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PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.

January 3. Senator Pettigrew's resolution:

Resolved, That the Secretary of War be, and he is hereby directed to inform the Senate whether General Torres, one of the officers of the Philippine army, came to General Otis with a flag of truce on February 5, 1899, the day after the fighting commenced between our forces and those of the Filipinos, and stated to General Otis that General Aguinaldo declared that fighting had been begun accidentally and was not authorized by him, and that Aguinaldo wished to have it stopped, and that to bring about a conclusion of hostilities he proposed the establishment of a neutral zone between the two armies of a width that would be agreeable to General Otis, so that during the peace negotiations there might be no further danger of conflict between the two armies, and whether General Otis replied that fighting having once begun must go on to the grim end. Was General Otis directed by the Secretary of War on February 9, 1899, to make such answer? Did General Otis telegraph the Secretary of War on February 9, 1899, as follows: "Aguinaldo now applies for a cessation of hostilities and conference. Have declined to answer." And did General Otis afterward reply? Was he directed by the Secretary of War to reply; and what answer if any, did he or the Secretary of War make to the application to cease fighting?

FINANCE.

January 3. Senator Allen's resolution:

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby directed to transmit to the Senate complete and literal copies of all letters, communications, agreements, papers, and documents between the Treasury Department of the government of the United States and the National City Bank and the Hanover National Bank, of the city of New York, or either or both of them since the 4th day of March, A. D. 1897, in any manner respecting the deposit of public funds, bonds, and revenues of the Government of the United States with said bank or banks,and inform the Senate respecting any other relation or relations now or heretofore existing between the Government of the United States and the said bank or banks, and the amount of money, bonds, public funds, and revenues respectively, deposited in said bank or banks by the Government of the United States, the reason therefor, and whether said bank or banks have paid the Government of the United States any interest on said deposit or deposits, and if so, how much interest, and the length of time the money, public funds, bonds, and revenues of the Government of the United States were held on deposit by said bank or banks, and whether said money,

public funds, bonds, and revenues, or any portion thereof, were loaned to other banks, corporations, or persons, giving their names and addresses, respectively, and if so, the amount and dates thereof, respectively.

And the Secretary of the Treasury is further directed to inform the Senate what compensation has been paid to said bank or banks, directly or indirectly, by the Government of the United States for the custody, handling, and disbursement of said money, public funds, bonds, and revenues of the Government of the United States, and give to the Senate all other information in any manner pertaining to said transaction or transactions.

CUBA.

January 3. Resolution of Senator Platt:

Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), that there be printed 7,000 copies of so much of the civil report of Maj. Gen. John R. Brooke, military governor of the Island of Cuba, made to the Adjutant-General of the United States Army, with accompanying papers and documents, as is in the English language, together with a prepared index; of which 2,000 copies shall be for the use of the Senate, 4,000 copies for the use of the House of Representatives, and 1,000 copies for the use of the War Department.

January 4. Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, that the Philippine Islands are territory belonging to the United States; that it is the intention of the United States to retain them as such and to establish and maintain such governmental control throughout the archipelago as the situation may demand.

Senator Beveridge asked that they be laid on the table subject to call by him next Tuesday.

January 4. The President transmits to the Senate report of committee on Samoan affairs compiled by Hon. Bartlett Tripp. January 4. A report on conduct of war with Spain from the President.

January 8. A resolution asking for Admiral Dewey's report in which he says "he can take Manila at any time."

January 9. The President transmits to the Senate the report of the Nicaraguan Canal Commission.

PHILIPPINES.

January 9. Resolved, That there be compiled under the direction of the Committee on the Philippines, for use by the Senate, the best statistics available in regard to the area, population,

agricultural and mineral resources, exports, and import trade of the Philippine Islands, together with such other information on the subject as the committee may deem desirable.

January 10. Eulogies delivered on Vice-President Hobart.

CUBA.

