The record-union., 1898-12-22
Both Houses Of Congress Adjourn
for the Holidays.
viii Not Be Called Together Again Until
the Fourth Of January.
No Business Of Importance Trans
acted at Yesterdays Session Of
the Senate-The House Adopts
Bailey's Resolution Directing
an Investigation of the Right
Of Members Who Volunteered
in the Late War to Seats in the
House.

in the Late War to Seats In the
House.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 21.-The abb
sence Of a quorum of the Senate to-
day saved Senator Proctor's resolu-
ton, providing for the appointment of
committee of Senators to investigate
the conditions in Cuba and Porto Rico
during the approaching long recess of
Congress, from decisive defeat. An ef-
fort was made by Daniel (Va-) to OBJ
tain consideration Of the resolution,
but his motion mustered only eight out
of the thirty eight votes cast. No busi-
ness of Importance was disposed of at
to-days session. Only some routine
business, including the passage of a
few private pension bills, was transact
ed.
At the opening of the session ot the
| Senate Cullom of Illinois reported IA
vorably from the Committee on For
eign Relations the bill to provide for
a government for the Hawaiian ISL
ands.
On behalf of Carter of Montana, who
was absent, Chandler offered resolu-
tion, which was referred to the Com
n1ittee on Rules, providing for the dis
| tribution Of the appropriation bills
among the several standing commit
tees of the Senate, and so amending
the existing rules of the Senate as to
make SUCH distribution possible
Morgan Of Alabama secured the
adoption of a resolution requesting the
President, if not incompatible with
public interests, to inform the Senate
whether authentic information is in
possession of this Government as to
the dissolution of the Central Amer
lean Republic.
The pension calendar was then taken
up, and nine private pension bills were
passed.
Several joint and concurrent resolu-
tons were adopted providing for the
Improvement of certain harbors, and
directing the Secreary of War to have
surveys made and estimates of cost
of various river and harber improve
ments.
Daniel of Virginia then called from
the calendar the resolution of Proctor
of Vermont, providing for a commit
tee Of Senators to visit Cuba and Porto
Rico, with view to ascertainiRg the
conditions on those islands, and report
ing their observations to the Senate
as a guide for it's action
The vote on Daniels motion of no
quorum disclosed the absence Of a
quorum-ayes 8, noes 80. The mo-
tion was defeated. s~
A call of the Senate was demanded.
Hale withdrawing a motion to adjourn,
after giving notice that he would ask
the Senate to go into executive session
if a quorum could be secured The
call disclosed the presence of forty
seven Senator'S, and on motion of Hale
the Senate, at 1:25 p.1na4, went into
executive session. pa
At LAO the Senate adjourned until
January f. 1899.
IN THE HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, Dec 21-The last
session of the House before the holi
day recess lasted but an hour The
Bailey resolution directing an inves
tigation of the right of the members
who volunteered in the Spanish Amer
lean war to seats in the House was
adopted, and several bills CT minor
Importance were passed.
There were less than fifty members
on the floor of the House to-day I'M
journal, Henderson (R.) of Iowa, from
the Committee on Rules, reported back
favorably the Bailey resolution direct
ing the Judiciary Committee to inves
tigate and report on the question
whether the members of the House
who had accepted commissions in the
army during the late war had by SO
doing vacated their seats n the House
He asked for immediate considera-
ton, and the resolution was adopted
without division.
Wheeler CD Of Alabama, Co,son (R.)
of Kentucky Robbins (R.) of Penn
sylvania, and Campbell CD of Illinois
are the members of the House who
volunteered for the Spanish war; None
of them were present when the inves-
tigation was ordered to-day.
The bill reported from the Ways
and Means Committee authorizing
the shipment in bond of imported mer-
chandiSe in less than carload lots was
passed.
Some miscellaneous business of
minor Importance was transacted. The
spirit of Christmas seemed to pervadc
the members and number Of small
bills were passed by unanimous con-
sent
Among them were the Senate bill to
pay Albert E. Redstone 81 800 for loss
sustained by the incorporation OF his
pre- emption claim within the limits of
Sierra forest Grove, <Tulare County,
California
At 1:25, the House adjourned until
January 4, 1899.