Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-03-18
FIFTY-FoURTH CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON, March is
SENATE.

WASdlNdION, A4a2SA ASs
SENATE.
In the Senate to-day Mr.. Call intro.
duced bill to provide for the trans
fer of persons in the employment OF the
government for FIVE years into the
classified service. Referred.
a bill to establish postal telegraph
system and to enlarge the postal facil-
tiles was introduced by Mr.. Butler and
laid on the table temporarily.
The resolution introduced yesterday
by Mr.. Cannon directing the Secretary
of tine Interior to open to public entry
the Uncompahgre Indian reservation
in Utah, excepting the agricultural
lands allotted or selected for allotment
to the Uucompahgre Indians, was taken
up, and Mr.. Cannon asked for its pres
ent consideration.
Mr.. Gordon asked Mr.. Cannon what
the proposition was.
Mr.. Cannon explained that the
proposition was to compel the Secretary
of the Interior to comply with the law
which requires the opening to public
settlement of the Uncompaghre Indian
reservation, over two million acres.
The Secretary of the Interior had not
complied with the law; and this joint
resolution was to require him to do so.
Mr.. Gordon explained in behalf oil
the Secretary of the Interior, that the
DELAY had occurred because there was
valuable deposit of asphalt in the
reservation which the Secretary
thought ought to be used for the bene-
fit of the people at large. The Score
tary thought that there should be some
sort of competition for these lands.
Mr.. Wolcott suggested that the Du-
pont election case and the Cuban reso-
iutions were not privileged questions
until after the morning hour and that,
up to 2 o'clock. this joint resolution
might be considered. He knew moth
ing, he said, of the pending measure;
but he knew something of the oppres'
sion of the western States and Terrific
ries because of the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
of Indian affairs.
Mr.. Cannon thereupon moved to take
up the Joint resolution for considera-
ton, and went on to explain it further.
He said the Secretary of the Interior
had never intended 10 have the reser-
.tion opened to public entry.
Mr.. Wolcott argued that the effect
of the:passage of the joint resolution
would be, not to give away the lands
in question, but to let them 60 where
they belonged, to the settlers.
Mr. Vest made a passionate speech
on the subject. He began with the re-
mark that there was time when q
cabinet officer who deliberately failed
to execute an act of Congress would
be brought before the bar of the Sen
ate because he had trampled upon the
legislative department of the govern
ment and had violated his oath ofotiice.
What sort of right, Mr.. Vest demand
ed angrily, had the Secretary of the
Interior to nullify that act of Congress ?
That practice had grown up until it
demanded apprehension of Congress,
and at once. The action of the Secre'
tary of Agriculture on the seed question
was another instance of the same kind.
sand now" said he, comes the Secre-
tary of the Interior and says that Con-
gress did not know any thing about
these enormous deposits; and he takes
the responsibility OF saying to the Presl
dent of the United States that
the proclamation opening these lands
to settlement shall not be issued.
Even the President of the United States
lately, on missionary occasion (augh-
ter) smoke of the West as land of i'm
morality and crime. He stood with the
light-the CHASTITY light-of the hell
holes and rum cellars of New York
blazing upon him, and cantingly said
that home missions were necessary for
the West"
HOUSE.
Neither in the galleries nor on the
floor, when the House was called to
order to-day, was there any indication
of unusual or general interest in the
announced debate upon the resolutions
cansuring Ambassador Bsyard for his
Boston, (England) and Edinburgh
speeches, that have been on the calen-
dar for nearly a mouth. Only about
100 members were in their seats and
the galleries only sparsely filed.
The following bills were passed ::
House bill to pay the widow Of the late
General Thomas L. Young $400 fr
services as an officer of the Benton
Mo-, Cadets, and of the 11Sth regiment,
Ohio Volunteers, in the late war; Sen.
ate Joint resolution directing the Secre-
tary of War to transmit an estimate for
deepening the channel from Hampton
Roads to the Norfolk navy yard, and
House bill extending for three years
the provisions of the act granting right
of way to the Inter-ocesnic Railway
Company through Indian Territory.
Mr.. Prince reported from elections
committee No. its unanimous finding
that Harry Welles Rusk (dem.) was
elected representative to the Fifty
fourth Congress from the Third Mary
land district and is entitled to retain
his seat, and that William S. Booze WI 8
not elected. Resolutions to that effect
were agreed to.
The House at lis took recess until
1:30, the hour fixed for taking up the
Bayard resolutions.
After the recess, Mr.. Hit, chairman
of the committee on foreign affairs, call
ed up the report of the committee upon
the Mccall and Barrett resolutions in
relation to the Bsyard speeches. The
substitute recommended by the COM
mittee recited extracts from them,
ALok