Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-07-20
CONGRESS-.

day, July 18th, Mr.. Palmer submitted
a statement from the director of th'
mint tending to show that it would TAX
two and a-half years to coin the silve
bullion now in the treasury as required
by the Stewart bill without entering
upon any new coinage. By a vote O
80 to IA the Senate voted to take up the
anti-options bill. 1t was then laid aside
and the remainder of the session wa.
spent in debate ON Mr.. Quay's amend
ment to the civil sundry appropriation
bill requiring the Worlds Exposition
to be closed on Sundays. a vote was
vote was not reached on the amend
| ment.
The subject under discussion in the
| House was constitutional amendment
to elect Senators by a direct vote of tho
people. Mr.. Tucker, democrat, of Vir
ginla, made an earnest speech in sup
port of the measure, and was warmly
congratulated by colleagues. A debate
followed, in which there was vigorous
attack on the principles of the force
bill. The republicans by tilibustering
succeeded in preventing vote on the
bill, and at 5 O'Clock the Houss took a
recess until o'clock in the evening for
the consideration of pension bills.
The Senate, Wednesday, was again
engaged on the civil sundry appropria-
ton bills, AMI adopted amendments
providing for the closing OF the exposi-
ton on Sunday and prohibiting the
sale OF liquor on the grounds,
In the House the free coinage bill was
defeated and / large number OF private
pension bills passed.
In the Senate, Thursday, Mr., Sher-
man introduced a bill repeating that
part of the present silver act which
provides for monthly purchases of bull
lion, to take effect January next. The
Senate passed the sundry civil appro-
priation bill after striking out, by a
vote of 80 to 81, the amendment adopt
ed Wednesday prohibiting the sale of
intoxicating liquors within the grounds
of the Columbian Exposition. An eff
fort to have stricken out Mr.. Quay's
Sunday-closing amendment was de-
featcd. Mr.. PETER introduced bill
prohibiting the coinage of gold in the
United States mints, and Mr.. Higgins
introduced a bill to authorize retalia-
ton for certain alleged unjust discrimi-
nations by the Dominion of Canada
against the United States. A bill was
reported from the committee on con-
tingent expenses proposing the APP
pointment of select committee of sew
en- Senators on the Homestead troubles
ment of the Pinkerton force.
In the House, although the day was
nominally given to the commerce COM
mittee, that committee was unable to
transact any business, some of its men,
beers being rather indignant and attrib-
uting their failure to the opposition of
Mr.. Holman, Mr.. McMillin and other
leaders on the democratic side, The
legislative conference report was agreed
to without much opposition, as was
also the conference report on the diplO
matte and consular appropriation bill
and the conference report on the naval
bill, the latter being the
foundation upon which Messrs. Lodge,
of Massachusetts, and Fellows, of New
York, based notably earnest and effec-
tive speeches in favor of an increase in
the navy.
In the Senate, Friday, conference re-
ports on the legislative, the navy and
the army appropriation bills were pre-
sented and concurred in, Most of the
days session was spent in the discus
sion of the fertilization bill, particular
ly as to the construction of breech-lOad
ing rified mortars and as to the selec-
ton of a site on the Pacific coast for an
for the finishing and assem-
bling of ordinance. The bill was final
ly passed, leaving only the deficiency
on by the Senate. and notice
was given that the bill would be taken
up to-day.
In the House the sundry civil bill oc
cupied almost the entire day. 1t will
reach vote Tuesday noon.
In the Senate, Saturday, a resolution
was passed for an investigation into
the working of the immigration and
laws. The general de-
ticiency bill, the last of the great APP
bills Enacted upon by the
Senate, was taken up by that body.
The House spent another day on the
civil sundry appropriation bill, the
pending amendment being the PROPOSE
ton giving the Worlds Fair $4,000, 900
in souvenir coins and closing the gates
Oh Sunday.
Tie Senate, Monday, passed the gen.
eral deficiency bill. The anti option
bill was takeu up and thus became the
regular order. The opponents of that
then interposed a series of
motions which had the character of
motions, and which were also
designed to GUST the apti-Option bill
from it's position of precedence, The
friends of the measure were strong
enough, however, to resist all these eff
forts, and when the Senate adjourned
the anti-option bill was the ''unfinish-
ed business" to come up at 2 o'clock
In the House the bill referring the
celebrated McGarrahan bill to the
Court Of Claims was passed as it came
from the Senate. A bill was passed
which opens to local architects COM
petition for the design and construc-
ton of public buildings.