Fifty-first Congress

Washington, July 16. - In the Senate yesterday a bilí was passed granting to tho State of Washington a section of public land for a soldiers' home. The discussion of a proposed amendmpnt to the sundry civil appropriation bilí increasing the appropriation for irrigation surveys from 8200,000 to $000,000 occupied the remainder of the session. Washington, July 17. - Bills were passed In the Senate yesterday extending the time of payment to purchasera of land of the Omaha tribe of Indians in Nebraska and to establish a National military park at Chickamauga field. Bills were introducod to give a pension of 82.000 a year to Mrs. Jessie Fremont and to establish a limited postal and telegraph service. A resolution was introduced for inforrnation as to the arrest in Havana of Rev. A. J. Diaz, an American citizen. The Indian appropriation bill (97,158,811) was reported. Washington, July 18.- The Senate spent the time yesterday discussing the sundry civil appropriation bill, the pending question being on the amendment to add to the appropriation of $300,000 for topographic surveys a provisión that one-half of that sum should be expended west of the lOlst meridian, and that the actof October, 1883, reserving irrigable lands, be repealed. No action was taken. Washington, July 19.- In the Senate yesterday an amendment to the tariff bill was introduced givinj the President power, after one year. to reimpose the duty on sugar if advisable. The sundry civil appropriation bill was further disoussed, and the amendment repealing the irrigation provisión was agreed to. Washington, July 21.- The sundry civil appropriation bill was passed in the Senate on Saturday with amendments appropriating $2. 686,000 for National soldiers' homes, 8115,000 for geological surveys and 815,000 to purchase ground at Indianapolis for interment of soldiers. Washington, July 22.- In the Senate yesterday a bill authorizing the construction of a pon toon bridge across the Mississippi river at Quincy, 111., was passed. The tariff bill was the subject of retnarks made by Senator Voorhees. He denounced the measure as an instance of protection run mad. The death of Representativo Walker, of Missouri, was announced, and as a mark of respect the Senate adjourned. HOUSE. Washington, July 16.- A bill was Introduced in the House yesterday by Mr. Vandever (Cal.) granting a pension of $3,000 a year to the widow of General John C. Fremont. The House went into committne of the whole for the consideration of the bill appropriating $636,189 for an additional clerical forcé to carry into effrct the provisions of .the dependent-pension act. During the debate Mr. Cooper (Ind.) chargcd Commissioner of Pensions Raum with corrupt actions, and said he believed that the office was reeking with corruption in every department- Mr. Cannon (111.) said that a charge on the part of a member of Congress, who frequently did not weigh his words, cf maludministration against an exocutive oflicer, was not sufflcient to authorize the House to order an investifration. It must be a specific charge, for which the Representativo made himsolf responsible. Washington, July 17. - In the House yesterday no business was transacted owing to the lack of a quorum. The land grant forfeiture bill was discussed, but not disposed of. Washington, July 18.- Hour after hour the House discussed the land grant forfeiture bill yesterday, and finally passed it just before adjournment. It is a Senate bill, with a House substitute, forfeiting lands granted to aid the construction of railroads opposite to and coterminous with the portion of any such road not now completed, and if it becomes a law will forfeit almost 5,000,000 acres of land claimed by various aided railroads. Washington, July 19.- The House took up the original paekage bill yesterday with the understandin? that the previous question be ordered on Monday ncxt. Mr. E. B. Taylor (O.), advocating the measure, said that no such blow had been given to State sovereignty and to State rights as by aseertainment that under the constitution the citizen of a foreign State might takeinto another State any property that was a subject of cotnmerce and sell it out liability of taxation. Mr. Culbertson (Tex.) said the effect of the Senate bill would be to transfer a power vested exclusively in Congres9 to the States, and the States themselves would exeoute a power which they had parted with when the constitution was adopted. Mr. Adams (111.) said that the unlicensed original packaffe shop was the cause of all the present agitation. Everybody was afreed that the unlicensed shop should be abolished. Mr. Reed (Ia.), whose decisión as a judge was overruled by tho decisión of the Supreme Court, spoke in favor of the proposed legislation and said tbat if any relief was to be given the people from the wrong and evil to society growing out of the decisión of the Supreme Court it lay in the direction pointed out by the pending bilis. Mr. llendorson (Ia.) said that nodecision rendered by the Supreme Court since that court had decided that a human soul was a proper article of merchandise had so excited the feelings of the country as the original package decisión. No good citizcn would fail to submit to tho decisión of the court. But we should not forget that the Supreme Court in throwing this legal thunderbolt into the Republic did not fail to send it with a cure. It cried out to Congress: "While we believe this to be our duty, we believe it is your duty to remedy the evü." The people of the country, withoutregard to party or politics - the people who bended the kne and uncovered their heads in the preaence of God and their fellow-men, appealed to Congress for lts action, and for one he would not hesitate to act. Washington, July 21.- In the House on Saturday the deficiency appropriation bill (85,140,440) was reponed. The original package bill was further discussed. Washington, July 22. - A bill was introduced in the House yesterday authorizing the Secretary of Agriculture to establish uniform grades of all kinds of grains transported from one State to another, or to any foreign country. Resolutions were adopted expressive of the sorrow with which the House had heard of the death of Mr. Walker, of Missouri, and an adjournment was taken.