The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-02-20
Washington News and Gossip.
WASHINGTON Feb 10 1877:


ment assume the debts of the Southern States,
accruing since the passage of the reconstruc-
tion laws, is now being advocated by printed
arguments, copies of which found their way to
members desks to-day. The circular in ques-
tion, which owes its authorship to ex-senator
Cingman, of North Carolina, assumes as a
basis for the proposition that the States are
some of them utterly crippled and unable to
meet their obligations; that they have been
prostrated by the war and by the terms of re-
construction, and that their debts have in some
cases been enormously increased by improvi-
dent legislation resulting from the enfranchse-
ment of the blacks and the disabilities existing
for time in relation to some of the white
citizens of the South; that the debts are large
ly owing to the citizens of the North, who hold
the bonds of the crippled States; that the ex-
istence of these debts and the inability to pro-
vide for them is operating prejudicially to the
credit of the nation; that the issuance OF
United States four per cent. bonds, to the
amount of 125,0G0,O00 dollars would enable
the government through commissioners to be
appointed to absorb this debt, and largely re-
duce it st the same time by the low rate at
which an exchange could be made. 1t Is pro-
posed that the Government assume the interest
on these bonds for twenty years, but that at the
end of four years the debtor States assume the
payment of the interest to the Government,
increasing the rate soon to six per cent, and
thus finally covering the whole amount paid tor
interest by the General Government. At the
end of twenty years the States are to assume the
obligation, it being supposed that they would
by that time have recovered their prosperity so
far as to enable them to bear the burden with
out difficulty. It is claimed also that the in
creased prosperity of the States thus relieved
will largely increase the exports of that Sec
ton, and thus lead to an increase of imports,
the enhanced duties upon which would result
greatly to the benefit of the Treasury. In
some Southern quarters it is urged that the
putting forth of this scheme at the present time
is calculated to injure Southern interests which
have some standing in Congress, such as the
refunding of the cotton tax and the loaning Of
permanent credit to canal enterprises.
WASHINGTON, Feb. Is.
The joint committee on the part of the two
Houses of Congress, appointed to notify the
President of the result of counting the votes Of
the Electoral Colleges of the several States on
Wednesday last, called at the Executive Man
sion this morning, and presented to the Presi-
dent the following letter, which is signed by
Hon. John Sherman, on the part of the Senate,
and Hons II. L. Dawes and James B. Beck,
on the part of the House of Representatives,
viz:
To Uhsses S. Grant, President of the Uni
ted Sates-MY DEAR SIR We have been ap-
pointed committee by the Senate and House
of Representatives to notify you that on We'd
nesday, the 18th inst, the Vice President,
acting as president of the Senate, in the pres
} ence of both Houses, opened and counted the
votes of the electors of the several States for
President and Vice President of the United
States. Bv the count it was ascertained that
YOU were duly elected President from and after
, the 4th of March, A. D., 1878. In performing
, this official duty, we take occasion to tender
, YOU our hearty congratulations for the eminent
| civil and military services you have had it
YOUR good fortune to render to the United
States and to express our confident hope that
your administration for the term for which you
are now elected will promote peace, honor and
prosperity to all the people.
To the above letter, the President replied as
! follows:
"I sincerely appreciate this renewed evidence
of satisfaction with my administration. When
I was elected four years ago, there was less
regard for party lines. In the last campaign,
political differences and personal hostilities
more clearly defined the lines of party, but,
Notwithstanding this, shall continue to en-
deavor to make my administration of the gov
ernment one which will meet, not only the
approval of the great party which elected me,
but of all the people of the United States" !"
The Committee then called on Honorable
Henry Wilson, and read to him letter inform
i, ing him of his election as Vice President of
the United States, and concluding as follows ):
ave take this occasion while performing
this official duty to congratulate you on the
high homo Inferred upon you by the people
of the UNI :. States. You have long been
identified with the legislative branch of the
, government during period of unexampled
difficulty. We are sure we state the universal
feeling of the respective Houses to which we
belong, when we assure you of their sincere
) respect and hearty good will"
Mr. Wilson thanked the committee for their
congratulations, and for their assurances Of the
good will of both Houses of Congress. He
gratefully accepted the high trust confdeo to
him by the people of the United States, and
said he should strive to discharge the duties OF
the position assigned him, with zeal, fidelity
and impartiality. He expressed, too, the hope
that the coming four years would be consecra-
ted by those entrusted with power, to the peace,
, unity and development of the country, and
that those in every department of the Govern
ment might retire at the close of their official
careers, with the consciousness of duties we'll
done, and with the approval of their country
; men.
WASHINGTON Feb. II.
The Committee on Privileges and Elections
meets tomorrow for consultation on the Loui-
siana case, and will report Wednesday. 1t is
thought in Radical circles, that Morton will
make report, sustained by Anthony and AL.
} corn, in favor of Kellogg. Carpenter will
make report supported by Hill and Logan,
for a new election. Trumbull will report for
. McEnery. The better opinion is that Trum-
bull will Join Carpenter, giving a majority OF
the committee against Kellogg. A member of
, the committee mot Mr.. TrumbulD thinks the
election was as fair as elections usually have
been recently in the South, and that no one
will have the hardihood to support the Kellogg
Government. He thinks Judge Durell had
better have been attending to something else,
when he was medding with State affairs. The