Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-05-25
xLIX. CONGRESS-.
WASHINGTON. May -, 1886.
senate.

senate.
After the routine morning business in
TIE Senate to-day a motion made by Mr..
SAWYER TO proceed to the consideration OF
| the private pension eases was agreed 10 and
such bills were taken up in their order on
| the calendar.
Mr.. CockTell insisted ION having the re-
ports read. In a number of eases he had
some Of the bills that he considered Of
doubtful propricty postponed.
In short debate on ole Of the bills cOy-
| crine q ease that hid been rejected by the
pension office Mr.. CockrelI said the chief
| OF division IN that office who had rejected
80 plain and wcll-proycn a case ought to be
| discharged from the service Of the United
States.
\ number OF pension bills Aaying been
disposed Of, the bankruptcy bill was laid
| before HE Senate. and laid aside informally
| in favor OF the District OF Columbia apprO-
| priation bill. That bill, in turn, was al
! lowed to stand over, in order to permit Mr..
! Gibson to address the Senate on the subject
| OF Mr.. PlalPs resolution regarding open
! executive sessions.
Mr.. Gibson reviewed broadly the historic
phases OF the element Of secrecy as factor
| in the Government from the time when the
| English Parliament prohibited the publica-
| ton Of its debates 10 the present time, when
| the United States Senate discusses treaties
with closed doors and conducts secret in
| QUESTIONS into the character Of persons
nominated Tor Office. Mr. Gibson denied
| that any necessity now existed for the dis
| cllssiOn Of treaties in secret. However de-
! sirable secrecy might have been in the early
history OF our republic, it was no longer
| desirable; no public interests required that
any OF the proceedings OF the Senate should
| be kept secret from the people. Secret ses-
sion was a. much ont Of place and date at
this time a. the sword that John Adams
wore when presiding over the Senate would
be II worn by the present presiding officer.
Messrs. Teller, IIoar, and Platt also
spoke briefly upon tue same subject.
Mr.. Morrill, sad he expected TO speak
against open executive sessions, and in
CURED when the matter was to be dis.
cu,sed.
Mr.. Plat said he would move 10 take
hi, resolution up Immediately after the dis
pOsal OF the bankruptcy bill.
The matter Of executive sessions was
here dropped. and the Senate took up the
bankruptcy bill.
Mr.. Plumb opposed the bill as being in
the interest Of great cities like New York
and Boston, and against the Interests Of
small dealers throughout the country. He
regarded it as q most vicious bill.
Mr.. llOr defended the bill, differing en-
tirely with Mr.. Plumb as 10 IT. effect, and
cOntending that 1t was decidedly in the in
terest OF small traders, many Of whom,
without such bankruptcy law, II over
taken by misfortune must get through life
a. paupers, dragging az each remove
frightening chain.
After further debate the Senate adj
iouIned.
House OF Representatives
Mr.. DingIey, OF Maine, from the Ship
ping Committee, reported back the ship
ping bill, with a recommendation that esr-
tain Senate amendments be corfeurred In
and others non-concurred IN. The recon-
mendatiou OF the committee was agreed TO.
Amonethe amendments non-concurred In
i thapknown as the Frye amendment.
The Speaker announced the appointment,
OF Messrs. Blount, Riggs, and Bingham as
conferrees on the post-offlce appropriation
bill.
A struggle 70. the priority OF the con-
.ideration OF special orders then ensued.
Mr.. Cobb, OF Indiana. was on his feet
demanding that the House should consider
land-iorieiture bills.
Mr.. hatch, Of Missouri, brought forward
the oleomargarine bill, with motion to go
into Committee OF the Whole for It's discus
sion.
Mr.. Miller, Of Texas, pressed the claims
Of The Bsnking and Currency Committee,
to whose business the day had been as
signed.
Dir. Bragg, OF Wisconsin, asserted the
right OF the Committee on Military Affairs to
portion Of The day, and Mr.. Cox, Of North