The National tribune., 1888-10-18
CONGRESS,
An Abstract Of the More Important
Proceedings in Both Houses.
WEDNESDAY, Ocr. 10.

of the civil-service law, and said that the mi
nority report would be presented hereafter.
Mr.. Wilson Qowa) offered resolution, which
was adopted, instructing the Committee on
Foreign Relations to inquire and report what
action can be taken to effect an arrangement
whereby American cattle for export to England
or other European countries may be transport
ed through Canada without being subjected TO
the delay imposed by the quarantine regula-
tons now in force.
A joint resolution from the Committee on
Epidemic Diseases requesting the President to
direct the Chiefs of the Medical Bureaus of the
Army and Navy and Marine Hospital Service
to cooperate with the yellow fever conference
to be held in Washington in December next
was passed
The Senate then, on motion of Mr.. Hoar
Mass }, took up for consideration the bill to
pay $S,475 to the widow of Chief Justice Waite,
being the balance of his years salary.
Messrs. HoaT, Hawley Comm and Call (Fla.)
favored the bill, and Messrs. Berry Ark, Coke
(Tcx.) and George (diss) opposed il on Consti-
tutional grounds. The bill was then passed,
Mr.. Berry having Withdrawn his call for the
yeas and nays because Che said) il would show
there was no quorum present aud he also be-
ieved and hoped that the bill could not and
would not pass the House.
The Senate then resumed the consideration
Of the tariff bill, and Mr.. Bate (Tenn.) spoke
against the Senate substitute. He said the
| House was antagoni5tic to free trade inasmuch
as it proposed to raise the greater part of the
revenue through duties on imported goods.
The Senate bill, he said, was a superstructure
of protection, erected on the framework of
/ revenue reform.
! At the close of Mr. Bates speech Mr.. CulIom
| (Ill.) obtained the floor, and the tariff bill went
| over till to morrow.
A message from the President was presented
and read vetoing bill for the relief of the ex-
ecutors of Joseph II. Maddox for payment on
| account OF losses and damages sustained by the
seizure Of tobacco during the war. The Presi-
dent refers to the fact that the claim was barred
/ by the adverse decisions of the courts; that it
/ had been then presented to Congress, begin
ming with the 42d Congress, aud had passed
now when favorable conditions" existed, and
/ that " he fails to appreciate the equities that
entitle the claimant 10 further hearing" The
/ bill and message were referred to the Commit
/ tee on Claims.
! The Senate adjourned at 4;30 o'clock p. m.
! In the House several efforts were made TO get
! bills through the House, but in each instance
/ the point Of quorum WAS successfully made.
/ Mr. Burnes (Mo.) succeeded in inducing the
! House TO take up the conference report ON the
! deficiency bill, and the report was agreed to.
/ This disposes Of the last Of the general appro-
/ priation bills
The House then at o'clock p. M adjourned
until Friday Oct. 12.
THURSDAY, OCT. II.
In the Senate, the House bill appropriating
! 900 for the enforcement of the Chinese ex-
! clusion act was reported by Mr. Allison Iowa)
and passed.
| Mr. Mitchell (Ore.) then proceeded to address
! the Senate in advocacy Of the bill heretofore
! introduced by him TO reduce letter postage to
/ l cent The bill was referred to the Postotiice
! Committee.
The Senate then resumed the consideration
/ of euh or he
| Cullum tIll.) Mr. Vest NO., Mr.. Platt Conn,
! and Mr. Chaee Il. l. speaking at length upon
/ the measure. Without concluding his remarks,
Dir. Chace yielded the floor, aud the Senate
! adjourned at 4:40 p. IN.
The House was not in session today.
MONDAY, OcT Is.
In the Senate, after the morning hour had
| expired, Mr. Blair (N. H. called up the veto
/ message in the pension case Of Mary Ann
| Dougherty, and said although he noticed the
( Senator from Missouri lBIr. Cockreli) sneer at
his remarks, the matter Of doing justice to that
/ poor woman was just as serious as the passage
/ Of q tariff bill or the election of a President
lie read various afiidayits in support Of Mrs.
Dougherty's claim that she was one of those who
were injured ia the Washington arsenal ex-
plosion Ia 1864 He read certificates (among
them two from Catholic priests) as to the good
| character of the woman, and said that those
who had been instrumental il doing injury to
her should make reparatoG He trusted that
the President would do so in public manner
by a communication 10 both Houses Of Congress
as an antidotc to the injury perpetrated by the
veto.
Mr.. Cockrcll characterized the documents
produced by Mr. Blair as mere trash, the yeri-
est bosh, secondary evidence and hearsay, and
he reminded the Senate that he had challenged
the Chairman OF the Committee On Pensions to
report back the bill with a recommendation
that it will be passed Notwithstanding the Pres
| jdeuts objections and the challenge still re-
mained unanswered. The President, ho said,
had not told half the truth about the woman's
character.
Mr. Blair-He did not tell any. daughter
Mr Cockrell-He told only part Of il, and
everything he told was the truth As TO the
Geo. Bancroft who had signed one Of the papers
and who had been represented as the historian,
itnOT turns ont he said, THAI he was different
persou altogether-' pension shark"
as honest man as either of us" said Mr.
Blair.
Mr. Blair spoke Of the President as "an in.
famous libeller," in having used his great
power to defame and libel this woman un.
necessarily"
The discussion Of the tariff substitute oc.
cupied the balance of the aay's session, the ad
j0urament taking place at o'clock p. 10.
In the House. Mr Wheeler Ala introduced
q tariff resolution, which had been formulated
! by the Democratic caucus which pledged tht
Members Of That party to defend the Mills bill
! for reduction Of the tariff, and stating tina
! the Senate substitute should be discussed OF
: the floor Of the House. The resolution wa
referred to the Committee on Rules.
: Mr. Gates lAla.) introduced the following
resolution:
Whereas the present session Of Congress has con
tiIped longer than any ever held IN Tie history 0
: / the Government;
e Whereas much less than q quorum IL present II
te Senate or House Of Representatives so that M
legislation can be constitulionelly enacted; and
Whereas there IS no probability of a quorum be
. / ing present IN either House during the time wheI
y the present session may by law contuHe
D EsSo.red That the President Of the Senate an,
J. the Speaker Of the House be authorized 10 clos
s the present session by adouruing their respective
Houses on Wednesday, the I7li of October at u "a
Mr.. Oates said that in view Of the fact thu
= there was no quorum IN either branch OF Con
gress and no probability Of there being one b.
q thought that the resolution for final adjourn
! me8t should be agreed to. AS the Committe
q Oh Ways and Means was likewise without
d quorum, nothing could be gained By referrin
g the resolution TO that committee. But he wa
1 willing that ii should lie upon the table anti
tomorrow
% Mr. Lanham Tex then suggested that th
q resolution offered by Mr, Oates in its preambl
o itself raised the point Of no quorum and tn
Ie Speaker eequiescing ia this opinion intimate