Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-05-16
Oar Washington Better.
SENATE CHAMBER,

WASHINGTON, d, c., May 10, 1872. }
The Senate has, during the past week,
disposed of an immense number of those
important questions concerning the pol
icy Of the hour, questions which are
dividing the intelligence and honesty of
the period, and which every way decid-
ed and reduced to a settled policy, are
TO WELD an inca!culable influence upon
the country's future. Everybody, or
nearly so, have their own settled con-
victions upon these questions; we have
ours, but have too much confidence in the
readers of TIE HERALD to state them.
We have great respect for other peoples
opinions, but we always draw our own
conclusions from truths demonstrated
and facts proven. In this case we arc
not vastly different from the ma
iority Of readers, who doubtless prefer
an ounce Of fact to a ton of fancy. Peo-
pie of to-day demand facts as they are,
presuming that they are capable of form
ing their own conclusions-at least such
is our estimate of Vermont readers.
The postal appropriation bill occupied
the Senate the early portion of the week,
and elected some lively engagements. AT
first sight these would seem but little
grounds for Contest in making simple
appropriations for dcfraying the ex-
penses of the Post Office department.
Directly, there is not, but, Indirectly, it
opens up almost all questions known to
the government. Thus when the amend
ment was offered to increase the subsidy
of the New York and Rio Janeiro line
from S150,000 to $4000 900 per an
nun, trips to be semI-monthly instead of
monthly, the question struck infinitely
deeper than mere postal appropriation
This passed by vote of 25 to o. Like
wise the one million subsidy to the Pa
cific Steamship line, which passed by
vote of 26 to 90 Likewise Mr. Casser
ley's motion TO pay $400, 900 to the San
Francisco and Australian line, which
was tabled, on motion Of Mr.. Morrill,.
jects have a significance greater than
the mere discussing Of the money rep
resented by The figures named. These
subsidies are always urged in the name
of commerce and through the ramifica-
tions of this gigantic power-the one
agency which governs christendom.
Every interest and every Individual be-
comes interested, directly or Indirectly.
and is found arrayed upon one of the
two unwritten platforms of the hour
free trade or protection. Nearly all
questions Of practical, more especially
economic, policy, have a beginning or
ending in these great central main
springs of political thought. The unani-
nifty of the votes upon these questions
speaks not only of a nearly equally di-
yided Senate, but also of the breaking
down of old party lines established by
questions which have passed into history,
and OF q gradual readjustmcnt upon
those of present and future moment.
Another question of vast interest elicit
ing much discussion was an amendment
disqualifying persons who have held
Office in the departments from practicing
as attorneys or claim agents against the
government for two years thereafter
This was designed to prevent persons
from making use against the government
Of Information which they have acquiF-
ed as clerks We are aware that many
clerk, after having held his little office
long enough to square the amount be-
tween him and his member, or perhaps
his member having died a political or
natural death, and said clerk going into
his Office some morning to find that he
lad no alice, or while away on leave,
as is more u5cally the case, be informed
that owing to decrease OF work to be
done, ETC., etc. lin short that he may
no more cross his extremities under
Uncle Sans mahogany. Many such a