Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1866-05-04
CORRESPONDENCE

0Tlce-Rec0pStfUct10R dc.
Mr.. EDITOR:
The bill which proposes reorganization
of the army drags its slow length along in
the House. Almost every section of the
bill meets with pretty serious opposition
and much doubt is expressed as to its final
passage. 1t run the gauntlet of aten days
discussion, and has been ably defended by
General Schenck, Mr.. Blaine, and MEM
bers of the military committee and others,
1t has also encountered the violent opposi-
ton of many members Of the llonsc.-
ippropos. to this bill, and growing out of
the discussion thereon, | may mention a
contest and personal encoHRtSe--of words
only. between Mr.. Blaine of your State.
and Mr.. Roscoe Conkln of New York, in
which the gduamE?) New Yorker, came
out second best. The debate arose upon
that provision of the bill. which proposes
the continuance of the Provost Marshal
Generals department, rs part and parcel
of the regular army. Mr.. Conklin as is
his wont made vehement attack upon
this provision, and also upon the Provost
Marshal General Fry. He seems to have
pcuchlN of this sort, and the habit with
him of attacking all measures of legisla-
ion good, bad and Indifferent. Is chronic.
He is man of some ability, considerable
culture. much assurance, and fine personal
address; bnt he is mperious, dctatori,al
ensorious, snarling. and cminently tussy.
He might have influence in the House, but
he frittcrs it away, by his inccssant ding
dong upon all bills, the vast majority of
which he opposes. He makes more
speeches than any half dozen men in the
House, and Il locker on can come to no
other conclusion than this, that the honora-
bic gentleman is firmly persuaded in his
own mind, that he is by virtue of his great
powers. admirably fitted to be the mentor
of the legislators and statesmen, and that
unless he directs things, will pretty gen
orally 90 to smash. On the occasion re-
terrea to. Mr.. Blaine administered to him
a somewhat cauStic reply for his insoleut
attack upon General Fry, and revealed the
probable aniD,tS of his speech: whereapon
Conklin laid aside the gentleman, and as
sumed the role of the bully. lie rcallirn-
cd what he had previously said. and declar-
ed himself willing to defend his words
here or clSeerhefe: all this Mr.. Blaine APPLY
characterized as 'Sruggef," and here the
matter might have rested had not Mr.. c..
taken the liberty-With the conviction in
his own n2ipd probably. that his words
would place him before the Country in no
very enviablc position. TO materially alter
the notes OF the official reporter of the
Globe. This was done unbekn0Wn TO Mr..
Blaine and was evidently intended to put
him Blaine) in Il wrong position before
the Country. Mr.. Blaine called the at
tention Of the House TO the fact of this al
tera,ion, and exhibited the altered notes.
Couhlia attempted an explanation but his
efforts in this direction vas im"oteut to the
last degree. On this occasion he accused
sir. Blaine a lacking in courage All !
have to say HOW j., that such an accusation
comes with an i'll Grace fiYlrlj tn. NM, ,'.l
"s,'.r HirinOcr yTtne 3'th Congress tame
y submitted Ia the personal indignity OF,
allowing brother member to shake Lis
fist in his face, and some gay To pg!l Iii,
nose, and 70 apply to him epithst, 10;
suited TO ears polite" The general inn
preston here is that Mr.. Couilin does not
win any coveted fame III this contest with
titc ''Down EasteI.'
Since Tuesday evening" the bill in aid Of
the Northern Pacific Rail Road. has been
mder Consideration in the House. The
Government had heretofore in granting 4
charter for this road given TO it large
tract oil land. The further legislation
sought for in aid of this measure was that
the Government should guarantee some
ti.1y-seven millions of the bonds of this
road. by agreeing to pay the interest upon
said bonds for twenty years. This PROPOSE
ton was hedged about by what was de-
ciared to be sufficient safe cards Tor the
government; still the measure did not
carry. TWAS laid on the table last evening,
by very decided vote. The road ought
70 be built, and it would much benefit our
entire Northern Country if it We're built /;
bat just how fur it is safe and proper for
the general Government TO 20 in carving
through the schemes of internal improve
nent is far from being settled. In the
present condition of our national finances
Congress is wisely cautious how it APP
propriates the public credit and public
money. 1t may be too cautious however.
a. the fostering of some enterprises of in
ternal Improvement, may put into the
treasury much more than will be abstract
ed thereiron. some Of the most careful
thinkers in Congress, men who have
studied this question thoroughly, Iaen like
Ihaddeus Stevens, say tll-5 Rail Road is a
measure Of that sort.
The bill for the relief of naval contract
ors and the builders of iron clads passed
the Senate yesterday by the decisive vote
of22t to II. 1t next comes up in the House
where its fate is not so certain, Though,
those who claim TO know, say that its adop-
ton by the lower branch is about certain
The apprehension that we shall be visit
ed by the cholera is gaining ground here
among our citizens. Certainly no place is
more exposed because of its filth aud gen
eral disregard of all sanitary regulations,
than is this city OF Washington. The
Chairman OF the district committee propos-
cd the appropriation of $50, 900 a day or