The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-12-15
WASHINGTON LETTER.

1t is no longer question what shall a
find to write about here.
The only question that perplexes the mind
is to know what not to write about.
The converting Of Congress is great
day. Men, women and children who can
spare the time and can get there, go to
the capitol on that occasion. Early
yesterday the hall and galleries were FL
led. The message was received and read,
and with the exception of reporting six
appropriation bills, nothing further was
done
The message is variously commented
upon here, although it is generally liked,
The hard money portion Of it was not I'm.
expected, but the abandonment Of the
civil service system, his pet scheme, the
President evinccd knowledge Of fact
that one is never too old to learn. This
Civil Service scheme has worked great in.
jury 10 the Republican party in the way
Of giving thousands of democrats office.
1t is about time for Congress to decide
that during the present short session no
investigations shall be held unless per.
tanning to the business before it Envi.
Gus persons will no doubt still want their
enemies put out of the way, by assailing
them with reckless charges but if this
kind Of scurrillous amusement is to be
carried further than the columns Of the
municipal press, which seems to be open
for anything, persons who wish to indulge
in it should be sent to the Criminal Court,
which also stands open to them. There
blows can be received, as well as given
and, unlike the current Of the press and
and Congressional Committee, the rules Of
evidence will be maintained, and the rule
that guilt ID to be presumed until mega.
tive is proven, will not spread disgrace
throughout the land upon the guilty and
the innocent alike.
The chief question Of local interest il
this Dist. at present is that Of its future
government and whether portion of the
officers shall be elective or not.
The District has been a Geld fol
governmental experiment and it would
seem that the Democracy bid fair to sue
coed as usual in making capital out Of the
good nature of our Republican citizens
Thus by handing around petitions against
future suffrage here, and getting numer
Gus signatures without distinction Of party
they expect in the future to hold up thi
District as proof that colored suffrage
by the admission of Republicanism hal
failed, and thus to get starting point fol
ruling it out everywhere. The alleged
failure, however, does not apply to thu
elective officers. but almost entirely t
those who have been appointed, whetheI
relating to the late Board of Publ,
Works or to their employees. So tina
the logic of sacrificing the boon of suffrag
which has been enjoyed here in one form
or other for seventy years past may vel
be questioned, when the special object o
it is taken into account,
1t is not believed that any stringen
measures Of contraction will be carrie'
out by Congress while SO much monetar.
distress is gripping the industrial inter
ests of the country. Many persons be
lieved that relief should be given by tn
Government, but Of these few have con
sidered the difficulties which involve leg
islation with this view. There is on
thing that can be done for large class o
people, who are unemployed, and this is
employ them on works Of necessary in
ternal improvements, which will NOR
fully develope the agricultural interest
in which so large proportion of GU
population have been induced to engage
Freight lines either by rail or water, O
both, ought to be constructed by tn
Government, or with its aid between th
East and West, in order to prevent tn
crushing out of the farming interest, b
large corporations whose watered stoc
constantly rings out the cry Of. give
give! to the already impoverisbe
Western and Southern producers. 1t wi
not answer to demand of the farming in
terest, that it shall continue to burn il
cereals, and to languish on the ragge
edge of poverty, until manufactures fin
it their interest to furnish home marke
by building workshops throughout the IA
west. This is a case of need that has
remedy, more prompt and more adequat
and our Representatives should have IL
nerve to apply it at an early day,
Some Of the Democratic papers OIL
trying to get up schism between Pres
dent Grant, and Congress. Thus it is a
legged that il the message names day Fl
resumption of specie payments, the X
publicans, who favor initiation will uni
in putting through Congress resolutio
S that such recommendation is unwise, al
e etc, This is mere twaddle. as no day b
e been named, and if it were, such acti
: would be silly, and undigui6ed. The
e gentlemen will have to try again
s 1t is low stated chat Senator Flanag
o intends to ask the Senate to investiga
q charges against Postmaster General Or,
8 we'll relative TO his action in connecti
with Texas postmasters appointed throu
y his efforts. Numerous other investil
II tions will be proposed.
l. The Supreme Court Of the District s
ting in General Term in the case Of U
re VS.. Huff, convicted in the Criminal Coz
.r on Saturday, decided that the Grand !
!, ry, who found the indictment an lille
y y one. The laws Of 1862 and 1871,
gun that none but tax payers shall
y placed 10 the box from which the draw
e. is to DO made. These non.tax pay
y we're on the jury and the requiem
m that there shall be % sworn grand jur
n was also violated, Three other cases
e. indictment will fail under this decisi
ut including the parties 10 the famous
r. burglary case, aud new jury will h
ut to find new bills, before the parties
be tried.