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THE 54TH CONGRESS.
ROUTINE OF HOUSE AND SKNATB
BRIEFLY CHRONICLED.
Summary of Bills and Resolutions
Presented and Acted Upon.
THE HOUSE.
In order to circumvent Air. Kem
(Pop., Neb.) Mr. Henderson (Rep., Ia.)
from the committee on rules, present¬
ed a special order in the house Friday
making Saturday individual suspen¬
sion day. The rule was adopted with¬
out division.
Air. Grosvenor called up his resolu¬
tion requesting of the president and
the several cabinet officers a detailed
statement of the removals from office
since March 3, 1893, and the appoint¬
ments since that date, together with
the number of ex-sokliers who have
been appointed, promoted, reduced or
removed.
There was some good humored fenc¬
ing over the resolution. Air. Grosve¬
nor demanded the previous question
and refused Xo yield to Air. Dockery
(Dem., Mo.) who wanted to offer an
amendment to extend the resolution
so as to go back to Alarch 3,1889 and
take in the last administration.
Air. Dockery suggested that unless
his amendment was adopted the reso¬
lution might bo suspected of partisan¬
ship.
Air. Grosvenor laughingly express¬
ed his amazement at such a suggestion.
Mr. AlcAlillin (dem., Tenn.) recalled
a rumor that tbe civil service law had
been suspended under the last admin¬
istration to permit the removal of
1,500 democratic postal clerks. When
the previous question was demanded
he demanded the ayes and noes, saying
that if members could not indulge In
debate perhaps meditation would serve
their purpose.
The resolution was adopted—147 to
48.
The vote was then taken on the con¬
tested election case of Martin vs. Lock¬
hart, from the seventh North Carolina
district, which was debated. The sub¬
stitute resolution declaring Lockhart
entitled to the seat was lost—58 to
115.
A motion by Air. Bailey to recommit
was then defeated—51 to 118.
A remarkable scene followed. Dur
the progress of this debate the demo¬
crats had, with the exception of Air.
Bailey and a few others, quietly left
the hall for the purpose of breaking a
quorum. When the vote was taken on
the main question—the resolution de¬
claring Air. Alartiu entitled to tbe 6eat
—but live democrats were in the hall.
The rising vote resulted 113 to 5.
Mr. Bailey made the point of no quo¬
rum, but Air. Payne, who was still in
the chair, overruled the point and de¬
clared the motion adopted. Air.
Bailey attempted to contest the formal
motion to reconsider and lay on the
table, but was overruled in the same
manner.
He called on the vacant chairs to
testify to the absence of a quorum,
but to no avail. He then changed his
tacticB and moved an adjournment.
The chair declined to entertain the
motion on an appeal from his decision
and Air. Alartiu came forward and
took the oath.
As the new member walked back to
his seat Mr. Bailey shouted disgust¬
edly:
“Call the next case on the docket!”
Although Saturday was to be indi¬
vidual suspension day in order to en¬
able the house to dispose of certain
measures which were being, pressed
upon the speaker for consideration,
but one such bill was acted upon by
the body in a session prolonging large¬
ly beyond the usual period. That was
a senate bill to regulate fourth-class
mail matter, which was passed upon
motion by Air. Lour, of Cali¬
fornia. The effect of the bill is to
shut out of the mails the supplies and
stores of the executive department,
which, under a liberal construction of
the postal laws and regulations, have
been held to be mailable matter. Mr.
Loud stated that it cost the govern
menc 12 cents a pound to carry this
stuff, whereas it could be transported
by express at not to exceed 2 cents a
pound.
The greater part of the afternoon
was devoted to the president's veto of
the general deficiency appropriation
bill. It whs vigorously attacked by
Alessrs. Mahon,of Kentucky, and Gros¬
venor, of Ohio, and defended by
Alessrs. Cannon, of Illinois, Dockery,
of Missouri, and Sayers, of Texas, and
finally sustained by a vote of 170 to 39.
A bill was passed extending the ju¬
risdiction of the United States courts
over crime committed in the Indian
Territory and providing for the leasing
of mineral, farm and grazing lands.
