, 1876-12-30
Washington Letter.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec II, 1876.
EDITOR STATESMAN The city Is inex-
pressibly dull There is marked difference
in The tone of society as it is seen to-day and
what il has heretofore been on the assembling
of Congress. The deplorable condition Of
political affairs seems to hang over the city
like En incubus. Business i seemingly pros
trate, and few have any heart to indulge IL
gay and careless amusenents. Real estate
has declined surprisingly, and money is diff
fcult to obtain on the best securities.
In the Seuate yesterday Oregon matters
were discussed TO some extent, pending action
on the resolution 10 investigate the case, bat
80 vote was reached. The resolution OF Mr..
B4vari directing the attorney general 10 re-
port the number Of deputy marshals employ
I'd during the election, and Tor what pur-
poses, was adopted.
Mr. Edmunds' resolution proposing an
amendment 10 the constitution, giving the
Supreme Court the power 10 count the elec-
Ioral votes for President aud Vice pSesident
was debated, several amendments being OIL
feTed and adopted. | don't know Whist
other people may think, but TO me 1t seems
strange that the Seuare should waste 80 much
time about the mere counting OF the votes.
What difference eau it make whe' her they
Be counted by the President of the Senate or
bv The Chief Justice of the Supreme Cour'
Ii an arrangement can be made that will give
a clear and distinct hearing 10 the voice OF
the people then the timelD Dil not have been
wasted. Let them wipe out the electoral col
leges here 50 much room exists tor bargain
and sale, and devise plan by which the Will
of The majority may be ascertained and
obryed.
In the House there was an interesting dis
cussion on the subject of the joint rules. Mo-,
wIIhstaudIng the action OF the Senate sustain
ed by a maj joTi'y of The democratic Senators,
the leaders of the House insist that the Joint
rules ale III force, and Speaker Randall has
50 ruled. The bitch appears to be that the
Senate claims the exclusive privilege OF
counting the votes and In so doing may de-
termiue which are valid votes and which are
not. This he House denies. Now the JoIut
rules may be dead, but the mode of counting
! and declaring the vote, which was IN force
from 1863 TO 1915, is still alive. This mode
OF either body cannot be counted, except by
the concurrent vote OF the two bUuses- Tins
| is Nor Oa 5 view Of the ease, and while II Is
seemingly fair aud proper, III crisis like
! this, here the Two houses are fairly aDtag-
ouis;ic, il leaves broad ground for the exer-
else OF political proclivitIes or aversions. Sup
| puse The Senate should sustain one OF IT'S
member In bis objections to the vote OF n
| STate contrary 10 the firm coGvictious OF the
| House that the vote was entirely proper
| Iha, State or vote must be lhrUwn cut. Then
| the House might rctaliate by oiJcctIng
| 10 the vote Of some other state, and 70 'he
! ihing might be kept up by alternate otjec-
tiuns ON The part oi the two Houses until not
IL State wss left. But then suppose thai, ow-
ing to some great revuisIon III public opinion
| since the last election, the majority OF the
| House should not be III cousonauce with the
| popular opinion, the result wonld be the cleo
! tiOn OF Il President who WAS not the choice Of
| the people. All this can be remedied, nu
| doubt, aud the sooner II is done after The con-
| test Is decided, the better.
| 4 terrible state Of affairs exists IN and
about Llwndesvile, in A5bevIle county,
! Sou h Carolina. A large number of negTo-s
cUnspirrd together to kIN ell the white Iaen
in the county a;id capture the women. The
| full particulars have not yet been received,
! bus II is known that two white men We're am
bushcd and murdered The atflir IL, IL itself,
sufficiently horrible, bat 1t derives appalling
| significance from The far t-that this Is no isO-
l-...l -,-s.--'--'-t ENN'.''S, VrrT Il
| simply a MANIFESTATION Of the temp.r hat is
prevalent among the negro population of the
lower counties Uf South Carolina. y trivial
circumstance led to The discovery Of this con
| spirecy. Near the scene of the murder OF
! Allen, one of the white men who were asses
sinayed last Monday week, gun wad WAS
! forud which, upon being spread open, proved
| TO be a piece If the U2ioa HTald, radical
| jJErnal. and On the margin was written the
name of the negro who, upon being arrested
! c1ufesscd the whole affair Dan.