Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1888-03-09
DOINGS OF CONGRESS.

March 2-HoUsE.---The house went into
committee of the whole ON the private calen-
dar, and resumed consideration Of the ''OnI-
nibusn bill, which provides for the payment
of 30 odd claims for supplies used for the
army during the war, reported by the court
of claims, under the provisions Of the Bow
man act.
Mr.. Lee Of Virginia offered an amendment
appropriating $40 900 for the relief of the
Protestant Episcopal Theological seminary
and High school of Virginia. Mr. Lee advo-
Gated the amendment as all act of justice.
and thought that the time had come when the
animosity OF the war should have passed
away. The institution throughout the whole
war had been within the federal lines. No
confederate soldier had ever passed
over its grounds, and a majority
of its faculty had remained under
the jurisdiction of the United States.
Mr. Burrows of Michigan inquired what
side they prayed for, to which Mr.. Lee re-
piled that they prayed for all sinners. MessrS
Brewer and Cutcheon of Michigan and Gros-
venor of Ohio opposed the amendment as es-
tablishing a bad precedent. If passed it
might give rise to claims for millions of dol
lars as compensation for the use OF property
by the federal army. MIR. Spooner Of Rhode
Island supported the amendment. There was
to his mind vast distinction between this
claim and the claims for payment for occu-
patton of property within the confederate
lines. The seminary was situated in that
part of Virginia which was within the Union
lines from the beginning to the end of the
war. The territory within which it
was situated had, during the entire
war, a representative in the bouse.
The amendment was adopted, and the bill
was then agreed to be reported to the house.
Pending action, the house took recess until
7.3O, the evening session being for the con-
sideration of pension bills. The house to-
nin fhar
bills removing the political disabilities Of
Samuel Noble, Horace A. Browne, Paul
Faison and Andrew Lindsay. Following
is the full text Of the bill passed by the hous
relative to commercial conference between
the governments of the United States, Mex
leo ard Central and South America:
Be it enacted etc, that the president Of
the United States be, and he is, hereby re-
quested and authorized to invite the several
governments of the republics of Mexico.
Central and South America and the empirs
of Brazil to join the United States in con-
ference to b. held at Washington, for the
purpose of discussing and recommending for
adoption to their respective governments
some plan of arbitration for the settlement
of disagreements and disputes that may
hereafter arise between them, and for
/ considering questions relating to the i'm
| provement of business intercourse and means
of direct communication between said
countries, and to encourage such recip-
rocal commercial relations as will
! be beneficial to all and secure more extensive
markets for the products of each of said
/ countries. The president of the United
! States shall appoint six commissioners, who
shall attend said conference on behalf of the
/ United States, and shall report the proceed
ings thereof to the president, who shall trans
nit the same to congress, and the sum of
/ $50, 600, or so much thereof as shall be neces-
sary, is hereby appropriated to pay the
reasonable expenses of the conference, to be
approved by the secretary of the state.