Speaker Reed announced the ap¬
pointment of Messrs. Evaus. of Ken¬
tucky; Russell, of Connecticut, aad
AIcMillin, of Tennessee, ns members
on the part of the honse of the joint
congressional commission provided
lor in the bill to repeal the free al¬
cohol clanse of the Wilson tariff law,
to investigate and report whether or
not it be possible to frame regulations
under which alcohol for use in arts
and manufactures may be admitted
free without danger to the customs
revenues.
At 7:45 o’clock, on motion of Air.
Dingley, of Alaine, the house took a
recess until 10 o’clock Alonday morn¬
ing. Alonday
The house sat eight hours
in continuation of Saturday’s session,
continuing in effect the resolution of
last week, making in order motions to
pass bills under suspension rules. Op¬
erating under this resolution, the fol¬
lowing measures were passed:
House bill directing the construc¬
tion of a federal/ prison at Leaven¬
worth, Kan., to cost not exceeding
$50,000.
House bill making further appro¬
priations, $58,000 in all, to pay de¬
ficiencies for the current fiscal year.
Senate joint resolution, directing
the secretary of the treasury to order
a scientific investigation of the Alao
kan fnr seal fisheries.
Senate bill re-enacting and amend¬
ing the law of 1889 for the protection
t>f the salmon fisheries of Alaska.
Amending the law relating to the
employment of sailors—abolishing im¬
prisonment for violation of contract
and the system of allottments of sea¬
men’s wages, and improving the
quality ana value of the ration pro¬
vided for them.
House joint resolution clothing the
purchasers of the Northern Pacific
railroad at foreclosure sale next month
with the rights and privileges of the
original corporation, and imposing the
same obligations.
Honse bill establishing a new divis¬
ion of the eastern judicial district of
Texas, and providing semi-annual and
annual terms of court at Beaumont.
Senate amendments were agreed to
the house bill to expedite the trans¬
portation of important packages val¬
ued at not exceeding $500 and not
more than 100 pounds in weignt.
Conference reports were presented
and agreed on the following appro¬
priation bills: Postoffice, final; Indian
and District of Columbia.
In order to maintain the presence of
a quorum the h >use adopted resolu¬
tions offered by Air. Dingley revoking
all leaves of absence except those
granted on account of illness, and di¬
recting the sergeant at arms to tele¬
graph other absent members that their
presence here is necessary to the
transaction of public business. In
this connection the house heard, with
applause, the message announcing that
the senate had passed, without
amendment, the general deficiency
bill which the house passed Saturday
afternoon.
Twice Air. Daniels, o' New York, en¬
deavored to bring up for consideration
the report of elections committee No.
1 on tbe contested election case of
Truman H. Aldrich, republican, vs.
Oscar W. Underwood, democrat, from
the ninth Alabama district.
The first time the house refused—
53 to 64—to enter ujjon the considera¬
tion ; the vote on the second motion
had not been announced when at 6
o’clock a further recess was taken un¬
til 10 o’clock Tuesday morning.
There will be, it is understood, no
adjournment of the house until it
finally adjourns for the session.
THE SENATE.
Amendments to the joint resolution
for the reorganization of the North¬
ern Pacific railroad was presented in
the senate, Friday, by Air. Alitchell
and Air. Nelson providing that the
new company shall be liable on the
land warrants of the old company, and
also for injuries to persons and prop¬
erty.
Senator Alorgan asked for action on
his resolution requesting the president
for information as to the capture of
the Comptroller by a Spanish warship
and the condemnation to death of
United States citizens.
The senator said that while the ease
was one of great gravity, involving the
condemnation to death of
American citizens, yet no information
was available except through press re¬
ports and rumor. The executive branch
had not given the slightest information
on the subject. Air. Alorgan read the
statutes requiring the president to
make a demand for the release of au
American citizen.*
He argued that the duty of the
president under the constitution was
to keep congress advised on the state
of the Union and particularly on for¬
eign affairs. Of late a courteous cus¬
tom bad arisen to adopt resolutions
making requests on the president for
information, but this did not relieve
the president from the duty of giving
full information.
Aud it was only of late days, Air.
Alorgan said, that the failure of the
president to give information to con¬
gress had grown up.
When some question was raised by
Air. Sherman as to the propriety of
Air. Morgan making public use of the
testimony of Mr. Lawrence before the
committee on foreign relations, the
Alabama senator sharply rejoined that
there should be no such concealment
aud hiding of facts from the country.
