The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-02-18
lands of the general government at the expense of

hands OF the general government at the expense of
Mr.. Pugh said. he had voted for this bill in obe-
dience to instructions from his legislature His
colleague, MIR. Morgan, had offered an amendment
short time ago, in the appropriation bill by which
several thousand dollars were devoted to the work
of arresting the rayages of the caterpil-
lar and investigating the devastation of
the cotton worm Mr.. Pugh could not see how
congress could have power to stop the ravages of
the catepiller in certain localities of certain states
and not have the power to arrest the ravages of
ignorance One was merely local. the other was
of national peril.
Mr.. Blair declared the bill constitutional, and add
ed that it useless for any body to say that the
people of the south did not want this measure
passed; He had received letters from teachers In
Texas favOring the bill.
Mr.. Coke said the teachers did not represent
the people of Texas. The state was almost solidy
democratic and the last democratic convention de-
nounced this bill
Mr.. Hawley said the state board of education
of Connecticut believed this bill to be unwise. He
criticised Mr. Blair's course in having reprinted
in the record speeches formerly delivered by him
on this subjuCt, and said there should be some
Limitation of the leave to print privileges.
Here the debate closed for the day
The chair laid before the senate the resolution
heretofore offered by Mr. Plumb calling on the
ner and the names of the special agents employed
by his department for the purpose of detecting
fraud in entries of public lands. Some amend
ments suggested by Mr. Cockrell, extending the
scope of enquiry, having been made to the resou-
,,
ton it was agreed to.
The credentials of the reelection of Senator A.
p. German were presented by Mr.. Wilson, of
Maryland, and were received and filed
The senate then adjourned,
HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, February l5-Mr. Phelps, of New
Jersey, from the committee on foreign affairs, re-
ported resolution calling on the secretary of
state for copies of all correspondence between his
department and represen atives of the governments
of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Portugal, Swe-
den and Norway relating to the claim of the said
governments to be accorded reduction of tonnage
dues accorded to vessels entering ports of the
United States from certain ports named in section
II of the shipping act Adopted.
Mr.. Hancock introduced bill providing for a
most sweeping inquiry concerning the charges re-
lecng the integrity and official action of certain
officers ofthe gOvernernment in connection with
the Pan electric telephone.
Under a call of states the following bills were
introduced and referred:
By MIR. Morrison, of Illinois, to reduce tariff
taxes
BY Mr.. Pulitzer, of New York, the following res.
Oution:
Resolved, That the resolution creating select
committee, submitted by Mr. Hanback,, of Kansas,
be amended SO as to authorize the said committee
to inquire whether any of the telephone companies
have in any way influenced, or attempted to intlu-
ence officials or official action through newspaper
articles from Interested or improper motives. Also,
whether any corporations or their representatives
have contributed money for campaign purposes
upon agreement that the person acceptable to them
should be appointed judge of one of the courts of
the United States which may have to decide litiga,
ton conc erning telephone patents. Also a bill
gran ting pension of S5, 600 year to the widow of
the late Gen. Hancock.
BY Mr.. Miller, of Texas, for the issue of small
bills for circulation.
The house then went into committee of the
whole on the Fitz John Porter bill, and Mr.. VOL
ford, of Kentucky. resumed his speech in favor of
the bill
Mr. Npgley, of PENNSYLVANIA, spoke against the
bill, as did Mr.. Fuller, of Iowa.
The committee then rose and the house adjourn
ed.
Mr. Hammond, of Georgis, from the judiciary
committee, to which was referred the resolution
directing that the committee inquire under what
law the attorney had authority in the name
of the United States, and at the expense of the
United States, at the instance and in the interest of
private corporations to institute, car on or de-
tend suits to cancel annul letters patent issued
to United States citizens on account of inventions
or discoveries, reported resolution which was
adopted, requesting the committee on judiciary To
answer the questions asked by said resolution, and
advise the house as to present the state law on
the said subject, andreport any amendment thereto
which may be deemed needful
| Mr. Laird, Sf Nebraska, from the committee on
military fairs, reported bill authorizing the pres
ident to raise two regiments of volunteer cavalry
| in New Mex co and Arizona to suppress lndiaT
| hostilites. Referred to committee of the whole.
| Mr. Biggs, of Illinois, from the committee OF
post offices and post roads, reported back the bill
compelling all vessels of the United States to carry
mails to and from foreign points when offered tc
to them by officers of the United States. Referred
to the house calendar. Qn committee the vote on
reporting this bill fayorably stood II to3)
| Mr.. Taylor, of Tennessee from the same com
mittee, reported adversely bills granting pensions
to employees in the postal service who have been in
the service twenty (20) years. Laid on the table
The morning hour expired and the house went
| into committee of the whole on the Fitz John Por
| ter bill.
Mr. Wheelock, of Alabama, spoke in support OF
| the measure.
| Mr. Cutchaon onnosed tho hill Roth sneachas
were long and strong. At their conclusion the
committee rose and the house took recess till
O'Clock, the evening session to be for further con-
sideration of the Fitz John Porter bill
At the evening session of Ethe house Mr.. Brady
(of Virginia) took the floor on the political situa
ton in Virginia. He said the gentleman from
Virginia, (Mr. Wisel in discussing the question o.
removal of certain inscriptions from Portsmouth
| dry dock, had made number of statements which
were not true. He (Mr. Brady declared that tht
fact was unmistakabe, and clearly established
that the statement made by the gentleman that the
superintendent of the dry dock at Lyons had been
removed for beastly intoXicaton was not true, anC
| that the statement made by Mr.. Wise that the
postmaster at Portsmouth, union soldier, hat
been removed at the direction of William Malone
was also untrue. He then proceeded to discuss
questions raised by Mr.. Boutelles resolution ant
characterized as "pettifogging the attemp
which had been made by his colleague to show tina
the dry dock at Portsmouth had been destroyed b.,
| confederates.
The Fitz John Porter bill was then taken up
MT Brown, (Ot fennsyiNanlal fOWell, lof Ill
nois) Perkins, (of kansas) and Peters, (of Kansas
opposed the bill. NJ. Hanback, (of Kansas) pre-
missed his speech with the declaration that tn,
democratic party have never built schoolhouses
and never would. On the fy-whee of progress il
had ever been an airbrake, with pan-electric at
| tachments. 1t was not strange, therefore, that i
would cast solid column of votes iii favor of one
of the most prominent failures of the war.
The committee then rose, and the house ad
journed
SETMOUR'S FUNERAL.
UTICA, n. Y, February 16.--The funeral of EX
Governor Seymour took place from old Trinity
| church at O'Clock to-day Rev Dr. 4. b. Good