Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-05-22
Letter from Washington.

an opportunity to serve up the bills which
they have been laboriously preparing for IA
whole session.
The supplementary enforcement bill,
which provides for the appointment OF super
visors OF elections where request Tor the
same shall be preferred by ten residents OF
an election precinct, has had lively discus
sion in the Senate 1t is getting impossible
for this body to treat a subject in straight
forward manner. Whatever is proposed by
bill, Mr.. Trumbull is sure TO come forward
with his amnesty bill as an am endment, or
Mr. Sumner with his - civil rights" Both
measures could probably pass If they could
be kept apart from each other and from other
bills; but they have been used throughout
the session to kill each other, have been dis
cussed and fought over, voted up and down,
tackled on here aud added to there till their
friends turned from them in despair, aud
their enemies could vote against them with
out fear. And this week - the same old
story was told again Mr. Tfumbull moved
TO amend the supplementary enforcement act
with his amnesty bill, and when Mr. Sumner
gave notice that in case this were done BE-
should propose to further amend by aiding
the civil rights bill, the Illinois Senator
waxed indignant and declared that Mr.. Sum
ner's bill was not " civil rights " bill and
could not be made so by giving it that name,
- any more than mule could be changed to
horse by similar process. To show
how few votes this . social equality bill, -
as he termed it-wOuld get, he moved it a.
an amendment himself But the amendment
was voted down, Mr.. Sumner voting with
the majority because, as be stated amid gen
eraI laughter, it was offered with evil in
tent 50; and then after more fllibustering
over amnesty, the enforcement bill wa
passed. Many senators who have been voting
for civil rights under the leadership Of Mr.
Sumner have about concluded 70 give it az
and pass an amnesty bill without amend =
ment. There is some hope of the Senate,
taking sensible action on these two subjects
before long.
The question Of the adjournment has again
been sgitated Mr.. Butler in the House
moved a resolution that Congress take re-
cess from the 81 Of June till the last Wei
nesday Of November, and he explained tina.
his object was to extend the session and thus
keep in force the law authorizing the Presi-
dent to suspend the writ of ha5eas corpus.
which expires with this session Of Congress
Mr. Butler attempted 10 show the need
keeping up this law, although the Speaker
ruled him out 0, order. In spite Of the
Speakers gavel and several loui-in)uthed
Democratic members calling for order be
shook printed document in the eyss Of the
House and shouted that he had positive evil
tence Of murder, arson, whippings and rob
berry. But the recess resolution was voted
DOWN and Mr.. Dawes substitute, that the
two Houses adjourn sine dc on the 81 o..
June, was adopted. Ia the Senate this reso-
luton was Immediately referred 10 the FL
lance Committee As the matter -tauds
now, the Senate have resolved 6, adjourn on
the 29lh Of May, snd the II Juse on the 81 or
June; the Senate resolution is with the
Ways and Means Committee, and that Of the
House with the Senate Finance Committee.
The Baltimore and Potomac bill giving o.
the Pennsylvania Central r uIroed The priv
iege OF locating depot on the national park
here at Washington, having been 50 pertma
ciJusly pushed through the House has at
last been passed BY the Senate. Mr.. Morrill,
and Mr.. Elmunds ably opposed tins measure
But what does argument avail against the
Pennsylvania Central Railroad? The vote
was 80 ayes and Is nays, which would seem
to Indicate that the power of this corporation
IN the L nited States Senate Is even as great
az it is in the Legislatures Of Pennsy wanna
ADD New Jersey. 1t was not all joke when
Mr.. Morrill, offered an order that a committee
be appointed to wait on the President Of the
baltimore and Potomsc Railroad and asa him
II he had any further communication for tile
Senate.
The House deb Ite on the tariff is proceed
Ing at the usual plce. Though there Is moth
ing that strikes one as amusing in the sub
Ject the House manages L extract consider
able humJr theretrom. Mr.. Banks has III 4de
two speeches which quite upset tue di.atty
OF the House, and Mr. Cox, who is always
bubbllng over with fun. has helped enliyen
the debate A general laugh was INDUCED
IN on his amendment to the tariff bill Props
ing 10 put white hats and coats ON the free
let Mr.. Conger moved to amend 80 that 1t
should read ''od white hats aud coats =
DIVISION was demanded, and d nil mere tsin.
laughter the amendment WAS lost
There is Of course great am iunt Of p)ltt-
lcal gossip and speculation. The speech o.
Mr.. voorhees, in which ne tried TO anuihllate
Greeley and took pains to compliment Gen
Grant, and the interview with the President
Of the guerviIla Mosby have been mucl cDm-
mented on There are many who still be-
lieve the report that Mr. voorhees, has had
recent interview with the President, although
he fercely denounced 1t as an infamous false
hood when reminded of it on the q ,or OF the
House.
Mr.. Wizards supplementary apportion
meut bill which passed the House by 80 dc
c,ded vote has been favorably considered by
the Judiciary Committee Of the Senate. Il
is understood that the committee are nearly
unanimous in it's favor, and that there viii
probably be very little opposition to it in the
Senate,-the subject of apportionment being
one hich the Senate generally leaves for
the House TO decide upon itself. q.
An Indian Massacre.