Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1886-02-25
NATIONAL LAWMAKERS.
Brief summary OF the Proceed
ings Of Congress.

A SUBSTITUTE for the interstate commerce
bill was reported TO the Senate by Mr.. Cu1loni
on the 10th inst the main provisions OF the
former bill are retained Railroads are pro
hibted from charging more for Carving freight
| q Short distatcb than for LONGER one; with
| the proviBo that the boifimission may make
exceptions to this requirement when found
! necessary In special cases where there is
Fater competition All rates must be pub
lished, so far as the commission may find IL
practicable TO do, and in such manner as may
pc prescribed. Advances in published rates are
prohibited except after public notice. The
courts are given authority to compel compliance
with these requirements, and may restrain
railroads from carrying ON business until
they comply. For violations OF the act the
of1cers and agents Of corporations arc made
subject to $1,000 fine for each offense, and
all persons injured for oil damages occa-
stoned by such violation. Complaints NAV be
made to the commission by any one and they
must be investigated unless the matters COM
planned OF are promptly adjusted at the request
OF the commission. Debate ON the Blair educa-
tionsl bin was resumed. Senators Jackson and
Pugh spoke in favor Of, while Messrs. Maxey
and HawleY opposed, the measure Mr.. Brady
addressed the House on the Norfolk navy yard
resolution In the course OF his speech he de.
the superintendent OF the dry dock had
been removed for beastly intoxication was
not true, and that the statement made by Mr.
Wise that, the Postmaster at Portsmouth, a
Union soldier, had been removed at the dicta:
tion OF William MAhone was also untrue The
House spent all OF its session after the morning
hour and special evening session in discussing
the case of Fitz-John Porter. Mr. Wheeler
supported the bill and Messrs. Cutcheon, Brown,
Rowell and Perkins, Peters. and Hanback, op-
posed the bill.
THE Senate passed an anti Oklahoma boomer
bill on the 18th inst 1t provides for the punish
ment by fine of not more than $500 and imprison-
of not more than one year. or both, of persons
going on Indian lands with the purpose OF occu-
pying the same. Mr. Hoar introduced a. bill
providing for the erection of Il monument ut
Washington to General Grant. The sum appro-
Priated is $3.50 600. The bill was sent TO the
Committee on Library for consideration. Sena-
Tor morrill, introduced a bill providing for the
establishment Of an educational fund by set
ting apart each year the receipts from the
sale OF public lands over and above the ex-
penses OF the land Office together with one-half
the amount received from railroad companies
utder the provisions Of the Thurman act such
fund 20 be apportoned to the several States and
Territories and the DISTRICT nf Columbia ~Pe.,
the basis Of population between the ages Of
and 20 years, the interest the sum appor-
toned TO each State and Territory TO be paid to
its proper officers each year for educa-
tional purposes. The Blair educational
bill was discussed and amended. In the
House OF Representatives Mr.. Murphy, of Iowa,
from the Committee on Railways and Canals.
reported a bill providing for the acceptance by
the United States Of the proposed grant OF the
Illinois and Michigan Canal for the construc-
tion Of the Illinois and Mississippi River Canal
Inc Dill was placed on the calendar. The House
passed bills providing that all settlers within
railway limits restricted to less than l60 acres.
who make an additional entry under the acts OF
March and July, 1879, shall be entitled to have
the lands covered by the additional entry pat
ented without any further cost or proof of set
tlement and cultivation, reducing from to
cents the fee for money orders not exceeding S.,
and making allowances for clerk-hire to post
masters at first and second class postoffces
cover the cost of clerical labor in the money
order business. The Fitz-John Porter debate
w I'm fhn T.ofr and
Oates supporting and Messrs. Kelley
and Thomas opposing the bill. Mr.
wholly unconstitutional, and that it's passage
would be an insult to the living and an outrage
to the dead. Mr.. Oates bases his argument
Of Aug a. gssS and was listened to with areas
attention. He thought that Mcdowell was
more to blame for not interposing to prevent the
union OF the forces Of Longstreet and jackson
than Porter was.
Mr.. EDMUNDs, from the Judiciary Commit
te,o reported the following resolutions to the
Senate on the 18th inst. They were accom-
panied by long report, liberal abstract Of
which was given in these columns some days
ago: Resolved, That the Senate hereby ex-
presses its condemnation of the refusal OF the
Attorney General, under whatever influence, to
send TO the Senate copies Of papers called for
by its resolution of the 25th of January,
and set forth in the reports OF the
Committee on the Judiciary as In violation OF
his official duty and subversive OF the funda-
mental principles OF the Government and
of good administration thereof. Resolved That
it is, under these circumstances, the duty of the
Senate TO refuse its advice and consent TO pro-
posed removals OF officers, the documents and
papers in reference to the supposed official or
personal misconduct Of whom are withheld by
the Executive or any head Of department,
when deemed necessary by the Senate
and called for in considering the matter Re
solved, That the provision of section 1854 Of
the Revised Statutes declaring that persons
honorably discharged from the military or naval
AwwfAsa IrV 49,
wounds or sickness incurred in the line Of duty,
shall be preferred for appointments to civil
offices, provided that they are found to possess
the business capacity necessary for the proper
discharge Of the duties of such Office ought to
be faithfully and fully put In execution, and
that to remove or to propose to remove any such
soldier whose faithfulness, competency, and
character are above reproach, and to give place
to another who has not rendered such service, is
a violation of the spirit of the law and of the
practical gratitude the people and Government
Of the United States owe to the defenders of
liberty and the integrity of the
Government" The report recites the fact and
OF the removal OF Mr.. Dustin and
the appointment Of his successor as United
States Attorney for the Southern District Of
Alabama. 1t declares that it has been the
uniform practice OF the Judiciary Committee
since the passage of the tenure-of-office act
to call upon the heads Of departments for ali
papers and information in the possession OF the
departments touching the conduct and ad-
of the officer proposed to be re-
moved, and the character and conduct OF the
person proposed to be appointed. This has
been done with the unanimous approval OF
all the members, although the composition of
the committee has been during the period
sometimes Of one political character and
sometimes Of another. In no instance until
this time has the committee met with any de-
lay or denial In respect to furnishing such pa
pers and information, with a single exception,
and in which exception the delay and suggested
denial lasted only for two or three days. The
precedents are cited and discussed at great
length. It was agreed that no discussion Of the
question should take place until the minority of
the committee had prepared and presented their
side of the question, and for this purpose they
we're given until Monday, the LIST Of March.
The House of Representatives, by a vote
u III to 113, passed the bill to restore
Fitz John Porter to the army. An analysis of
the vote shows the following result Yeas
Democrats, 155; Republicans, is Greenback-
Democrat, i. Nays-Republicans, Ill; Demo-
,rat, 1 |; Greenback- Republican, l. During the
closing hours Of the debate the galleries were
crowded, and the groups which surrounded the |
speakers showed the deep interest felt by men, |
Ders on the floor. Phelps, Of New Jersey Cur |
lin OF Pennsylvania; and Bragg, OF Wisconsin, |
we're the principal speakers, all OF them advo- |
,ating the passage of the bill. Considerable ex-
,itement was caused by a heated alteration /
between Bragg and Cutcheon.