Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-09-21
In CONGRESS-.
WHAT THE NATIONS LAWMAKERS
ARE DOING.
The sundry Civil Appropriation Bill
The Retention OF the Chinese Ex-
ciusion Bill.
lBy telegraph to the Disps,ch-l
WASHINGTON. September 20, 1883.

District Courts OF the United states wa
disagreed TO and a conference ordered
Among the bills reported from com
mittees and placed on the calendar were
the following:
House bill to include Sapelo sound
Sapelo river, and Sapelo island In the
Brunswick, Georgia, collection district
Senate bill granting the right Of way tc
the Pensacola end Memphis Railroad
Company through public lends in flori'
do, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennes
sec, ana through military reservation
near Pensacola.
The order reported yesterday by Mr.
Edmunds from the Committee on For
eign Relations directing the retention OF
the Chinese exclusion bill having been
taken up, Mr.. Edmunds said that as the
bill had gone out of the possession Of
the Senate the order Was not applicable
70 the present state of the case. There
fore. so far rs he was concerned, the
resolution might he laid on the table.
The presiding officer lMr. InRalls) said
that if there be no objection the resolu-
ton will lie on the table. SO ordered.
Mr.. Mitchell proceeded to address the
Senate in reference 10 the Presidents an
nual message. He characterized the
tariff bill passed by the House as one IN
the interest Of the importer and against
the interest Of the laborer. and which
had received the enthusiastic approval
of the free traders at home and abroad
and said that on the other hand the
Senate substitute would be based from
beginning to end on American doctrine
and to American labor and American
industry. After speaking for about foul
hours Mr. Mitchell yielded the floor for a
motion to proceed to executive business.
The executive session lasted over an
hour. After the doors were reopened
Mr.. Daniel asked unanimous consent to
take from the calendar and pass House
bill for the relief of James Albert Bon
sack. of Virginia extension OF cigarette
machine patent, but objection was made
by Mr.. Cockrell. who said that he wanted
at least tweDtyfour hours to discuss the
bill.
Mr.. Mitchell again took the floor anC
delivered the remainder of his speech,
Mr.. Mitchell concluded his speech al
AGO, and then the Senate took up the
Department bill, the ques
ton being on the amendment to strike
out the fifth section, which transfers the
weather bureau OF the signal service tc
the Agricultural Department.
Mr.. Chandler occupied the remainder
OF the afternoon session In discussing
this provision, and still had the fool
when the Senate adjourned
An agreement was reached that the
vote on the amendment will be taken al
3 o'clock tomorrow.
House or Representatives.
Immediately after the reading Of the
journal Mr.. Burnes, of Missouri, called
up the conference report on the sundry
civil appropriation bill, and the House
refused-32 to 47-tO agree TO 1t.
Mr.. Payson, OF Illinois, moved that the
House insist on its disagreement to the
OF the Senate relative to the
Library building. Coupled with his mo-
ton is declaration on the part OF the
House in favor Of the original proposition
of the House suspending the progress OF
the existing work and authorizing the
Senate and House Committees on Public
to invite from five leading
architects plans and specifications for the
Library building which will not exceed in
cost s., 000,0O The committees shall
have lea7e to report at any time, and
their report shall be privileged.
Mr.. payson subsequently withdrew
his proposition, and, on motion of Mr..
Burnes, a further conference was ordered
on the bill.
Mir. Morrow. of California, has offered
q resolution directing the Committee on
Enrolled Bills to transmit the Chinese
bill to the President forthwith and with
out delay.
Mr.. Morow's resolution was present
ed as a question of privilege. 1T recited
the passage OF the Chinese bill by the
House and Senate, the signing Of the
enrolled bill by the presiding officers of
the two houses, its delivery to the Com
mittee on Enrolled Bills, and the fact
that it is now in the possession of Act
ing Chairman Kilgore. 1t further re-
cites the report in the Washington Post
that the bill is being withheld from the
President by the Committee on Enrolled
Bills, and declares that such action OF
the committee is without authority OF
law.
Mr.. McMillin, of Tennessee, raised
the point of order that the resolution
did not present question Of privilege.
There was no allegation OF delay in the
Transmission of the bill that was unrea-
sonable or unusual. As matter of fact
there were other cases in which the de-
lay had been much greater than in the
present case.
MIR. Herbert, of Alabama. took the
same ground and stated that the news
papers only gave the story as matter
of current rumor.
The debate upon the point of order
was lively and at times bitterly personal
between Mr.. Payson, OF Illinois, and
Mr.. Breckenridge, of Kentucky. The
point of order against Mr.. Morrow's re-
solution was sustained and the resolution
was not allowed to come before the
House.
Mr.. Cox added that there was no law
or rule prescribing the manner in which
a bill should be transmitted to the Presi-
dent, but. the practice had grown up Of
intrusting that duty to the Committee
on Enrolled Bills. One days delay was
not unusual. The average time it took
for the bill to reach the President after
having been signed by the presiding
of the two houses was three
days. While sustaining the point Of
order he was not prepared to say that if
the resolution was again brought forward
in q few days he would rule that it was
not privileged.
Mr.. Morrow then asked unanimous
consent for the immediate consideration
Of the resolution, but the demand for the
regular order operated as an objection,
and the House at 1915 adjourned.
Committee on Enrolled Bills.
IBy telegraph TO the Dlspatch.l