Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1876-04-06
Our Washington Letter


Ben. Butler, sometimes known
as Spoons" has been making
himself conspicuous for some
days past in the capital. He is
determined not to be put one
side, and manages to put in APP
ipearance whenever the oppor-
tunity offers. Benjamin saw a
chance when the false charge
was made against Pendleton,
and he at once stated in the pres
ence of a newspaper correspon-
dent that he knew some parties
that could prove Pendleton used
part of the money collected for
the Kentucky central Railroad
in paying Mrs. Bowers for her
influence in getting the award
made by Belknap. The cor
respondent, as Butler expected,
published what was told him,
and Ben was invited to testify
before the committee. He did
SO and told a story as crooked
as his eyes about two women
who knew something. The
women are not forthcoming and
Ben's story is not credited
His next move was to go before
the Senate committee and OPP
! pose the confirmation of Richard
| II. Dana as minister to Eng
land, on the ground that Dana
had been guilty of literary pira-
cy against Lawrence. And the
committe actually reported a
gainst Dana's confirmation,
though this piracy is only the
pretence, the true reason for his
rejection being that he sup
ported Greedy in 1872. Butler
next chartered a steamer and
invited a number of leading
government officials and men,
bers of Congress to visit Fort
ress Monroe. The object of
this visit was to get an appro-
priation of 100000 for the Sol
dier's Homes and to keep Ben.
Butler before the public eve.
The bill to equalise the boun-
ties which passed last Congress
and failed to become a law for
want of the Presidents sigma
turc, is again before the House,
having been reported favorably
from the Military Committee.
1t provides that every soldier
and sailor of the Union army
who was hCnorably discharged
shall receive a bounty equal to
eight and two-thirds dollars for
each months service, and that
all bounties that have been
paid shall be taken as part of
this bounty. This would equal
Use all bounties according to the
term Of service. This bill is
looked upon as fair and Just to
all the soldiers. 1t would re-
quire an appropriation of $780,
-000,0 900, but that would be scat
tered over several years. The
Supreme Court has decided two
cases that came up under the
enforcement, or as it is more
commonly called, the Ku Klux
law. One came from Louisiana
ard is known as "the Grant
Parish case" The parties were
indicted for interfering with a
peaceful assemblage of colored
men. The other case was from
Kentucky, where two inspec-
tors Of elections, appointed I'M
der this law, were indicted for
refusing to allow a colored man
to vote, The Court in the two
cases extensively reviewed the |
relations borne by the Federal
and State governments to the |
citizen and virtually decided +,
the law unconstitutional. Thus
another partisan law is taken
from the statute books. Quite
a number Of citizens are now in
Jail who were convicted under
this law, and they should at
once be released.
The House is meeting now
three nights in the week for the
purpose of discussing the legis-
lative, executive and judicial
appropriation bill. The Re
publicans in the Senate seemed |
determined, however, to defeat
any attempt at the reduction of |
expenses, as they have taken
the consular and diplomatic
bill, on which the House made
a saving of 100000 over last
year, and have put it up to last
years figures.
The opponents of the Texas
and Pacific Bill made another
effort against it in the Senate
this week. They have snug
gled a bill before the Senate
committee on Railroads, giving
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