Congress

February 1.- In tbe senate petitions were presentad to suppress polygamyand abill was reported appropriating $15,000 to enable the National Board of Health to supply pure vaccine matter to people at cost priees. The three per cent. bond bill wan taken np. Various amendmeots and modifications were discuased and the bill was reported tu the senate from the committe of the wbole. On the questiun oí agreeing to the amendments. Mr, Sherman as'itd for a separate vote upon Mr. Plumb's ainendment applying the surplus of revenue9 over $100,000,000 to the reduction ef the public debt. He said if the proposition was not stricken out, he and others who hadacted with hiin would be compelled to vote against the bill. He urged upon the senate to appreciate the importance of mamtaining a sufficient reserve in the treásury, as heretofore, in order that einergencies might be provided against, and argued if the proposed reduction waB now made, it would open the door to further attempts in the same directíon. In the house Mr. McKinley offered a resolution setting apart Monday, February 27, for memorial services upon the latePresideEtiiarfield. Adopted. Mr. HiU introduced a bill reducing the poslage on letters and sealed paokages to two cents lor half an ounce or under, four cents for over half an ounce, and under two ounces, and for each additional two ouncea or fraction thereot two cents. Beterred. Bills for the erection of public buildings at Louisville, Ky., Minneapolis, Minn., and St. Joseph, Mo., were referred to the committee of the whole. The.house went into committee of the whoie, Mr. Calkins in the chair, on the postoffiee appropriation bill. Fb. 2d.- In the Senate, Mr. Forry from the Committee on Postofficee, reportod áuversely the Seuate joint resolution granting the frankiüg privilege to Senators and Representativos for official business. Indefinitely postponed. Mr. Ferry introduced a bill providing for the issuance of postal cards with a flexible cover to conceal the message writtín within. Debate on the Sherman funding was then resnmecl, bat no final action tras reached. A. raotion by Mr. Bayard requirin? that the $100,000,000 to be retained in the treasury shall be of standard coin value. In the House, Mr. Stephens, from the commitleeoncoinage,woight8 and measures, reported back the foüowing billa which wore referred to the committee of the whole: To authorize the new nietric gold cola for international use to be known as the "stella;" to thorize th9 cainage of tho goloid metric dollar, two dollar and fraetlons of a dollar, and , also for the coinage of t'ie goloid doublé eagle, eagle and half eagle. The House then went into committee of the whole, Mr. Calkins in the chair, on the Poiloffice Appropriation bill. Mr. Lord mlvocated such inórense of appropriation as would permit the compenstion of carriers to be raieed. February 3.- Mr. Hoar, from the committee on privileges and oleotions, reported Mr. Edmunds' bill regulating the election of president and vicepresidente Ordered printed and placed on the calendar. Senator Saunders' bill to correct the northern boundary of Nebrasta was taken up and passsd. Mr. Teller, from the committee on pensions, ropoited a bill giving a pension of 5,000 per year eac1; to tho widows of Presidents Qarfield, Tyler and Polk. Placed on the calendar. The funding bill caine up at 1:15 p. m. and Mr. Sherman appealed to the Renatetositon the bill to-day. After long discussion the bilí, as amended, passed ly a large majority. It does not peruiit 8 per cents to be redeemed while any of the 3 1-2 por cents are outstandinpr, but whenever all the S350,i 00,000 of threeanda halfs shall have been called, at acy future time, then the $350, 000,000 authorized by this act shall be redeemable. In the houBe the bill was taken up, as reported by Mr. Kolly from committee of ways and means, releasing the Philadelphia & Reading railroad conipauy froin the tax aesessed ou wagcs certiücatea heretofore issued by the company. The bilí waa advocated and defended by Messrs. Hesvitt, Da inell and Kelley Ward and Bayne, and fiaally laid on the table - defeated. Feb. 6- Tho Senate resutcea consiaeiauuu of the Ingalls' resolaüon declarïng Ihat the Pension Arreara law ought not to be repealed, Mr. IngallB moved to modify the amendment declaring in favor of pensions to soldiers of the Mexican war so as to limit to the needy or disabled. Without action the resolutiou was laid over lor executive session. In the House Mr. Belmont offered a resoiution oalling upon the President, in f urther compliauce with the Housa resolution of tho 24:h uit., to furnish the House with a transcript of the letters of Jacob E. Sliipherd of New ïork, dated June 2, Asgust 9, September 28, and November 15, 1881, and the replies thereto on the files of the State departmont. Bills wera introduced by Mr. Horr for the appointrnent of an interoceanic cornmission 10 determine the best plan a n route for communication between the Atlantic and Pacific. Mr. Springer introducedaresolution ealllng on the President ior infonnation as to the right or authority under which the Rapubllcs of North and SoutU America were invited to send coininissionars to a peace coagreM to be held at Washington in November, 1882. Adopted. February 7.- Ia the sonate Mr. Corkhill trom the cornmittee on military affúrs reported favorably the joint resolution authorizing the secretary of the treasury to aseertain the amount expended by Kansas in repelling invaBions and suppressing Indian hostilitiea. In the house a resolatian was adopted directing the Postraaster-General to furnish iaformation concerniDg contracis for carrying the mails. The bill dividiog tho btate of Iowa intn two judicial districta was reporíed and placed on the calendar. JBills reported for the erection of public buildings at Denver, Col., Maquette, Mich-, Peoría, III., Quincy, BL, Council Bluffs, Ia., and Owemboro, Ky„ were refened to the committeo of the whole. The appovtionment bill was again taken up and araemiments offered fixins: the number of representatives at 325, 321, 365, 319, 324 and 320. Mr. Horr opposed ths bill as an ouirage on common senf.e, and criticised tho ppnich of Mr. Prescott for the intimation that apportionment should be based eomawhat upon the wcalth of the various Btates. New-ïork was wealthy becanse small etates rad labored to build her up, and it did not come with good graco from her to attempt to strike down the peliiical power of th03e little etates in a mauner so wrong and bo ud just upon its iace. [ Applause. Pending discussion tho house ad journed.