Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1890-10-30

| WASHINGTON, ID. e., Oct. 20, 1890.
The President will call an extra session
of Congress. The President will not call
an extra session. 1t depends Together
upon who you talk with which of the
above statements will be positively made
| called on Secretary Halford at the White
House to-day and tried to obtain some
thing definite, but Mr.. Halford was cour-
teously noncommittal, and from his man
ner more than from what he said came
away with the idea that the President had
not decided himself. There has been one
| fully attended cabinet meeting at which
the subject in all its bearings was freely
| discussed, and from best information OBJ
tainable, which of course isn't official,
marked difference of opinion as to the ad-
i visibility of an extra session was develop
| ed. IL is known that the President per
| sonally fayOrs an extra session for the
| purpose OF passing important legislation
| which cannot possibly be crowded into the
short SESSION without causing some of the
regular appropriation bills to be crowded
| out which would necessitate the calling of
an extra session Of the Fifty-second Con-
| gresS which is to be elected next month,
early in the spring, and it is also known
that number of prominent republicans in
| and out of Congress are opposed TO call
ing an extra session this fall believing ii
better policy to attempt to pass all neces-
layf Slati or tb..s bAr
let the democrats take the responsibility
of preventing it by tiibu,tering tactics,
II they dare. The idea that the President
is compelled by law To issue proclama-
tion calling an extra session thirty days
previous to the date upon which Congress
is to assemble, which had been generally
accepted a. correct, has been exploded
There is no law On the subject, except that
contained in the Constitution Of the United
States, which places the entire matter at
the discretion Of the President. SO that
Mr.. Harrison, if he be so disposed, may
call an extra session, to meet within forty
eight hours after the date of his prOClama-
tion. OF course if an extra session is TO
be called it is probable that enough time
will be given, between the date Of the
proclamation and the assembling of Con-
gres>, to enable members from the most
distant di>t:icts to reach Washington in
time To- be present at the opening.
Admiral Porter who returned to Washing
ton last week dangerously i'll. is now much
l.. It J.
out in few days. The Admiral is deserv-
eGly popular here, and the news of his Sc
rious Illness caused great distress. He |
has long since passed the three score and !
ten post, but his rugged physique and the |
good health he usually enjoys furnish |
good ground for the hope that he may CON
tlnue at the head Of the American Navy I
70: at least another decade, and the Adj
mlral himself told me last spring that he
hoped to live long enough to see the yes
sells Of the lavy manned by American sea.
men exclusively, instead Of by foreigners
many of whom have never even applied
for naturalization papers, as at present.
Speaking OF the navy, advertisements
have been issued by the navy department
inviting proposals for building novel
fighting ship, which will carry no guns
This vessel was designed by Rear Admiral
'''","n an, viii alyavs be 2qpularly known
as the "Ammen KAN, although the ue-
partment calls it "harhor defence ram"
The only weapons Of the ram Will be her
powerful engines and steel beak strong
enough to disable any vessel atioat which
it strikes when going at full speed. The
vessel Will be almost entirely under water
which will make it extremely difficult for
the enemy to disable her with guns.
Major General Nelson F.. Miles, who i.
recently created 70 negotiate with the
Cheyenne Indians on the Tongue River
reservation in Montana aud on the Pine
Ridge reservation in South Dakota for
their removal and permanent settlement
on any Of the existing reservations, Is here
comforting with hi, civilian colleagues on
the commission and with the interior de
partmcnt
Civil Service Commissioner Roosevelt
has returned from six weeks vacation
which lie spent on his cattle ranch in
North Dakota. He tells ll>h story that,
If persisted in, will destroy his reputation
for veracity.
The acting superintendent of the census
has very naturally refused to order re-
count of New York City unless better
reason can be given for asking it than the
recent count made by Tamnany Hall for
the ayowed purpose Of gaining an addi-
tional Congressman under the new appor
tionment.
Secretary Tracy says the successor to
the late Justice Miller will be a western
man, but further than that he does not go.