The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-12-28
Letter from Washington.

W AshiNNAONi ~ ~ ONos AVI LCios
MEssRa ED1ToRs = The city of Wash.
ington, at the present time, has put on a
holiday look, and to-day Congress ad.
journs for the holiday recess. The city
has been quite full of strangers the past
month, most of them looking for office,
and great many have been sorely dis.
appointed. Go into the lobby of our
principal hotels and you would have
found them crowded with Office seekers,
and to hear the titles with which they
called one another was really amusing.
No title was below Captain" and the
majority was either General " or
Judge" and it was " Come Judge, take
something; :" and tosee with what alacrity
the Judge" would respond showed that
they were better judges of whisky than
they were on the bench Gf they ever sat
on the bcnch), and that they could make
better plea before that kind of bar
than they could before any other,
Congress has been in session two weeks
and has done DO work OF any conse-
quencc. A large number of bills have
been offered in the House, but as the
speaker had not announced the commit.
tees until oday, they have simply been
referred to the different committees when
appointed. There has been but one bill
passed to 60 the President for his sigma
ture and become law, and that is the
bill in regard to extending the term Of
the commissioners of the Alabama Claims
Court. Aside from this there has been
no real work done by either House or
Senate, Unless members 60 to work in
real earnest Immediately after the holi.
days little will be done this session, for
the summer, with the Centennial aud the
political conventions, with all the pre-.
liminary work for men Of either party,
will soon be upon them.
Mr.. Blaine offered his amendment to
the constitution, which, no doubt your
readers are ere this familiar with. Mr..
Randall, of Pennsylvania, offered sub.
stitute, which he also calls the sixteenth
amendment.
There was resolution offered That
for all subordinate positions to be given
wounded Union soldiers who arc not dis.
abled from performance Of duty should
bc preferred" This gave rise to a good
deal Of discussion, and was finally killed
by Mr.. Cox, of New York, who offered
as substitute That inasmuch as the
Union of the States has been restored all
the citizens thereof are entitled to con.
sideration in all appointments to office
under this government"
Mr.. Springer, of Illinois, introduced
some resolutions in the House on Wednes.
day last, condemning the heresy of a
third term, which was passed with but
eighteen votes in the negative. AS a
specimen of the sort of political fencing
Of which we are likely to see good deal
this winter Mr.. Springer came on first
best. But this sort Of thing is, after all
only fencing and not real fighting.
In the Senate Mr.. Edmunds has offered
a resolution that on Wednesday. January
7, 1876, the Senate proceed to the elec'
tion Of a President pro ten and thu.
settle the question which has been raised
by quite number of newspapers and
others as to the validity of the present
incumbent Of the chair being legally en-.
titled to hold the Office.
There have been quite a number oil
bills and resolutions offered in the Sen.
ate, of which, when they come up for ac
ton, | will Inform your readers OF theiI
worth, but | have spoken of the most i'm.
portant ones that occur to me at the pros
ent time,
The indictment in St. Louis of the
presidents principal and most con6den-
tial secretary, for conspiring to dofraud
the revenue, is of the gravest Importance
Next to the president Gen. Babcock't
influence is greater than any cabinet min
lister or senator. But, Notwithstanding
his influence and position, if he is found
?r;lt- hy 6, ;-ry nf is nasrs ha nnsht tr
be punished and suffer the consequence
of his unlawful acts.
On the avenue, the other day, saw
the well known form of your townsmer
Joseph Battell, also of President Kitchel
We are having taste Of real old Yer.
mont winter weather, cold, raw days. but
as yet we have had no snow, while sec
you have good sleighing. YHvRAH.