The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-01-24
From Washington.
CHIEF JUSTICE.

Public curiosity as to Mr.. Grants third
choice for chief justice was satisfied on Mon
day BY the President sending to the senate
the name of Morrison H. Waitea lawyer of
Toledo, Ohio. The nomination was another
surprise Very few senators even had heard
of Mr.. Waite 1t was brought to their recol.
lection, however, that he had acted as one of
the counsel at the Geneva arbitration, and
the Ohio senator's vouched for him an able
lawyer of thirty years standing. The nom
ination was referred to the judiciary commit
tee until Tuesday, when the committee unan-
imously reported in favor of his confirma-
ton. The vote was postponed another day,
however, because Mr., Sumner Collected"
! On Wednesday, the question of confirmation
/ again coming up, Mr.. Edmun spoke in ia
vor Of it, Mr.. Sumner followed, in an EEK.
ceedingly graceful and happy Speech" pay
! ing a high compliment to the legal profes
sion. referred to the former chief justices, and
then speaking of Mr. Waite as a pI5n OF aver
age abilities, but rather questioning his fl
ness for the high position assigned him. He
thought the country and senate had reason to
eXpeCt greater man would be nominated,
Int nj the same time a worse selection might
have been made Mr.. Sherman followed in
Ihirh commentator of Mr.. Waite, and others
maize remarks in the same direction. The
vote wa- Their taken and the confirmation was
unanimous.
CONVENTIONS.
Washington was the assembling point of
Board of Trade, the National Transportation
Convention and convention of Mexican
soldiers The National Board of Trade, af
ter three or four days deliberation, pa jsed
about dozen of resolutions, the substance of
them beng /. That common carriers should
be made to deliver the same quantity of
grain that they receive and charge Transport
tatiOn for; 9 That congress ought not to
assume any pecuniary obligations in aid of
artificial means of transportation; g. That
it is inexpedent by legislative enactment to
fix the rates of railroad transportation; T.
That the railroads should assume control of
their own business and not turn it over to
freight and express lines; 5. Untriendly to
the proposed chartering of national freight
railroad from the east to the west; and g.
Against initiation of the currency.
The National Transportation Convention
proposed sundry ways to &c! cheap transpOrta-
ton between the east and west; the main
ones being, by state laws regulating the rail.
roads, but not fixing their rates, by throwing
the roads open TO all who are willing to pay
for the use of the tracks, by improving the
waterways from the interior to the ocean, and
by the construction Of roads and canals by
the Federal Government, to be used by citi-
zens on the payment OF tolls. A National
Bureau is to be established, the members of
which are to look after the passage of state
laws preventing excessive charges and unjust
determinations. The abolition of the free
pass system and the subsidy swindle are other
means to the same end.
The Mexican veterans, after very little
attention to business but good deal of eating
and visiting around, adopted memorial to
congress asking pensions for those engaged IN
the Mexican war or their surviving widows
and children, and elected the following Off
GERS of a permanent association: President,
Gen. George Cadwalladcr, and vice'prcsi-
lent and counsellor from each state and terri
tory, and secretaries.
THEsALARYGRAB REPEAL APPROVED.
The president on Wednesday approved the
act repeating the increase of salaries, Of mem.
bets of congress and other officers, otherwise
known as the salary repeal bill, and on Thule
day notified congress of the fact. He denied
that he withheld the bill, and says i! was de
!ayed at the capitol.
PISCHBACK
PinchbackS chances of getting Il seat either
in the senate or house have been sQucIchcd
beyond all hope of rcsuSitatiOn. Before the
holidays the election committee had disa-
greed as to his admission to Tie senate and
Morton took his case in hand b. firing q
direct resolution TO seat him. On Tuesday
Morton withdrew the resolution. and moved
to refer the case back to the committee. The
reason he gave was, that since he had offered
his resolution he had heard of charges against
Pipchback'S private character rs wei. -, that
he had bought his election To the senate. .As
both these charges were matters al public
notoriety as well before a. since the holidays,
and no one ever pretended TO deny either, til,
movement OF Morton's simply means that b.
has concluded to drop the filthy mu!a!to,
INITIATION.
While there is still some doubt as Ia the
position of majority of the senate "a the
question of an additional issue OF crocnbackS,
there is no doubt but the house is in fave" ol
initiation. The committee of ways and mean"
have agreed on Il bill to limit the ISSUE %!