Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-03-12

The farewell speech Of Mr. Blaine Was
tine. and the scene very impressive during
it. delivery Many Of the members and
spectators were in tears at is close, aud
there followed a scene such a was never
| before witnessed in that hall Every body
/ sprang to ms feet and applauded, and 1t
seemed to be impossible to stop it. The
cheering was renewed and continued for
several minutes, and the only man on the
floor not participating in it was Batter, who
sat silent and sour in his seat.
Judge Poland was presented with tine
bouquet Of flowers by certain admirers Of
his course in the Arkansas question lie
i in constant receipt of letters of thanks
AMI kilograms from people who are CRATE
iul for hi- decisive speech on his report.
lie has concluded that he can do without
the irtgship and take high place in the
affections OF the people.
The numbers vi bills passed Just before
the final adjournment, made hurying times
for the messengers from the House TO the
Senate with the enrolled bills, in order that
they might receive the signatures Of the
Wee President and the President before
the Congress should end House pages, a.
the bills were hastily signed by the Speaker
would snatch them one by one. dash
through the crowd in the main aisle, trav-
erse the great length of the Capitol and ar
rive brcathless at the Senate Chamber
The most experienced legislators are
agreed that the processes of final legislation
are exceedingly imperfect and dangerous.
The enrolling clerks Of Congress, for forty
eight hours, sat at their desks without
sleep, and almost without food, engaged in
cngrossing upon the cumbersome parch
men; the bills which become the laws of the
land. The miracle is that these clerks, work
ing with almost superhuman energy in the
closing hours, do not mako blunders OF the
gravest character
he final defeat Of the soldiers bounty
bill was attended with considerable excite
ment and some extraordinary proceedings.
The bill had passed the Senate with an
amendment. and went TO a conference COM
mittee. which agreed to the Senate amend
ment. The House, by vote Of ljj TO 40,
accepted the conference report thus making
the action Of the two Houses on tn bill the
same. But when the Senate members OF the
committee Of conference made their report,
the Senate, instead of adopting it, as has |
always been the case when its amendments |
have been sustained, laid the conference |
report on the table. novel but parliamen
tary way of strangling bill which has |
been passed by both Houses. For a few |
minutes the lobby were demoralized but soon |
after under the lead of Senators Logan and |
Spencer, got the bill from the table, had it |
enrolled, and, before any one knew what
was up, 1t had come back from the House |
wit.i number Of other bills bearing the
speakers signature and was placed before
the vice president, who sat at the clerks
desk, Mr. ingalls, being temporarily in the
chair Seizing pen, the vice president
soon attached his signature, and the bill.
duly signed by the vice president and the
speaker % the House, was taken, with
others, to the President for his approval.
though not without the earnest protest OF
several Senators, who had, in the meantime.
discovered what was up. The inegularity
of the proceedings was explained to the
President, and he withheld his signature,
but remarked that. even If the bill had
come before him in an unquestionable
manner, he would have vetoed it, for the
reason that it took from the treasury
large sum OF money at time when the
revenue is insufficient for the current wants;
and, further, because he did not believe
any considerable portion OF the eS-soldiers.
who 1t was SUPPOSED would be beneficiaries
Of this appropriation, were applicants for
it. but rather that it woald result mere in
measure for the relief of claim agents and
niddle-men.