Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1871-11-29
FROM THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
Washington Nov l7th, 1871.


been up before the Supreme Court of the
District, on an appeal taken by certain Ia
dies who considered themselves aggrieved,
10y the refusal 0 some Judges Of Election to
here The act governing the matter, in
this District gives 'san male citizens
otherwise qualified. the right to vote; this
would seem to exclude ladies', but they ar
que, that tie right is given them by the
fourteenth ameudm ent to the constitution
OF the o. s., and that no state or territory
The Judges all agree in She opinion, that
the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments
make women citizens, but they hold that
this in itself does not give them the right
to VOC in other words, that more legisla
ton on the subject is necessary. This po
stion hardly seems tenable, inasmuch as
the negroes vote in many states under these
amendments, Notwithstanding the fact that
the constitution of these states contain the
to the Supreme Court of the United States,
but no decision will be reached there for a
year or two yet Meanwhile it is an
nounerd that the whole Woodhull-Ciafin
tribe are coming here to spend the Winter,
and bring their whole armory o bear upon
Congress for the necessary legislation.
Gen. Butler is, | believe, considered their
special champion on the floor of the House
Very active communications are taking
place among the leaders of the Democratic
party, rela tive to the position to be taken
by that party in the coming presidential
election, aud there seems little reason for
doubt that the plan to be adopted will be.
ap entire abandonment of the party machin-
cry, and coalition with that uncertain Ell.
ement called Conservative Republicans.
or i'll other words, the opponents OF General
Grant On the other hand, it is almost GER
tain, beyond a doubt, that all these oppo-
| nents, whose numbers at any rate, are not
very large, VIII, before very long, fall into
| line with their old associates The next
two or three months, will fully develop
political matters, but the Democrats may
find that they have counted without their
host.
In my last letter | took OCCASION to men,
ton the proposed establishment of Govern
ment telegrtphs drought the country
In,
British administration that throws more
light on the subject, and proves the entire
feasibility of the system. The transfer of
the telegraph lines from the several private
companies 10 the Government commenced in
February, 1870, but was not completed I'm til
some time later, so that the report embraces
venjence was accustomed in the beginning,
owing TO the large increase in the business
as a consequence of the reduction in the
rates, the entire success of the enterprise eau
be seen by the following figures: Gross re-
ceipts for the year were S4,700, 683.97, and
the expenditures S., 50 ,684 q, leaving net
/ ~ D. .,
on the amount of capital ingested. Taking
into consideration the fact that the English
government can borrow money at three per
cent. and this is certainly very liberal re-
turn. The profits arising from the telegraphs
| instead of going into the pockets of private
corporation, against whose immense powers
we hear so much nowadays goes into tie
National Treasury, an the people see the
| benefit in a reduced rate of taxation Care
tul calculations show that telegraph might
lie built between the cities of Washington
and New York and the charge for dispatches
| not exceed the postage on an ordinary letter,
| or 3 ce is for each so words and even then
! pay the interest on the capital and a small
| profit 1t will easily be seen what immense
! profits the telegraph companies now make
Admitting that this cost would be increased
| in states, where the commuui. alton is not
| as lively as here, it Will not be too much to
say, that the cost of a Geographic dispatch
can be reduced, at the very least, to one
| third Of the rates now charged
That the present Government buildings,
are altogether inadequate to the demands
Of the Government, is fact that everyone
| will have realized, that has had occasion
to transact any business with the different
| Department 5. Not ouIy are the present
buildings crowded to their utmost extent,
to the exclusion of air aud light, and the
serious Inconvenience OF officials, but the
Government is even obliged to rent private
buildings at an immense expense, sufficient
in few years to build new bui dings The
Stafe Department occupies Il rented build :
ing, too small, inconyenient, ana at a great
distance from the other Departments; the
Pension Office has been obliged, lately, to
rent an old hotel, in order to have all its
bureaus in one building, and yet the So
called Patent Office building is crowded; ;
different bureaus of the same departments
occupy quarters at a great distance from
each other; in short it IS more and more
evident, that steps ought to be taken 10
the business of the Government No where
is this better seen, perhaps than in the
Congressional library. This collection of
books, numbering now some 235, 900 Vol
umes, to which about 5000 are added every
year, is at present Situated in the Capitol,
within altogether too narrow limits, result
ing in a crowding and confusion, that is in
convenient both to the officers and the pu' =
lie. The same is the case with the Uni'ed
States Judiciary, the Supreme Court, the
Court Of Claims, and the Department of
Justice, all Of which occupy narrow aud ir-
convenient quarters in the Capt. OIL 1t is
evident from the structure of this rea l.
magnificent building, that it never in
tended for anything else than for the SEES
sions of Congress, and the offices aecessa-
ny for the transactions of business ofthat