The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-02-26
CONGRESS-.

"WEDNESDAY, February 19.-In the senate
the bill to regulate marriages in the Dis
trict Of Columbia was discussed. Mr..
Faulkner Of West Virginia, in charge Of the
bill, said that he had drawn up the bill
originally with the woman's age fixed at
eighteen, but the views Of the committee
on the District Of Columbia were adverse
to his own on that point. Another objec-
ton to the bill, made by Mr.. Hoar of Mas
sachusetts, was that it made no provision
for civil marriages. The bill went over,
after Mr.. Vest had offered an amendment
to make the age for women eighteen. A
large number Of private pension bills were
considered and passed. Among them were
bills increasing the pension of the widow OF
Brevet General Horace Houghton to S75
month, and giving pensions of 800
month to the widows Of General o. M. Poe,
General Blunt. General Gibbon and Gen.
eral Thomas Ewing, and to Generals Ma
than Kimbsll and Joseph r. West, S75 to
the widows of General Morrow and Surgeon
General Sutherland, and $25 to Eliza San
ford, daughter Of Revolutionary soldier.
bill granting pension Of 5000 month to
the widow of the late Secretary of State
Walter G. Gresham, as brigadier-general,
with an amendment making it 800, went
over without action, as Mr.. Voorhees, Of
Indiana, who introduced the bill, but who
was absent, desired to oppose the amend
ment. - The house judiciary committee
approved of an important piece of legisla-
ton, which contemplates restricting the
ready divorce industry by making one
years residence prerequisite for any d.
vorce In the territories. This bill Is pre-
pared by Congress man Gillett of Massa-
chusetts. The Indian bill was taken up
and Mr.. Picker of South Dakota unsuccess-
fully endeavored to secure an amendment
which would prevent the practice Of detail
ing army officers to act as Indian agents.
1t was rejected on point of order. No
changes were made. The committee recon-
mended the passage OF the bill and the
house agreed to the recommendation.
THURSDAY. The senate took up Mr..
Morgan's Cuban concurrent resolution de-
claring that, in the opinion of congress, Q
condition Of public war exists between the
government Of Spain and the govern nent
proclaimed and for some time maintained
by force OF arms by the people of Cuba, and
that the United States OF America should
maintain strict neutrality between the
contending powers, according to each all
the rights of belligerency in the ports and
territory of the United States. Mr.. Cam
eron Of Pennsylvania offered q substitute
for the concurrent resolu lion in these words:
:" That the president is hereby requested to
interpose his friendly offices with the Span.
independence Of Cuba" Mr.. Call of Florida
addressed the senate at length ON the pend
ing amendment. - The house refused
to concur in the senate amendments to the
general pension appropriation bill and 1t
was sent to q conference. Mr.. Sherman of
New York called up the Indian appropria-
ton bill, and its consideration was begun in
committee OF the whole.
FRDAY.-The senate was not in session.
~ In the house the indian appropria-
ton bill was taken up in committee of the
whole. The amendment doing away with
the salary of $1,000 per year OF each Of the
five Indian inspectors was defeated. Mr..
Mccall Of Massachusetts, offered an amend
ment restoring the appropriation of 81, 900,
expenses of the board of Indian commits
sioners which the Indian committee cut out.
The board was first appointed twenty-six
years ago by General Grant and he did not
think this was good time to strike the
item from the bill. The amendment was
advocated by Messrs. Bartlett of New York,
Fisher of New York, and Quigg of New
York, and agreed to. At the evening SEES
sion of the house several private pension
bills were considered.