committee attended
the remains to the depot, from whence they
will be sent to Nashville, Tenn.
NOTES.
The House yesterday passed the post office
appropriation bill without amendment
A bill was introduced in the Senate yester-
day by Mr.. Wilson, of Iowa, to prohibit the
transmission through the mails of lottery, gift
enterprises, or other like circulars.
Mr.. Blair reported favorably in the Senate
yesterday from the committee on PENSIONS the
bill to increase to $50 a month the pension OF
the widow of Gen. Ward b. Burnett.
Petitions are reaching the Senate in num-
bers from civilian employees of the quartermas-
ters and subsistence departments OF the army,
protesting against the provision in the army
appropriation bill to reduce their pay.
In the Senate to-day Mr.. German introduced
a bill to order the Secretary of the Treasury to
pay to the heirs of Lieut.. Francis Ware, de-
ceased, a final settlement certificate for COM
mutation pay, amounting to $25,11O, which
the registers books show has never been paid.