The Portland daily press., 1870-02-15
Letter from Washington.
WASHINGTON d. c., Feb. 11th, 1870.
To the Editor of the Press.

WASHINGTON d. c., Feb. 18th, 1870.
To the Editor Of the Press.
BUSINESS IN CONGRESS.
The work now being done In either branch
is too solid and dry for most readers of Wash
ington correspondence, whose tastes have
been formed during the recent "piping times,
Tariffs. internal taxation, census bills and
even reconstruction debates grow hsovv ON
our stomachs-aiter being cloyed with such
peppery food as Andrew johnson afforded US.
Z The general appropriation bill is now to tie
fore in the House. Next week we shall have
the internal tax bill, and then the new tariff
The Senate has number of propositions be-
fore it for an enlargement of bauk circulation
and the census bill. These are the substsn.
tial joints, on which every speaker but Mr..
Sumner is wearisome to excess The Massa-
chusetts Senator is showing the body of
which that he is not man of but one idea,
or only two at most as is charged, but of
many. He has for the past year taken an
active part in all general discussions and
brings to every question pronounced views
and thorough acquaintance with the theme,
even though his knowledge may be biased BY
his way of looking at things. Mr.. Sumner Is
an interesting and attractive speaker on the
dryest of themes, a compliment which few
men in the Senate deserve even when their
themes are inviting.
SHIPPING INTERESTS.
Possibly the question most interesting to
your readers and the people of Maine gener-
ally, is the subject under investigation by Mr..
Lynch's special committee. Their report,
based upon the exhaustive investigation
which has been made, viii probably be pre-
sented on Monday next. / cannot of course
give you any statement of the recommends
tions which the committee will make, but am
satisfied that there will be no idea broached
in them of abandoning to foreign hands the
important business OF shipbuildiDg, but that
on the contrary be measures 10 be proposed
will embrace a considerable amount of relief
from the burdens which the navigation inter-
ests of the country are suffering under,
and which combined to keep crushed
down all our ocean-carrying trade, left 80
helpless prey to the spoiler during the re-
cent war. The report of the special commit
tee will not in itself be long document, coy-
ering perhaps twelve to sixteen pages, but the
accompanying evidence and papers will be
quite voluminous. Besides the oral state
ments that were make at New York, Boston,
Philadelphia, here, and in your own city,
there are large number of letters from all
the leading houses and points interested In
the subtect. and asso eisboSate reports from a
NUMBER OF our leading consuls, of whose pa
pers Consul General Morse at London is the
most valuable and complete. Mr.. Morse Is
evidently on this subject the "right man In
the right place." From tables annexed to
his report full exhibit of the number, ton
mage, armament and character of every ves-
sci IN the British Navy is shown. Mr.. Lyuch
has had prepared report experimenting this,
and showing the present condition &C., OF
our navy. The contrast is not fattering
to US. There are also valuable re-
ports from our chief consular Off
GERS in the new Dominion, in Germany
and Denmark. Bes ides these, Gen. Tate,
lately Haytien Minister here, has furnished
letter which throws some light en- the condi-
tion of our commercial affairs in the West
Indies. Besides all this valuable matter,
there is added a finer set of tabular state
ments on shipping and commerce than has
ever before been compiled. The report will
certainly prove to be one of the most valuable
documents ever issued. The labor and care
Mr.. Lynch has bestowed is almost surprising,
and the subject could not have fallen into
more competent hands.
Representative Morrill, has recently intro
duced bill "to aid in the construction Of sea.
going vessels, steamboats, and ships" an alb
stract Of which has already appeared in your
columns.
A CORRECTION.
A paragraph in one of my recent letters con-
tanned an erroneous statement respecting
Speaker Blaine, which l gladly correct.
spoke from common report of his house and
furniture costing seventy thousand dollars. a
friend calling my attention to the error, In
vestigated the facts and as facts simply sub
NIT them:
The price paid by Mr.. Blaine for his house
was thirty thousand dollars. 1t is furnished
in good taste but not extravaaantly for about
ten thousand do!lars-making the entire In
yestment forty thousand dollars. Mr.. Blaine,
am informed. concluded to purchase house
only after finding that he would have to pay
about five thousand dollars per year rent fora
residence such as the Speaker Is supposed to
need. 1t is usual for the Speaker to give pub,
lie receptions. By purchase of his house Mr.
Blaine probably saves twenty-five hundred
dollars or two thousand year, as exorbiLant
rents are demanded in Washington.
also wish to correct an error winch occur.
red in my brief mention last week of Mr..
Lynch's temporary i'll health. Your repre-
sentative was in his place and voted for the
bill abollshins the franking privilege, as 1 find
on referring to the Globe of the proper date.