The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-12-24
Our Washington Correspondence.
WASHINGTON. D. c., Dec. IS, 1874

SlQc, curing The paSC Wceh: HAS uccll It0 'SSi
lative, executive and judicial appropriation
bill, which is being considered in committee oil
the whole, with which, however, slow progress
is being made The clerical force in the War
Department has been considerably reduced,
Notwithstanding necessity for an increase.
Strong efforts were made to strike from the bill
the item appropriating the necessary money 1or
the purchase of official postage stamps for the
different Departments, on the plea that this
and kindred appropriations is to swell the rev.
enues of the Post Office Department; and
which, it is asserted, are largely deficient since
the repeal of the franking privilege. Messrs
Hoar, of Mass, Kelley and Meyers, of Pa, and
Maynard, of Tenn, took strong grounds in
favor of restoring the privilege, and Mr.. Kelley
in arguing in favor Of striking out the appro-
priation for stamps as a preliminary step to-
wards the restoration of the frankng privilege
He said he had not voted for its repeal, and
whenever the opportunity offered he had voted
in the direction of its restoration, because it
would restore right that belonged more to the
people than to the members of Congress. He
believed that the good effect of the free distrl-
button of such a report as that of the Depart
ment of Agriculture, more than compensated
for any abuses that grew out of the tranklng
privilege. The repeal he said, was obtained
by fraud.
The House Judiciary Committee, after max
ing numerous amendments to Mr. Buffers
Civil Rights Bill, have directed him to call up
as soon as possible, the Senate bill now on the
House calendar and offer the new bill as q
substitute for it. 1t retains many of the prom
nent features of the Senate bill, with the pen
atty attached to the cemetery clause stricken
out, and provides that when schools of equal
facilities capacity tutilage length of session,
ETC., are provided for the blacks, the penalty
shall not be enforced.
The principal attractions at the national
capital during the past week, have been the
centennial tea party, and the reception of the
Hawaiian King by the two Houses of Con-
gress
The tea party was one of the most brilliant
affairs ever witnessed in this city. The vast
rotunda of the Capitol, with the many decora-
tons was crowded on Wednesday night, with
an assembage of the best people of Washing
ton, and every section of the country was rep
resented by ladies and gentlemen of promi-
nence and fame. Among the interesting tea-
lures of the occasion, was the presence OF a
delegation of Navajoe Indians, at present in
the city, who were, followed everywhere by the
crowd. Over the door leading from the rotun-
ship representing the Dartmouth" Two boys
dressed in Mohawk costume mounted the plat
form and stood by tho ship ready to overthrow
the tea The Indians saw them, and asked
very curiously to what tribe they belonged, and
said they were not Nayajoes. The affair WAS a
complete success-the amount realized reach
ing to $4,000 in one evening.
To-day was fixed for the reception of King
kalakaua by the two Houses of Congress, and
at an early hour the Avenue was lined With
people vending their way to the Capitol to
witness the scene. As early as ID O'Clock the
rotunda and corridors were den;ely packed
with the moving throng, all cagcr to gain adj
mission to the galleries of the Senate and
House, which were kept closed until the hour,
when the doorkcepers took their places. At
l04 o'clock the doors were opened, and soon
every seat WAS occupied, and by Ills O'Clock,
every foot of space in the galleries of the
House was filled, while the outside corridors
were dcusely packed by disappointed thousands
unable to gain admittance. The floor of the
House, however, was as yet almost deserted
only here and there a member being in his seat,
with a dozen or more page boys playing their
pranks in front of the Speakers desk.
AS the clock indicated the hour of twelve,
with the members in their seats, Speaker
Blaine raped the House to order, Chaplain
Butler opened the proceedings of the day with
prayer, and the reading Of the journal was pro-
ceeded with, in tho midst Of which, the thrQpg
becoming restless on the outside, the floor of
the House was thrown open to the crowd who
rushed into the hall and soon filled the space
in the rear of the members desks
At I215 p. nj. the Senators and officers of
the Senate headed by Vice President Wilson,
entered the hall Of the House and took seats
on The right of the Speakers desk-the mem
bcrs of the House standing. as the Senate en-
tered the chamber Five minutes later amid
the greatest anxiety and stretching Of necks
by the crowd, there was seen entering at the
north door King David Kalakaua, escorted by
Senator Cameron, chairman Of the committee
on Foreign Relations, on one side, and Hon.
Godlove S. Orth, chairman of the House conf
mittee on Foreign Affairs, OIL the other, fol-
lowed by the Kings suite aud the officers OF
the Navy, in whose charge has been placed the
arrangements for the Kings entertainment
while here Stopping in front Of the Speakers
desk, Mr. Cameron, addressing the Speaker,
c,id hc had the honor To prescut His Majesty