The Cecil Whig., 1874-01-31
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CONGRESSIONAL.

Congress while doing but comparatively
little business in the way of enacting laws,
seems to be industriously employed through
the committees in preparing business for
future legislation. A severe scrutiny is
being made into expenditures, and dispo-
sltion manifested to cut down and curtail
all useless and extravagant expenditures.
An honest struggle is going on between
the inflationists and expansionists on the
financial question, and it is not easy to
determine what course will be pursued
towards adjusting the vexed problem of
the finances.
The House Appropriation Committee
has perfected bill stopping payment of
unexpended balances for purchases of sites
for, or erection of public buildings, where
the condemnation of the site has not been
completed, or the erection Of the build
ings begun or contracted for The Sccre-
tary of the Treasury is authorized to sus-
pend work on buildings already commenc-
ed, when, in his Judgment, it can be done
consistently with the public interests All
the sums made unavailable by this act are
covered into the Treasury.
The Importance of careful Congressional
punctuation was strongly illustrated on
Tuesday at the meeting of the Ways and
Means Committee, where it was shown
that comma in one place was worth ST.
0000 COO. In the Tariff bill which went
into effect, Aug. l, 1872, it will be remem-
bered that the free list was extended by
the addition of several hundred articles.
Among the number added was "Fruit
plants, tropical and semi-tropical, for the
purpose of propagation and cultivation
In engrossing the bill, or in the process of
copying it for official printing, a comma
was inserted after ''fruit," and all fruit
was thereby placed upon the free list.
The Custom officers, however, not noticing
the change, continued to collect duties on
fruit until the error was discovered. The
Ways and Means Committee agreed to
report bill to remove the comma, in
accordance with the intent of the law of
1872. The amount OF tax illegally col
lected is not far from 50, 000, 900.
The House Committee ON Banking and
Currency have reported the Free Banking
bill, and also in favor of the national banks
keeping five per cent reserve to redeem
their circulation. They decided to report
adversely on Mr.. Kclley's Convertible
Bond bill, and Postmaster General Cres-
wells postal bank scheme
General Sheridan appeared before the
House Military Committee, on Monday,
and stated that in his department, which
covers all the territory occupied by the
Indians on the frontier, there were seven
teen regiments of infantry and five of cav
airy. He considered that these were no
more than sufficient for the wants of the
service, and opposed any reduction of the
army.
The Banking and Currency Committee
have perfected their Free Banking bill
The prohibition upon the payment of in
terest on deposits was stricken out, and,
on motion of Mr.. Phelps. provision was
added looking to a future resumption of
specie payments. This provision requires
the Secretary of the Treasury to retire and
destroy two millions of greenbacks on the
first day of every month, and issue in their
place like amount of new notes contain
ing on their faces promise that they shall
be redeemed in gold at the expiration of
two years from the date of their issue.
The Secretary is also required to retain in
the Treasury all gold not required to meet
the coin liabilities of the Government.
GRooME For GovERNoR.-Ye esterday
friday caucus was to have been held to
determine who should succeed to the
Gubernatoral chair made vacant by the
resignation of Gov. Whyte, and the wise
in 1,ot foi-
predict that Mr.. James B. Groome, of our
town, will be the successful candidate be-
fore the caucus, which is equivalent to an
election.
In connection with the Governorship the
important question of Secretary of State
comes prominently forward, and the two
names which appear in the foreground for
this Office are both intimately connected
with our craft, and both well known to the
people of this county. The former Editor
of The Cecil Democrat, and the present
Editor Of that paper, by strange coinci-
dence are aspirant for the honor and both
present strong claims for the position. In
making choice-we all have an individual
choice in such matters where both parties
are old and esteemed frends-we find our
selves placed in the same predicament of
the lover who had two charmers He could
be supremely happy with either if i" t'other
dear charmer were away" And so it will be
with the new Governor we fear. Both
were ardent admirers of his honored and
venerated father, the late Col. Groome.
Both voted for him. One advocated his
election with all the mighty power welded
by The Domocrdt The other named the
son year ago in connection with the
GubernatoIial office, out of esteem and
profound regard for his fathers memory.
Our friend of Carroll has, Atas-like sus-
tanned the Democratic party of Mary
land, with voice and pen, through long
years of trial and tribulaton. when it Law
well nigh helpless on his shoulders He
has advanced its banners in Cecil when no
man was found to own it as friend In
gratitude and disgust drove him from this
Shore to find, after many wanderings, a
Shore, where Lis merits were appreciat-
ed and he was sent to Annapolis as a
Delegate. We feel assured that he will
maintain the dignity of the craft in
the honored position he now occupies, and
his claims on the Democracy of Maryland
are not to he valued lightly. On the other
hand the Democrat, like the colored troops,
" fought bravely' in tie last campaign,
and can, at least, claim that it did much to
insure the election Of the prospective Gov
ernor of the State, as a delegate to the
Legislature. which made the Govenorship
for him possible. With these contendng
Influences pressing for reconciliation, it is
easy to concaiye the perplexity they cause
Mr.. Groome. The case, we freely confess,
is beyond our ability, even to suggest
solution OF, and tho Governor elect must
feel the same perplexity Of the lover with
the two ch harmers.
sS3 We publish call for a temperance