January 16. Resolved that the Secretary of War be, and he is hereby directed to send to the Senate an authorized statement of public receipts from taxation, custom, and all sources and also of public expenditures including salaries paid to all officers, and incidental expenses in Cuba since the United States Government assumed control of the same.

February 1. The President transmitted to the Senate a copy of the report of Gen. John C. Bates, made Aug. 20, 1899, in relation to the treaty made with the Sultan of Sulu, an island of the Philippines.

THE HOUSE

PREPARING TO DO BUSINESS.

The House of Representatives convened as prescribed by the Constitution on the first Monday in December, at 12 M. December 4, 1899.

David Bremner Henderson was elected Speaker.

Credentials were submitted by the new members and those of Brigham H. Roberts, Representative from Utah were objected to. Rules of the fifty-fifth Congress were adopted.

New members were sworn in.

The President and Senate were notified that the House was prepared to transact business.

Members drew seats for the fifty-sixth Congress.

The House then adjourned in honor of Vice-President Hobart. On the following day the officers of the House were elected as follows:

Clerk, Alexander McDowell, of Pennsylvania.
Sargent-at-Arms, Henry Casson, of Wisconsin.
Door-keeper, William J. Glenn, of New York.
Postmaster, Joseph McElroy, of Ohio.

Chaplain, Rev. Henry M. Condin, of Michigan.

The following is a list of the important measures introduced into the fifty-sixth Congress for discussion, and the date of introduction.

IMPORTANT EVENTS IN THE HOUSE.

December 5. Reading of the President's message.
Brigham H. Roberts contested seat case discussed.

December II. Discussion of Financial Bill in committee of the whole.

FINANCE.

January 3. Representative Sulzer's resolution:

Resolved by the House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he hereby is, directed to furnish the House of Representatives as soon as possible with the following information:

1. All letters, agreements, papers, or documents between the Treasury Department of the United States or any person connected therewith, and the National City Bank and the Hanover Bank, of the City of New York, or any person acting for them or either of them, since the 4th day of March, 1897, relating to the

depositing of public funds, bonds, or revenues in said bank or banks, or any other relations or business transactions now existing or heretofore had between the Government and the said banks or either of them.

2. The amount of public money, bonds or revenue deposited with said banks or either of them by the Government, for what length of time, and the reasons therefor, and whether said banks or either of them have paid the Government any interest on said deposits, and if so, how much, and all other information concerning the same or in any way relation thereto.

January 10. Hon. E. J. Burkett delivered in the House a eulogy on Congressman W. L. Green.

January 11. Admiral Dewey's report submitted, relative to the taking of Manila.

February 1. Bill 2431 to present to the City of Nashville, in Tennessee, the gun which fired the first shot in the SpanishAmerican war. This gun was on board the battleship Nashville. The bill was passed.

February 5. Resolution on the death of Hon. Daniel Ermentrout, late member of the House of Representatives, from Pennsylvania.

February 13. Resolutions on the death of Hon. Charles A. Chickering, late member of the House of Representatives, from New York.

March 1. The President transmitted a communication from the Secretary of State to the Senate and House of Representatives setting forth the increased commercial relations between the United States and foreign countries, showing a large increase in the sale of American products.

April 2. Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he hereby is, requested to inform the House of Representatives whether in his opinion, based upon such knowledge as he has, the present laws for the raising of revenue are creating and will continue to create a surplus in the Treasury over and above the wants of the Government, and if so, to what extent at the end of the current fiscal year, and a like report as to the fiscal year ending June 30, 1901.

That he also report to the House of Representatives his estimates of the probable receipts of the Treasury from all sources of revenue for those years, to wit, customs, internal revenue, and miscellaneous sources.

Resolved, That he also report to the House of Representatives the amount of internal revenue taxes received under an act entitled "An act to provide ways and means to meet war expenditures, and for other purposes," approved June 13, 1898, upon

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