Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-12-17
From the National Capitol.
WASHINGTON, Dec. IL, 1873.

WASHINGTON, Dec. IL, 1873.
Editor Republican, raa
| The Senate has, after having so decided
in caucus of the republican senators re-elect-
ed Senator Carpenter President pro tenn of
the Senate during the absence of Vice Presi-
dent sWilson, who goes to Florida for a
week on account of his health. This re-elec-
ton to an eminent position shows that the
Senate does not put any faith in the scandal
Gus stories circulated last Summer against
the Senator from Wisconsin. Stories which
it now appears pretty conclusively, origi-
mated Ia the fertile brains of correspon-
dent of the New York Tribune, who enter
tanned a grudge against the Senator for adj
vocating his Imprisonment for contempt of
the Senate in refusing to answer certain
| questions put to him by committee of
that body 1t is proved that the correspon-
dent himself acknowledged, at the time of
| the first publicationof the scandal, that no
| foundation in fact existed for the same, and
! the defense of the Tribune of i is correspon
dent now that reliable and crushing testi
mony in favor Of Senator Carpenter is in
! troduced is very lame indeed, and consists
merely in calling some of the witnesses
liars without subssantiating such a charge
The confirmation of Attorney General
Williams to be Chief Justice of the Supreme
| Court Of of the United States hangs fire in
the Senate, and there is no lack of prophesies
chat the nomination will not be confirmed
and that the President will be induced to
withdraw it. Of the final result, however,
you will undoubtedly have been advised by
telegraph ere this reaches you, but there is
no doubt that the nomination is one of the
most unpopular ones ever mada by. the
President Mr.. Williams does not stand
| high as lawyer IN the estimation of the
bar generally, and the nomination of near
ly any other prominent man would have
been instantly confirmed in the Senate.
2 Notwithstanding a good deal of talk but
very little progress is being made in the re-
peal Of the Salary bill. A large number Of
| bills have been introduced ia the House and
a few in the Senate, Of which hardly any
two are alike 1t will therefore undoubted-
" be very difficult for the two Houses final
" to agree on a bill. No little amountoi
bnncom5e is being displayed in This matter
Of tie repeal Of the Salary bill, and was
never better illustrated than on last Tues
day, ahen Mr.. Lawrence, Of. Ohio, in the
middle Of spread eagle speech on the abom-
iuation of back pay, was quietly asked by
colleague, if he had not in 1906 voted for
and taken pay to the amount Of $4,000.
This was a sumner, and Mr.. Lawrence got
fearfully embarrassed, WHICH brought on
storm of laughter and applause, such as is
/ seldom witnessed. Mr. L.. was forced to
subside,. but subsequent. speakers were crGel
enough afterwards to ask him questions,
and his continued attempts TO eyade these,
brought down the house again and aga n.
Fina y he asked leave to print his speech,
I Of course in order to send it out to his con-
! sutulents as evide nce of his wrath gainst
back pay, and in the printed speech good
care will of course be taken to leave out
the questions and Interruptions.
All danger of war seems to have vanished
away, and the sky is clear and serene as
ever. This is the case with both the politi.
ca and celestial sky, for the weather is
N Id and pleasant as in spring, and no frost
or snow or any account has been seen here
this inter. W,