Year: 1878




The third and last session Of tho Forthwith
Congress meets on Monlay week. AS both


Houses are organized there will be no delay


at least in tho necessary work upon the ap-


preparation bills. The House committee


academy and diplomatic bill for considers-


ton In the first week of the session Incud-


ing the usual holiday recess there will MOI be


moro than ten weeks Of Legislative days. and
! unless each house In more expeditions than


usual, It is doubtful it there are many meas
| uros OF Importance considered. though quite
number which have passed one house or tho
other are waiting on the calendars The
Chairman Of tho Ways and Means has already
given notice that the question Of the tariff
would not be called up and il is safe to as
sumo that n3thing will be done will Tho in
land revenue, though tho tobacco people
will of course press their demands for a
pending In the Senate which have passed tho
House Is that fox tho repeal Of the resumption
act That will be hardly pressed in tho face
OF the fact that 1t cannot be passed over q
veto, and that the law itself goes into oper-
alton in three weeks from the tine the repeal
js proposed Another important measure Is
Mr. ClarksOn N. Fotters bill from the House
transferring to the Court Of Claims the vast
number OF claims which burden theattention OF
Congress every session. IF this becomes law
1t will relieve Congress of quite one-half Of
their labor. and thereby shorten the session
The Court Of Claims has run quite to the end
OF It's docket, and could easily dispose of the
new class Of claims which it is proposed to put
before it, with justice to the claimant and the
government. The Republicans, however. are
anxious to continue tho campaign cry of
'rcbel claims" for 1880, and intend. it fs said.
to oppose the passage Of Mr.. Pottet's bill, |
which, Of course, has nothing to do with robel
claims. Among tho measures which have
come out of the committee and ar0 rend- |
ing in tho House are bills granting pom
sions to tho soldiers and sailors OF the
Mexican war, to regulate tho com
pensatlon OF postmastcrs: to transfer the
Indian Bureau to the War Dopartment to |
send m expedition to the Arctic seas: to re- |
tire the circulating notes of national bnnEs: |
to authorize the deposit Of silver bullion and |
to ISSUE certificates therefor; the Toyas Rail |
road bill: to tax incomes; II joint resolution
Tor the protection of tho Texas border; Il
homestead act: q bill to apply
The proceeds of the public lands to tho cduca-
lion Of the people and to establish Il system
1f liio insurance for officers Of the navy and |
marine corps, and an important bill torebuild |
the United States navy Iherearc over three
hundred bills on tho private calender in the
House and quito n largo number IN the
Scnnto.


Most Of tho annual reports of the depart
n"nts have been given out in advance. and
contain but few recommendations of interest. |
Even that OF tho Secretary Of the Treasury
aas been pretty well anticipated by the more
'eccnt utterances and orders Of tho Sccro-
AIRY on the silver question. and will he main
Y confined to recommending an Increase Of |
,he grains Of tho now silver dollar and u re-
strictiOn Of the amount Of it's coinage Tho
publication Of these reports in advance is q
wise one, as their moro important features
ire not swallowed up in the mass of material
hat always goes to Congress with the annual
unSgHgn.' |