Los Angeles herald., 1892-04-19
BER|NG SEA MODUS V|vEND|
The Agreement Reached Laid
Before the Senate.
A Synopsis of the Nature of the
Entente.
Clerk Youpg's Case Championed by
Henry Watterson : Pacific Coast
Senators Urging Chinese
Exclusion.
xsscciatea Press Dispatches.

yivendi for the protection of the Bering
sea seal fisheries during the pendency of
arbitration, which has been the subject
of negotiation between Blaine and the
British minister, was brought to the
capitol this afternoon, for some reason
mot apparent, under the injunction of
secrecy. 1t was therefore not laid be-
fore the senate in open session. Sher-
man, however, was notified by the pres.
ident of the nature of the communica-
tion, and he moved that the senate 60
into executive session. Accordingly, the
people we're cleared out of the gal leries,
the doors closed and then the seals were
broken and the modus read the senate.
NATURE OF THE AGREEMENT.
1t appeared from the reading of the
document that Blaine and the British
minister spent the time since the Brit
isb government concluded to renew the
modus, in trying to phrase the condi-
tions relative to damages, and secure ad-
vantages for their respective govern
ments. 1t appears that Great Britain's
reluctance in consenting to the renewal
was assumed for the purpose of obliging
this government to accept terms which
would assure Great Britain against
heavy loss in the case of an adverse de-
cision by the arbitrators, and the prom
ise of the assessment Of such sume
against the United States as would par
italy heal the soreness still felt by Brit
ish diplomats at the formidable judg-
ment rendered against them by the
Geneva arbitration.
Blaine endeavored to bring the state
ment of liabilities to the basis laid
down in Whartons note of July
22d23d last, while the British govern
ment sought to escape direct responsi-
bility for unwarrantable killing of seals,
and for anything more than the differ
ence between the 1900 skins which the
lessee of the seal islands took, and the
100, 900 skins they might have taken had
the modus of last year not been enforced.
The agreement is said to be fair
mean between the two extreme propo-
sitions. 1t appears that, unlike the
first modus, it will require the approval
of the senate, lnasmuch as it proposes
permanent settlement of damages and
provides for means of adjusting claims.
The discussion was in the same vein
that characterized the proceedings in
the former debate. The document was
finally referred to the committee on
foreign relations.
CLERK YOUNG's CASE.
The case of the late Executive Clerk
Young came up again in connection
with letter written by Henry Waiter
son, editor of the Louisville Courier
Journal, making a strong plea for
Young, but no action was taken.
Young has addressed letter to Vice
President Morton in relation to the SEN
ate declaring his Office vacant for the
alleged betrayal of executive session
secrets. After reviewing the circum-
stances connected with his dismissal,
Young calls upon his accusers to come
ont from behind the closed doors of the
senate and make their charges against
him openly, so he may be able to pro-
tect himself.
1t is asserted that Clerk Young was
not present at the time the particular
secret he is charged with divulging was
under consideration, but that the infor-
nation in question was furnished
newspaper correspondent by a senator,
who iotted the notes on the back of an
envelope. 1t is stated that the cores
pondent since Young's expulsion has
offered these notes to Young to be used
in his defense, bnt that Young has re-
fused to receive them.
RALsToN AND OSBORNE CONFIRMED.
The senate in executive session con-
firmed the following nominations; VIM.
@. Ralston, California, appraiser OF mer-
chandise, San Francisco.
Henry z. Osborne, California, collec-
tor of customs, Los Angeles.
THE sENATE's OPEN SESSION.
California Awarded 100000 of Cash
Sales of Public Lands.
WASHINGTON, April 18.-The senate
today passed a bill granting to the state
of California S per cent of the net pro-
ceeds of cash sales of public lands in
the state. The amount involved is
100000.
Sherman, chairman of the foreign re-
lations committee, gave notice that he
would tomorrow ask the attention of the
senate to the Chinese restriction bill. 1t
passed within ten days, as the present
legislation on the subject would, under
a certain construction of it, expire some
time in the month of May next.
Vest introduced bill to prohibit con-
tracts by the postmastert general with
any steamship company, making unjust
determinations against any part of the
United States as to imports by vessels
carrying foreign mail.
Vest said it was reported that the
United States and Brazil Steamship
company, one of the lines enjoying a
mail subsidy, had refused the delivery
of coffee from Brazil at the port of New
port News. This, he understood, was
because of objection by merchants of
New York city.
Several other members said they had
received resolutions setting forth sim
ilar fact.
The bill was referred to the committee
on commerce.
A resolution by PETER, asking the Sec
retary of state to obtain information con-
cerning the use of electricity in the pro-
pulslon of farra1 machinery, and the
propagation of plants in foreign coun-
tries, was agreed to.
The senate then took up the calendar,
and subsequently, on motion of Sher-
man, went into executive session.
When the doors were reopened, the
vote whereby the senate passed the bill
to amend the act of 1890, to establish a
circuit court of appeals and define and
regulate the jurisdiction OF courts of the
United States, was taken up, and after
an amendment by change in yerbiage,
satisfactory to the objectors, the bill was
auain Dassed