Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-06-06
our Washington letter.
WASHINGTON, June 3, 1872.
SENATE CHAMBER.


mental article of the treaty was report
ed to be favorably considered by the
Senate, and nearly everybody were re-
joicing because the great principle of
arbitration was to be consummated at
Geneva at the slight expense of our eat
ing little humble-pie, we lamented
that we didsnot know more or less than
we then did of diplomatic ways, that
we also might show the enthusiastic
predictions of that time But we could
not. We were so lamentably ignorant
upon the question in all its bearings, or
else we happened to be sufficiently post
ed to be unable to share the prevailing
belief, and made a modest guess to that
effect in this correspondence. A few
DAYS ago it was announced that the
treaty had ''gone up" and shadow of
disappointment seemed to fall upon this
political metropolis. The Senate made
some alterations in the wording Of Gran
ville's proposition whereby we were Ito
back out oh, no, butt to get our claims
out the same way they went in without
even turning around. Granville, like
anybody else, would make a good bar
gain for himself. His article shows it.
But the Senate is said to have made
some verbal changes in the new article,
which changes do not materially alter
the sense, or construction, but are a mere
sugar coating to the principle which our
government thought it better to take
than to let the treaty miscarry. What
these verbal changes are does notappear
to us as the article in question has not
been made public. The Senate has been
more cautious of its secrets, or reporters
less enterprising, and this is yet a pro-
found mystery. The British ministry
does not see why we should interfere
with its words, and after grumbling over
the same asks or demands explanation.
The American government, having done
all the conceding, if not more, that is
consistent with national dignity declines
further controversy as to the article. 1t
speaks for itself and England can accept
or reject at her pleasure and incur the
responsibilities of either event. IF fur
ther negotiations are had it must be up
on the suggestion of Her Majesty's gov
eminent. Further than that nothing is
known here, and the treaty is generally
pronounced dead. Still negotiations may
be going on now for aught the public
may know, for Secretary Fish has de-
monstrated his ability to keep matters
secret when desirable, Following the
first flush of disappointment there seems
a sense of relief to be well out of the
middle. Bad as it is to loose the treaty
it might be worse, and we presume that
MAY Bees" are getting to he annoying
on both side of the water If the Sem
ates action upon the article he correctly
reported it is evident that England en-
braces the first, and certainly a slight
preteXt, to end the arbitration. In the
event of the treaty failure, we still be-
lieve that internationally the principle of
arbitration will be established at no very
remote time. In the light of two fail
ures the next attempt ought to enable
the two governments to successfully get
over the consequential claims question.
CONGRESS
applied itself, during the first of the
week. so busily to the bOnafide work of
legislation that it looked as if this day
was to witness its final adjournment.
The Senate applied itself assiduously to
the details of the tariff and tax bill
which was disposed of on Friday night
and sent back to the House with amend
7 l. ry,V1~
ing on reduced time, had disposed of var
iOus matters, important and unimport-
ant. None more important in itself,
and as showing the tempero of the House,
than the effort made on Tuesday to pass
through the House the Senate bill Civ
ing the President power to suspend the
writ of hd5e0S corpus. This bill lay I'M
der stock of other matter which would
not be disposed of in a months time; to
take it up and pass it Immediately re-
quired suspension of rules which could
be done only by two-thirds vote The
vote stood 81 yeas and 10S nays. Among
those opposing are some of the most re-
liable and pure republicans of the House,
who, it is said, are so thoroughly con-
WINGED and committed against the meas
ure as to render its failure almost GER
tain.
1t soon became evident, however, that
the Senate could not get through with
the important matter upon its table and
adjourn on the Sd Of June. To adjourn
without passing the appropriation bills
would be to necessitate q called session.
This was argued by certain Senators for
an unconditional resembling the adjourn
ment resolution, others maintained that
Ill +o1lr 4 70
the work could be easily done by the
required time And while men talked
the sands of time trickled slowly on
through moments, hours and the upshOt
of the whole matter was that it finally
became evident that the work required
could not be done in the time, and the
time of adjournment was extended to.
the 10th instead. The House refuses to
yield up the rcins over the Senate, by
an unlimited rescindingof the resolution,
but will dole out few hours or days at
a time and thus keep the power of adj
iourning in its own hands. Senator
Cole, from the committee on aDpropri-
ations, was early, often, loud and long
pressing the appropriation bills upon the
Senate, but other things have been press
ING against him like unto as no man can
press. The tendency toward political
contest became apparent and men seemed
not so much averse to this as like in kill
ing the treaty. who should bear the
responsibility of its being done. While
all was yet calm and unruffled certain
Senators, as if smelling mice, expressed
in debate hopes that all political discus
sion would be cautiously avoided by
everybody, while their manner plainly
said that their hopes were founded on
unbelief, if such thing be possible In
other words, while praying for a calm,
they were trimming every sail for
squall Their hopes were vain and fears
well founded as time proved. On Fri
day came the event of the week, if not
of the session or the decade, and which
so changed the course of business and
the aspect of offairs as to destroy pre-
vious calculation, and for awhile render
the Senate Chamber almost unrecog-
nizable. From a scene of dull matter
gxa& IL T. 49,. Il