Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1869-12-15
Washington City Gossip.

There is an evident determination to make
the present session a working one. Inc
six weeks sitting after the Inauguration, IN
which their officers were elected committees
appo nted, bills reported and referred gave
the House quite an advantage. Senators
and members gotan insig into business that
would have absorbed two or three months
had the first session commenced last Mon
day. They have had all the recess to ar
range their ideas and plans, and there VIII
be really no excuse for the term extending
beyond the first of May next.
One of the twin relics" having been dis
posed of, Congress makes the customary
show of cutting off the other. The usual
polygamy bill has been introduced but will
hardly alarm Brigham Young, who has wit
messed the failure in execution of many I'M
pressive threats. The surviving relic is
stubborn, and more vigorous measures than
paper bills will be needed in its eradication.
The Prophet President has very nice
place His Elders have nice places. Re
tirement from Utah and occupation OF the
| Sandwich Islands would involve trouble and
expense and the Mormons will not move
until compelled to by force of arms. Be
sides, recent deVelopements may encourage
the Saints in the belief that after all theil
theories anu practices are not wholly distaste
full to certain social circles Of the Western
or even the Atlantic States.
! Customs receipts for the week ending
Dec. 4 Boston, s2l3,313; Philadelphia
$92, ,S9S; San Francisco. Nov. 20 to Noy.
81, $I49 297; New YORK, 81, j, 7O7, coo: Bal
| timore, Sl65, $40 Total, s., 32S. 25S.
The bill reported from the judiciary com
mittee, last week, by Senator Trumbuil
with the concurrence of nearly all the Com
mittee, is most radical measure. 1t de
clares that DO court shall have jurisdiction
of political questions; that Congress alone
can determine when the SoutE ern State.
are reconstructed that Virginia, Texas anC
Mississippi, have no standing before th'
| Supreme Court that cases from these
| States shall not be taken up on writ o
! hdbeas corpus; that all cases of this sor
now before t4le Supreme Court are suspend
ed, and that the President shall proceed
/ against all military prisoners in these State
without regard to civil process heretofore
instituted. If this bill is passed, the ia
nous Yerger case is at once taken out o
| Court, and the President will be required
to act on the sentence of the Military Com
mission, which condemned him to death.
The bill introduced by Mr. Stevenson. o
Ohio, for the action of the Ways and Mean
Committee, provides that the following ar
ticles shall be included in the free list of Ou
customs laws: Tea, coffee, syrup, molasses
melado or cane juice, lumber and timber
hides and skins, printing paper, and iron il
pigs.
Mr. Hill of New jersey, has introduced
bill in Congress for the abolition of tn
franking privilege. The cost of the frank
ing swindle is S5,000,0OO per anrum, an
it will be augmented annually until
destroys the fife Of the postal service.
is one of the most gigantic abuses in til
country, and may be termed with perlec
propriety a huge swindle Cong ess ca
be occupied with no question of more i'm
portance e. the interests Of the public tha
his, and we hope Mr.. Hill will earnestl.
u sc his bill at every opportunity, an,
bring the members to the record, that TIL
country may see who a.e in favor Of per
| petuating this mOnstrous national swindle.
The first move for an increase of the lega
tender circulation was made on Monday las
when Mr. Ingersoll, of Illinois, tried to sc
in bill for issuing forty four millions more
He withdrew it, because members got int
a row about its reference, some wanting t.
go to the Ways and Means, and others t
the Banking and Currency Committee. Thi
row breaks out every time u financial bill i
introduced, both committees wanting it t
secure everything so as to shape legislation
The Ways and Means would seem to hav
enough on hand if they attended to tn
ques; ions of tariff and taxation, but the
appear TO think otherwise. 1t isn't posi-
bic to get any idea of what views on tn
general financial subject will prevail in eth
er committee.
go --------