Mr. Alorgan said the testimony of
Lawrence, who was present at the
competitor trials at Havana, showed
the grossly irregular character of the
proceedings.
The senator declared that every day
of the confinement of the American
prisoners at Havana was a day of
American dishoner.
As Mr. Morgan closed, Mr. Sherman
rose qnickly and stated that the pro-
ceedings were of such character as to
corae -within senate rule 35, requiring
secrecy. Thereupon the presiding
officer, Air. Platt, directed the gal¬
leries to be cleared and the doors closed.
Rule 35 covering business requiring
secrecy, is seldom invoked, being dif¬
ferent from the rule governing ordi¬
nary executive sessions.
At 1 o’clock the senate doors were
opened and Air. Lodge moved to tak6
up the immigration bill, but before
the spectators had secured their seats
in the galleries another order to close
the doors was made, Air. Hill and Air.
Harris protesting against taking Air.
Alorgan from the floor.
At 1:15 o’clock p. m. the open ses¬
sion was resumed, and Air. Lodge
moved to take up the immigration bill.
On a yea and nay vote many senators
refrained from votiDg,breaking a quo¬
rum. The vote was 23 to 8, or 14 short
of >i quorum.
Vice President Stevenson annexed
his signature to several bills Saturday,
including the general deficiency appro¬
priation bill and the “filled cheese” bill
Air. Allison, chairman of the com¬
mittee on appropriations, presented a
partial conference report on the sun¬
dry civil appropriation bill and made
an explanation as to the points on
which an agreement had not been
reached. The first class of the cases
was the amendments for public build¬
ings. The house conferees refused to
agree to any increase of the limitation
of cost; and also refused to agree to
the appropriations for public buillings
in the capitals of the new states—Ida¬
ho, Wyoming, Utah and Alontana.
The buildings where the house con¬
ferees refused to increase the limit of
eost were those at Kansas City, AIo.,
Savannah, Ga., and Camden, N. J.
The conference report on the Indian
appropriation bill was presented. The
item in regard to legal fees on the
claims of the “old settlers” or Chero¬
kee Indians—§833,000—is modified by
directing the secretary of the interior
to retain the 35 per cent fund until
otherwise authorized by law. The
items to contract schools for Indian
children is modified by limiting the
time of their further continuance to
July, 1897, instead of July, 189S, The
report, which is a final one,was agreed
to.
The house bill to expedite the deliv¬
ery of imported parcels and packages,
not exceeding $500 in value, was taken
up, amended and passed.
The conference report on the naval
appropriation bill was presented and
read. The amendment reducing tbe
number of new battleships from four
to two is modified by making the num¬
ber three and the price for armor
plate, instead of beimr limited to $350
a ton, is limited to $425, with instruc¬
tions to the secreta y of the navy to
inquire what a fair price would be and
to report at the next session of con¬
gress.
Mr. Bacon said that although he had
favored the construction of four battle¬
ships, he would now decline to vote
for three if the armor plate for them
was to be paid for at the excessive rate
of $425 per ton. Finally the debate
closed and tbe conference report was
disagreed to—yeas, 22, i ay ■ 24. A
further conference was orut.ed.
The house bill to constitute a new
division cf the eastern judicial district
of Texas and to provide for the hold¬
ing of terms of court at Beaumont,
Texas, and for tbe appointment of a
clerk for that court was passed, with
an amendment.
The senate at 5:10 p. m. adjourned
till Alonday at noon.
The senate Alonday passed the new
general deficiency bill in less than
three-quarters of an hour. Ordinarily
a bill of 130 printed pages would have
taxed the powers of the reading clerk
for at least two hours, but the reading
of this bill was completed in half an
hour. An attempt was made by Air.
Harris, of Tennessee, to have the
claims under the Bowman act, aggre¬
gating about $500,000, placed in the
bill, but they were ruled out on a
point of order, and the bill was
promptly passed without amendment.
A formal conference report was
made on the postoffice appropriation
bill and was agreed to. Partial con¬
ference reports on the Indian appro¬
priation bill and on the District of
Columbia appropriation bill were
taken up and Mr. Alorgan, of Alabama,
made another long speech upon the
question of the war in Cuba, in the
course of which he disclaimed having
heretofore said anything offensive to
the queen regent of Spain.
