Congress At Work

Washington, Jan. 19- Bills were passed in the Senate yesterday to refund the direct war tax of 1861, and to reduce the charge for paseports from live dollars to one dollar. Bills were introduced to authorize the Secretry of the Treasury to apply the surplus of the mouey in the Treasury to the purchase of United States bonds; to perpetúate the National banking system by providing further 6ecurities; to provide for inquests under National authority; for the construction of pier lighte on the greal lakes, and to settle and adjust the claims ol any State for expenses incurred in defensa of the United States. Washington, Jan. 20.- In the Senate yesterday Senator Hoar (Mass.) introduced a bilí to grant a pension of one cent for each day's service to all survivors of the rebellion, such pension to be in addition to any pension granted for disability. A resolution was adopted directing the Secretary of the Interior to report a plan of legislation for disposition of the public timber lands so as to secure the preservation of National forest lands, and to give Bettlers lega] means of providing themselves with timber. Adjourned to the 23d. Washington, Jan. 24. - In the Senate yesterday Senator Frye (Me. ) spoke in opposition to the Presidenta tariff policy. He eaid England greeted the message with cheers, predlcted that the Democratie party would indorse Mr. Cleveland's views, said the Kepublicans took up the President' gauntlet of tree trade with great pleasure and joined issue with the Demócrata, and eaid the Republicans declared that instead of the tariff being vicious, illogical and inequitable it increased marvelously the prosperitj of the country. Regarding the surplus, he said: "It was Democratie inoapacity which caused it, and now the countrj had to look out to see that the same Democratie incapacity, in administering medicine, did not give poison and kill the patiënt I am as much against the surplus as the President is, but I am not frig-htenei at it " He said he favored expending the surplus wisely in coast defenses, in increasing the navy, in building up the merchant marine and in educating the psople Bills viere introduced for the admission of the State of Dakota and the organizrtion of the Territory of Lincoln; to authorize the sale of aliens of certain mineral lands, and to regúlate elections for members of Congresa A resolution was adopted to investisrate the alleged participation of Federal officials in the suppression of the votes of the oolored citiïens at Jackson, Miss. Washington, Jan. 25.- After a long and Important discussion in the Senate yesterday, the resolution to refer the President'8 message on the Pacific railroads to a special committee of seven Senators (changed from five) was agreed to - yeas, 54; nays, 15. Among the bilis introduced yesterday were the f ollowing : By Senator Cali (Fia. ) to prohibitsubjects of foreign Governmenta from catching fish within three marine leagues of the coast or within any of the bays or headlands of the United States. Vessels violating this provisión are to be forfeited or held until such fine as may be imposed by the United States courts is paid; by Senator Davis (Minn.) to amend the pension laws so that they shall not prohibit the payment of pension money to any persons who served in the late rebellion against the United States, but afterwards voluntarily enlisted in the military or naval services of the United States and incurred disability in the line of duty; by Senator Hoar(Mass.) to change the time of meeting of the long Bession of Congress to the ürst Monday in October, and of the short Bession to the second Monday in November; by Senator Plumb (Kan.) f or the extensión of the southern and western boundaries of Kansas so as to include the public land strip; by Senator Voorhees (Ind. ) for the formation and admission of the State of Montana. Senator Palmer (Mich.) addressed the Senate on his bilí to regúlate immigration. He disclaimed at the outeet any intention bo prevent any capable, honest, industrious, law-abiding person from seeking a ttome on American soil If it was desired that the American workman should retain his superiority over the under-paid laborer of Europe such obstacles would have to be nterposed from time to time as would deber the influx of those who would degrade American labor by undue eompetition. Much had been done for the United States and for American laborers and artisans by the duties iinposed on foreign manutactured goods, but that very process iad stimnlated immigration; and that mmigration, although in the main Denencent, now threatened, if continued without selection, to aggravate existing evils and to lower the Standard of the American people by lowering the wagres of iiose who toiled. # THE HOUSE. 'Washington. Jan. 19. - In the House yeeierday the bill appropriating $585,000 to carry out the provisions of the agricultural experiment stations act of 1K$7 was passed. A patition wns presented from the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce asking that a aw be passed to prevent the sa e of adulterated lard imless it is bo labeled. Washington, Jan. 20.