The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-04-27
Our Washington Letter.

q Ue'sefut-De0tn 81 ne InUeStagdtaonS-1ht
Tariff Qaestson-Adjournnaent.
WASHINGTON, ID. c., April "a, 1872.
"Fre-sh shad. Fre-sh shad Fresh
shad and behring's, etc., etc. ~ aea
| do wish Congress. would pass law that
will allow no man to cry 'sfresh-shad'' in the
streets of Washington before seven o'clock in
the morning. The man who wrote call quiet
on the Potomac" must have been here when
shad and herring were out of season. wonder
If Upton can't induce these fish-hawkers to at
tend the dyspeptic Convention at Cincinnati to
add their melodious voices to the proposed pop
ular outburst What pron,,tlgators of enthusi-
dsm they would make They would be a great
acquisition to the bulk of noise which seems
now to be the desideratum of the sore heads
am also inclined to think that the character
and personal appearance of the "hybrid convo-
cation would be improved by their presence
Upton ought to have these fellows. ai- BIAS
By the way that Convention seems to be got
up on just that principle. A sort of scraping
together of all the disagreeable elements with
which the public have become Disguised Dis
appointed ambition, anger fancied lack of APP
probation, jealousy, envy and all the kindred
conditions of mind will here assemble to ex-
press their dissatisfaction with things general
ly.
Like Solomon, when the
GRAss-HoPPER HAD BECOME BURDEN
they cry vanity, Vanity all is Vanity" and 1
think they will add ''vexation of spirit" before
they get through with their deliberations
with an earnestness only to be derived from ex.
perience.
,,, g,..sH - e.. ..sa..a.4t
The most important legislative action of the
past few days is the passage by the Senate of
TEXAS PACIFIC RAILROAD 81 9a5
bill which was finally ground out of the Sena-
torial mill at late hour Saturday evening.
The bill is not new charter but a modifica-
ton of former one which secures the con-
struction of road from Marshall, Texas to
San Diego, California at the rate of one hun
dred and twenty five miles per yeal, until COM
pleted, Col. Thomas A. Scott of Phladel-
phia, being the head of the company 1t also
provides for the equipment of road from
Shreveport, La, to the eastern terminus of the
above road at Marshall, to be of the same
gauge as the Pacific line. 1t is claimed that
this route will not be subject to delays from
s'snow blockades' as has been the case with
the Central Pacific to so great an extent since
its construction, and especially during the past
winter This is another important achieve
| ment of the 10 ~
GREAT RAILROAD BISMARCK sHl
of this country who does not stop to weep for
more roads to conquer" but goes to work and
builds the road. He conquers the wilderness
by his perseverance and his roads are the
means of conquest. He is not a stock jobber
or loft hut If
prises which are sure to be perfected under his
direction, if his life is spared. No man in the
country is doing moresto develop our national
resources than Col. Thomas A. Scott. This
road will bring into the market tract of coun-
try hitherto useless and undeveloped, but
which will soon prove to be one of our best ag-
ricultural regions.
ThefNorth Carolina Senator question is at
last settled by the admission of Hon. M. w.
Ransom to the seat heretofore contested by ex-
Senator Abbott Mr.. Ransom was a El
| GENERAL IN THE CONFEDERATE ARMY q
and of course democrat. He is fine looking
and very gentlemanly and will no doubt soon
take rank among the leaders in his party.
THE ARMS INVESTIGATION
has completed the taking of its testimony and
character of the report beyond complete vim
dcation of the officers of the Ordnance bureau
from all of the sweeping charges made against
them does not yet appear The movers them
selves are forced to admit the utter failure of
their attack Ha as4t./
THE RoBEsoN INVESTIGATION q
has also died of the same disease--if starvation
can be called disease-and the result is equal
ly as favorable to the Navy Department as the
Arms Investigation is to the War Department.
The enmeies of the administration have evil
IDENTIFY made great loss by their undue haste
in moving these investigations and their fall
will be the more disastrous from their having
been drawn out SO much in the debate proceed
ing the appointment of the committee. There
will no doubt be some important action on the
tariff before adjournment 1t is generally I'M
derstood that the
DUTY ON TEA AND COFFEE l-l
VIII be repealed, and some say that the Senate
VIII pass the bill, already passed the House
before the close of the present week
Adjournment seems to hang fire on account
OF the unsettled condition of the tariff question
but many OF the principal members of the
House, the speaker among the rest, seem to
think that they will get through by May Goth.
This is almost authoritative as the matter now
lies wholly with the House.
PERSONAL.
Among the tourists in Washington during
the present week we noticed Ansel Stevens Esq.
the well known conductor on the Portland and
Ogdensburg Railroad - and his numerous
friends among the readers of the PRESS will
doubtless be pleased to learn that he likes
Washington
Hon. ). s. Marble left for home last week
with his health apparently benefited by his
stay in Washington and his trip to Virginia.
MINoT