He eulogized her, aud said that she
was entitled by virtue of the regency
of womanhood to the utmost respect,
and that every senator so treated her
aDd so spoke of her. He spoke of
General Weyler, however, as a brutal
soldier, who plunged his blood-stained
sword in the bosoms of women and
children.
The senate, at 5:40 o’clock, ad¬
journed until Tuesday, leaving four of
the general appropriations bills—the
Indian, District of Columbia, naval
and sundry civil—still in conference.
A Virginia Town in Flames.
Most of the business portion of tbe
town of Parksley, Accomac fire county, late
Virginia, was destroyed by
Wednesday afternoon, The loss is
about $69,000 and insurance about
$20,009. The origin of the fize is un¬
known.
BLACKBURN NAMED
BY KENTUCKY DEMOCRATS FOR
THE PRESIDENCY.
The State Convention In Entire Con¬
trol of Silver Men.
The convention of Kentucky demo¬
crats met at Lexington Wednesday
and was called to order at 2 o’clock by
State Chairman Long, a sound money
man. Chairman Long was the first to
experience the ill-will of the free coin¬
age men. In closing his address, he
said:
“Grover Cleveland stands today as
the equal in devotion to the best in¬
terests of our government and faithful
service of any president that has pre¬
ceded him, and the country is indebt¬
ed to the democratic party for his
election, and I doubt not that the con¬
vention will give him their votes.”
This wa3 the signal for a scene. The
delegates yelled and shouted and cre¬
ated such a disturbance that the chair¬
man could scarcely proceed, and when
he said: “John G. Carlisle stands be¬
fore the American people as one of the
purest and ablest statesmen,” they
drowned his voice with hoots and
yells.
Nominations for temporary chair¬
man being in order, John S. Rhea, for
the silver men, presented the name of
Charles J. Bronston for temporary
chairman, and Colonel Bennett H.
Young, nominated Judge Alex. P.
Humphrey.
He could scarcely be he heard and
the chairman rebuked the delegates
for their discourtesy.
Bronston won by a big majority.
The vote, which shows the strength of
silver in the convention, was: Brons
toD, 691; Humphrey, 206.
Mr. Bronston then addressed the
convention, and after he had finished
his address, John S. Rhea, the noted
free silver orator, was called for. He
responded in a three-minute speech,
counseling harmony.
Then Senator Blackburn appeared
on the platform. The delegates rose
as one man, waved their hats,umbrellas,
handkerchiefs, or whatever else they
had handy, and cheered for several
minutes before they would allow him
to speak. The senator told of his
years of service to the party and
said that while he had suffered much
at the hands of democrats who op¬
posed the policy he advocated, he bore
them no ill will, and he had no ani¬
mosity against those who had fought
him so bitterly. He counseled har¬
mony and urged his friends to be
generous in this, the hour of their
victory, and to unite with the opposi¬
tion, but without surrendering auv of
the principles for which they had
fought so bravely.
When the senator finished commit¬
tees were appointed and the conven¬
tion adjourned until night.
On reassembling it was found that
the committees were not ready to re¬
port and the convention listened to
songs sung by Eph Lillard and Bob
Franklin, recounting Senator Black¬
burn’s wrongs, and speeches by Gen.
Hardin, Evan Settle, Representative
Thorn and others.
Tne convention adjourned at ten
minutes past 10 o'clock to meet Thurs¬
day morning at 9.
The Platform.
Following is the platform agreed
upon by the committee on resolutions:
“The democracy of Kentucky, in
convention assembled, do reaffirm their
allegiance to the principles of the
party as enunciated by Jefferson.
“We are in favor of an honest dol¬
lar—a dollar worth neither more nor
less than 100 cents. We favor bimet¬
allism, and to that end we demand the
free and unlimited coinage of both
gold and silver at the ratio of 16 to 1
as standard money, with equal legal
tender power, independent of the ac¬
tion any other nation.
“We hold that the secretary of the
treasury should exercise his legal right
to redeem all the coin obligations in
gold or silver, as may be more con¬
venient, and are opposed to the is¬
suance ot bonds ia time of peace for
the maintenance of the gold reserve,
or any other purpose.
“We are opposed to the national
banking system and to any enlarge¬
ment of its powers; and opposed to
any contraction of the currency by the
retirement of greenbacks, or other¬
wise.