- In the House yeserday the invitation extended to the Jnited States to particípate in the Mellourne exposition was aceepted. The Invalid Pension bill wasreportèd. The strugrle over the Wilk n's Banking bill was renewed without results. In pursuanoe of a revious order the House aceepted from the State of Massachusetts portrnite of Theodore Sedgwick, Joseph B. Varnum and Nathaniel '. Banks, citizens of that State and expeakers of the House. Washington, Jan. 21. - In the House y esrday Mr. Thoebe, the contestant for speaker Carlisle's seat, appeared and asked or full investigation of the case. A resoution providing for such an investigation, offered by Mr. Lyman, of Iowa, was de" eated by a vote of 125 to 132, seven Democrats voting in the amrmative. On the majority report refusing an investigation lepublicans refrained from voting, and the matter went over. Washington, Jan. 23. -In the House Saturday it was impossible to secure a quorum o declare Mr. Carlisle seated. A resolution was placed on the calendar directing the jommittee on Manufactures to inquire nto the charges that certain individnals and corporations had coinbinedforthe pur3ose of increasiug the price of necessities )f life, thns working injury to the people. Idjourned to the 23d. Washington, Jan. 24. -In the House yeserday bilis were introduced as follows: To apply the surplus money in the Treasury hui may accumulate prior to June 30 next to .he purchase of United States bonds; to amend the Civ.l Service law by forbidding lie debarment of any pereou on account of age; to reduce the tax on bank notes: o provide tor a constitutional amendment prohib ting the repedl of general pension laws; to extend ine tender qualty cf the half-dollar, and for the issue of silver cerdficates on the same; to punish the dealing In fulures in agricultural products, and to provide that school catalogues and reports of bcnevolent societies shall pass through the mails at one cent per pound. The majority report of the Committee on Elections conflrming Mr. Carlisle's title to his seat was adopted- yeas, 104; nay, 7. Washington-, Jan. 2.1 -In the House vesterday a bilí was introduced authorizing the President to discontinue any customs district where the revenues are notequal to the expense?. Bills were passed autborizing the construction of a bridge across the Mississippi river at Lexington, Mo., and conferring civil jurisdiction in the lndian Territory on United States oourts having criminal jurisdiction. OTHBB NOTES. Washington, Jan. 19. - Ex-Seeretary Lamar was yesterday sworn in as Assooiate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. Washington, Jan. 19. - The House Elections Committee was yesterday discharged from further consideration of the case of A. E. Eedstone, claiming to have been elected from the fif th California district Washington, Jan. 21.- The Senate Thursday confirmed the nominations oí Colonel Merritt to be Brigadier-General; D. L. Princfle to be Cónsul-General at Guatemala; E Semple, Governor of Washington Territory; W. C. Hall, Secretary of Utah Territory; S. D. Shannon, Secretary of Wyoming; James Sheakley, Commissioner for Alaska, and these Consuls: W. O. Pattan, at Bahía, Brazll; J. George, at Charlottetown, P. E. L; J. Hill, Montevideo, Uruguay; A. F. Dickson, Gaspe Basin, Que. ; G. C. Tanner. Pictou, N. S. ; E. C. Weiiep, Sonneberg, Germany; R. W. Dunlap, Stratford, Ont. Washington, Jan. 20.- The Committee on Appropriations made ready yesterday morning the regular annual Pension bill for report to the House. The bill appropriates $80,275,500. The estimates originally made aggregated $70,212,400. A subsequent letter from the Commissioner of Pensions brougbt the sum up to the amount of the bilL Washington, Jan. 20.- The Senate Committee on Mines and Mining yesterday morning perfected an amendment to the Alien Land law, exempting mining property from its operation- that is, allowing foreigners to purchase and own mines in this country. Washington, Jan. 20.- At yesterday 'a meeting of the House Committee on Ways and Means, a motion to take up Mr. McKinley's bill for the repeal of the tax on tobacco was defeated by a strict party vote, 5 to4. Washington. Jan. 21- The new law passed by Congress relating to permisslble writing and printing on second, third and fourth-class mail matter went into effect yescerday. Washington, Jan. 22.- Mr. James O. Brooks, chief of the Secret-Service división of the Treasury Department, tendered hls resignalion when the present Administration came into power, and it was accepted Friday, to take effect February 1. John 8. Bell, formerly chlef of pólice of Newark, N. J., wil] succeed him. Washington, Jan. 24. - The President has sent the followlng nominations to the Senate: John W. Koss to be postmaster in this city; John Blair Hoge to be Attorney of the United States for the District of Columbia; Marshall McDonald to be Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries. Washington, Jan. 25.- A sub-committee of the Senate Judiciary Commitcee reported favorably on the bill to return the direct taxes to the States, and the full committee will report it favorably at the next meeting.