The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-10-15
CONGRESS ADJOURNS.
Closing Scenes in the Senate
and House.
The Work Done by the Principal
:. Committees.

the adjournment OF Congress said: The first
session of the Fifty-frst Congress came to
very quiet ending to-day at P. N. For an
hour before that time both Houses were in re-
cess, there being no further legislation to be
transacted, except the reception of announce
ments of the Presidents signature to bills.
President Harrison spent the day at the Capt.
tol, occupying the room set apartfor the Chief
He was accompanied by each member Of his
Cabinet, except Secretary Rusk. In the
Senate Mr.. Harris presented a resolution
rendering the thanks Of the body to Vice
President Morton for his fair and impartial
conduct in the chair, and Mr.. Ransom per-
formed like service for President Pro
Tenn. ingalls,. In the House no Demo-
crat arose to offer this mark Of
courtesy to Speaker Reed, and the final ad-
ing incident Of any kind. 1t is not custom
ary to offer a resolution of thanks to the
Speaker at the end Of each session, but only
at the expiration Of Congress
The Vice-President laid before the Senate
three veto messages from the President, two
of them on bills referring to the Court of
Claims-the claims Of Charles P. Chouteau
and Of tie Portland Company, Of Portland,
Me.-and the third one the bill to prohibit
of Columbia for the purpose of gambling.
While business was in suspense Mr.. Blaine
who had accompanied the President to tine
Capitol, stepped into the Senate chamber
and was greeted with cordiality by several
Of his former associates -Messrs. Dawes,
Cullom, Hawley and Ingalls, and others.
The President did not show upin the Senate
Chamber at all, but when he was informed
that all the business had been disposed of and
hah had i,,fo -
| upon him III that regard that he had no
further communication to make to Congress,
| be quietly took his departure and returned
! to. the White House for dinner.
| Vice-President Morton made brief speech
at 6 O'clock declaring the session closed
The House celebrated its adjournment by
| indulging in a lively discussion about the
! Chairman of the National Republican Com
mittee, and BY removing its Postmaster, who
has been found guilty Of malfeasance by an
investigating committee. The report was
Office of Postmaster of the House vacant,
and directing the Assistant Postmaster to
perform the duties of Postmaster until
Postmaster shall have been elected and duly
qualified, and this resolution was agreed to.
Five o'clock was the hour first fixed for ad.
journment, but as that hour drew nigh the
time was extended until six. At $50 re-
! cess until 5:55 was taken. Th2 galleries re-
mained crowded until the end. Great Curl
osity existed as to whether the usual resolu-
tion thanking the Chair for his services
and If so, by whom, and what would become
Of it. No such resolution was offered how
ever, and at sharp o'clock Speaker Reed
brought the session to a c.ose without
single word beyond the full announcement
and then directing his messenger to take
charge Of the ivory gavel, silver inkstand,
and large basket of flowers that adorned
his desk, be retired to his room.
And thus the first session of the Fifty-frst
which the Senate met for 224 days against
1877 days in the Fiftieth Congress, which ter
minated on October 20, 1889. The House
was in session for 293 days. -,
or the principal committees of the Senate
TIE Committee Qp Pensions E9s bad reterred
to It about 1000 bills and resolutions 1900 OF
which originated in the Senate and eOo IN
the House. OF this number about 1000 have
besl reported-400 Senate and 500 House.
| The cor11mittee reported five general bills,
three of which became taYs The CommltTea
on Territories has received ioftyy-e eight pli!s
Of this number thirty-seven have been re-
ported, 2 number Of which have become
laws, Among them were the bills providing
for the admission Of Idaho and Wyoming:
The Elections Committee Of the House de-
cided II out of is cases before it in favor Of
10 Republicans, & Democrats and l Union
Labor can idate. One case is undecided, and
4 of those reported have not been decided by
the House. The contestants in every case
were Republicans. In every case the recon-
mendations of the committee were adopted.
Seven Republicans and Unio2-Labor can.
didate were seated and seat declared
vacant.
The House Committee on Invalid Pensions
had referred to it 1858 bills, or nearly one
third of the bills introduced in the House at
this session. OF this number 1103 have been
reported by the committee. OF these five
were general bills three Of which became
laws. :,
Of the bills introduced in tho House ths
Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds
received 494. Of these 1877 were reported by
the committee the appropriations car
ried aggregating S?3000,0 900. OF this
number thirty-nine passed the House
carrying s5,9S1, $50. Thirty-six have
beeM approved by the President carrying
S4,s5l,635 Three have been fetoe1-Iud-
son, n. Y; Dallas, Texas; Tuscaloosa, Fla
carrying 1915, The appropriations for
public buildings aggregated $40, 557, 900.
During the session twenty-seven bills have
been referred to the Committe Oh Education,
proposing general educational legislation. Of
thisnum 6er two have been reported favorabiy
to the House-the Blair bill and the Morrill,
Educational College bill. The latter bscame a
law. The Committee on Coinage, Weights and
Measures received thirty-three bills. OF these
the committee reported five, one of which
became law-the Silver bill. The Com
inittee on Agriculture received thirty-eight
bills, ten of Which were reported and three of
which became laws.
There have been three veto messages BY
, the President.
|