“We declare it to be a fundamental
principle of democracy that the fede¬
ral government has no constitutional
power to impose and collect tariff du¬
ties except for the purposes of revenue
only, and the collection of such taxes
should be limited to the necessities of
the government, honestly and eco
nomically administered.
“That the democratic party has ever
been the party of personal liberty and
religions freedom and is now, and has
always been, opposed to any union of
church and state. It is opposed to the
enactment of all laws the purpose or
design of which is tosustain or enforce
any religious tenet or sect, and to any
law, organization or society, religious
or political, secret or otherwise, that
tends to proscribe any citizen for or on
account of his religious belief, or to
a pply such a test as
a public office a
“W e condemn
ernor
Kentucky. J s f
“We declarethesnrm i
nominee realty, and to be the J vS* toIft test *
tied that ev e n ZH <*
to the undivided
party. 6Q PP<m ]
0
chosen “Resolved, convent^ That deI<
by this to *
tional democratic
he!d they at are Chicago, instructed J uiv L 7 ^° a . b
•
the ion state as a unit of Kentucky for Hon i?^ Vt ev
J n
Thursday port threw mormn^°^^ out the ? n
“ son
delegation from Graves countv andt mi
sixth and seventh wards
the ville ei and SLth half and 0 f ninth those wards f j
and Iventon from Eos
by county. It * as f !
the a minority report and protest
sound money” men. Th-r
ity report was adopted bv a V
then left the hail. unseated dele
Senator Blackburn, P. Watt Ha
John S. Rhea and Congressman T
Ellis were elected delegates-at-lar
the Chicago convention fc v acclj
tion.
The majority report of the col
tee ou resolutions was adopted
whoop. endol
The minority report omits
Blackburn. Its financial plank r|
of “We the insist upon legal a firm maintej
present standard of J I
with such use of legal tender,
coins and paper convertible iutl
on demand as can be maintained!
credit out impairment of the or endanger^] dnsil
government or debt-pl
ing the purchasing or hs;jl
power of the money in the
the people, and in the absent! prl
international agreement w«
against the free coinage of silil
compulsory purchase of silver ki
by the United States as mjnrioJ inti
the industrial and commercial
of the country and especially dj
trous to the interests of the fa:
and laboring man."
WILL SLEEP IN PULLMAN!
Eight Hundred Berths for St.il
Delegates.
A St. Louis special says: The!
mittee on contested seats to there!
lican national convention will!
problems to solve from fifteen si
and one territory. Ex-Congresl chi
Thompson, of Ohio, having in
the contests of AIcKinley (idea
from various states, is confident I
the committee will recognize the cl!
of elected the delegates. AIcKinleyites as the regnlj
Whatever sleep a large nninba
politicians are to get daring tl
convention sojonrn here will be!
joved in the the city. railroad Arrangements! cars which bj
them to Raiiq
been made by the Terminal
Association to store 800 passenger! enj
at different places in St. Louis
the latter part of this and mi of I
week. Alore than two buudred of ij
coaches—all sleepers will be c|
verted into temporary hotels.
ST. LOUIS TO ISSUE BOMD'I
Mayor Walbridge A»hs for a ?P'
Session of the Legislature.
Alayor Walbridge, of St. Louis,
decided that Deeded the most to re^ feasibleJ 1
raise money extend the M
pital, remodel and
house, insane asylum, fema e y
workhouse and house ol reiU„e
a bond issue. bonds it» . «
Ia order to issue
sary to This amend the be constitute done at tb f .
state. can .
only by calling formulate a specio an am .J
legislature submitted to to the voters at
to be
fall electiou
The mayor Stone,setting
Governor him to call an
and requesting legislature.
session of the
ANOTHER VETO.
This Time the Pr “ 1 Biff
the General De.it t0 {
The president representative^
house of
companying a veto
ciency bill. defend
The message wcioi *:J
the exercise of the cbgp oil*^
long criticism ° f,hei
claims aggregating objection to *
aBd also an *
the Chouteau ion of &*
ing out of the constru Etteh.
clad steam battery
Cinclnnati for f0[ 4
The democratic P rl ® & fae H
f operates to ^
— o held ia
vention ere Jlocd 3 .”
Hamilto entitled a co
tv is to s
The silver men ia their
conceded but t w ” iaitt* *
gold men, bat the
three.
