The Union and journal., 1869-12-17
WASHIyGTON CORREsPONDENCE
., WASHINGTON, Dec. 13, 1869.
To-

rr WASHINGTON, Dec. IL, 1869.
EDITOR or UxIoN AND JoURSAL:- ....,
or course the great centre Of attraction at
the present time is Congress, and everybody
that can afford the time, makes daily trip to
the Capitol. 1t is surprising to notice the
change that has taken place in our city within
the past weeks. The avenue Is crowded With
strangers, and the rich, gorgeous apparel Of the
ladies, and the flashing equipagcs that are seen
upon our streets are in strange contrast with
the dull staid city life few weeks ago. One
thing is certain, II Congress holds out as II has
commenced. the present session will be busy
and important one. ,n. .a
Gen. Butler was extremely we'll pleased at the
Recommendation Of the President in relation to
the repeal Of the Tenurc-of-ofiice acts, and has
introduced bill to that effect. As indicated
short time ago, think the repeal Of the Ten
ure-of-ofiicc acts will be very likely to put q
auetus upon jerks Civil Service Bill, for II the
President has the privilege OF removing his
Cabinet and other officers at pleasure, why
should not Cabinet officers have the same privi-
lege. There Is another question which the re-
peal Of this act will suggest: II the Senate Of
the United States repeal this law, thereby lcav-
ing no law other than the Constitution to regu-
late the appointment and removal Of officers, do
thereby virtually endorse the opinion Of the
late VIM. p. Fcsseuden, that the President has
the power to remove Cabinet officers. There Is
another question that this repeal suggests. Is
il wiss CT judicious to enact special laws upon
any occasion. .,....s =.
A bill has been introduced into the House to
abolish the franking privilege. The prescn-
taton Of bill Of this nature occurs periodical
ly, and is one Of the necessary appurtenanccs OF
the opening Of Congress It is looked for with
as much certainty us the Deficiency bill, and the
only difference between the two is, the latter
will be passed and the former laid upon the Ia
BILE, where Il will remain. II Congress wishes
to inaugurate reform there Is one measure
which, IL adopted, would result In more real
good, financially and morally than nny other,-
and this reorganization Of all the departments
of government. sweeping away all Of the per-
quisites Of Office, and establishing salary to
each office. which shall cover the full amount Of
pay. I said, morally, for there is no one thing
that leads to 80 much gross misconduct In Office
as our system Of perquisitss.
Georgia is to be taken in hand by Congress
for breaking its faith and abridging the rights
Of its citizens, and bill Is to be introduced In
the House at nm early day by Gen. Butler. to
reconstruct this rccrcant sister state. Virginia.
profting by the act Of Congress, will bc admitted
this week, and will guarantee equal rights to all
of her citizens, and will, undoubtedly, keep the
promise. ,.M
Hon. Lot NJ. Morrill, will announce the death
of Mr.. Fessenden In the Senate and Hon. John
Lynch in the House. or the Senate, Morrill, Of
Vt, Anthony, Trumball, Howard or Davis will
pronounce eulogies and in the House Brooks Of
N. Y. Davis Of Mass. Hale and Peters Of Maine.
Hon. John A. Peters will undoubtedly do JUS
tice TO the occasion, and as he Is we'll known to
the people Of the state can add nothing to his
reputation. Hon. Eugene Hale from the 9th
District, is quite q young man, about thirty,
endowed with superior mind and vivid im-
agination fine scholar and an eloquent speak
er. Upon such an occasion, Mr.. Hale will, un-
display his laurels to advantage In
bcstowing merilel praise TO the illustrous dead.
The reyerses of life is illustrated somewhat in
the election of 8. T.. Morrill, from the 2d Dis
trict to the Forty frs! Congress. MIR. Morrill,
was a few years ago clerk in one Of tho de-
partments in this city, and returned to his state
TO he elected 70 Congress and now comes hack
here, with an NJ. G, attached to his name.
Joseph A. Ware, son of Judge Ware, OF Port
land, has brought suit against the Secretary OF
the Treasury for $40, being the amount deduct
ell from his salary for absence ffom the office.
Mr.. Ware was solicitor Of the 9th Auditors Of
fec, and was removed short time since by the
Secretary. This suit has been instituted in the
Court Of Claims rs a test case, as there has been
quite number Of clerks "docked' for absence.
Mr.. Ware contends that the salaries of the clerks
arc established by law, and that the Secretary
cannot reduce that amount or stop the pay. only
by removal from Office.
A great deal has been said Mt various times,
about the ungratefulness Of republics, whatever
of truth there may be in the saying that ''re-
publics are ungrateful' il remains for the future
to stamp that character upon us. The past
has not done 1t, and we stand today rs . nation
grand argument against the dogma. AS eyi-
dence Of this, might cite the manner in which
the nation has treatei its soldiers from Gen.
Grant down to the humblest private. The ten
their interests cannot bc better illustrated, than
by glance at the figures in the report Of the
md Auditor Of the Treasury, In relation to tho
payment of bounties to discharged soldiers and
20 the heirs of deceased soldiers. lie says that
during the last fiscal year there were allowed to
soldiers and their heirs 90, ,758 claims for boun-
W, iuNoi'"B vi oAPSnuuuIo VI So,oooboAo,s<~
This in single year, and this immense sum is
part only Of the reward the governmnnt rem
ders to those who stood up between II, and its
enemies in the hour Of peril. might add that
the office which adjusts these claims is admins
tered by well known gentleman from your
State, Hon. K. B. French, and the great impor-
tance and responsibility, in connection with
the fact that one Of the FIRST acts Of President
Grant was decision to retain the present In
cumbeut, may be accepted as q compliment to
your State rs well as the gentleman himself.
The Rev. A. ID. Eearle, has been holding Un-
ion Revival meetings in the different churches
Of this city day and evening with great success.
The houses Of worship have been, nightly crowd
ell and large number Of conversions have tax
en- place. f.
l referred in my last to the fact thatthe 'Wom-
ans Rights Association were charging twenty
Ave cents admittsnce to their meetings, and rs
they had no license to give entertainments the
"Association" was fined five dollars by the
Court. To retaliate, suits have been instituted
against various parties for being disorlerly at
the meetings Of this Association. PRESrrss.