Congress

February 28.- Mr. tieorge introduced a joint resolution authorizing the sccretary of war to issue rations for the relief of the laboring classeB in the districts overflowed by the Mississippi rivcr. A telegram froin Giv. Lowry, of MissiBBippi, was read, urging immediate nieasures for relief, representiug the destruc" tion of property and stock immense and starvation imminent. Mr. George thought the number of laborera rendered destitate wóniH b 50,000 to 75,000. The Grant retirement bill was taken up and Mr. Bayard moved to amend by substituting therefor a provisisn to pay every President of the United Statee, who shall have served or wLo may serve in said office, a id who shall have retired froin the same, a Bum annually daring hls life eqnal to one. fourtli part of tlie 1'roBidential ealary, bul Uiíb is not to be paid in case of a second l'residential term. Mr. Bayard's amendment was reI jecteti - aye s 5, nays 51. An amendraeüt by Mr. Shermnn prevailed without diicussion, making the ptepoaed retirement additional to the number autborized by law. The bil! i- ayes 35, nays 17. The house, in committee of the whole, I bated the clause in the postoffice appropriation bilí relativo to Star route transportation. Mr. 1 Holinan's amendinent was pending, providing that whenever any contractor shall sublet his i contract lor the transportation of mail on any I route for lesa than he contracted to penorin i the service, the Fostmaster General may j clare the original contract at an end and enter I into a contract witu the sub-contractor, withi out advertisiDg, to perfera the service on the torma at which he had agreed with the original contractor to perfora the same. Agreed to 99 to 88. Fel). 24.- In the Senate the immediate deficiency bill was under conBideration. The Senate committee amenamente wereagreed to, I I including items forthe eubsistenca and 1 tion ol Indians, and 60,000 for the necessary expensas of the Garfield and Burnside f unerals, , also an ainendment increabing the item for additional clerk hiie in the postoffices from $76,000 to $150,000. The bill was finally ed without objeotion. In the house Mr. Belniont ofiered a resolution inquiring into the alleged abstraction of papers froni the state departinent and the making of contráete in Paris regarding Peruvianaffnire.in which rererencs was made to the United States diplomatic service and cerlain concsssions to be made by Peru. Mr. Kasson oflere i as a substituto a resolution directing the committee on foreign afüirs to inquire iuto the allegation that one or more foreign plenipotentiaries of the United States have been connected with business affaire in which the intervention of the goverument was expected ; also to inquire into the alleged abetraction I of oaüers trom the state department. February 28.- The Postjffics Appropmüon I bill was reeiyed fioin the House and referredThe Chinese bill eime up as unfinished bueinesp, butMr.M;l'er tsmporpvily yielded the floor to Mr. Ferry to aUow the House Post Route bill to be considered, P'idtUe auisndments ol the Senat3 Committea read and areed to. The e: 3tions of the bill as amended were adopted and the bill p?")ced. The feenate then took up the Chine 3 IinmigMtion bill, to carry intoee;t the trr ty by suspenrting the coming oí 3 laboren for twenty year after Bixty day succeeiing the pasiags of the set. It allows them to come during these s'Xty dajp, aad lho.9 who were ia the country at tbeda-3 (November 17, 1889) tojo and come at pleasuie. In the House, Mr. Keil?, Chairman of the Committse on Wajsand Mea-HSteporttd a bil1 repealicg the diseriminaticg dutiet on toa and cc.ftee, tho product of pos8C3sions of tlid NetUeriamH. Passed. The Senate bilí appro;riaÜD2 $100,000 for confmuiDg the improTemsnt of QalTMton harbor waj iEd. A bilí was paesed authorizins tha rjnstructica i f a bridge acrors the Mi ú. üppi at Krtfbibarf, I!l. Mr. ïoung Introdac! n Wil to esUbHh a marine hospiUl at Cincianati. !Ue HoaE3 went lato committee cE the wholoon the Wtary Aeideicy bil!. Th eotrm'tt' after some personal explaníitiom, aróse and Uw bul was pass-d.