The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-01-21
WASHINGTON.

The Debate on Acknowledgment al
Ex-Pre sident JOhnson--Tbe Currsnc.
Questionable. Paync's Biil--Opinions n
Regard To 1.-THE President of the Sens a.
(From our Own Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Jan. 10, 1876.
The great event in Congress of the
past Legislative week has been the debate
on amnesty. This brought about MOI
only "iield day." but several field
days. 1t has crowded the south wing OF
the Capitol for four days with a surging
excited mass of people of about all ma
tons and of all human hues-white,
black, yellow, pepper-colored and ]
think that at times some were indigo
blue. 1t has brought about scenes OF
excitement on the floor of the House the
like of which have not been witnessed for
many years. 1t has induced perfect
monopoly of big and small talk in the
town. Men take their drinks while talk
ing of amnesty" 1t is talked of by
"society" and the clubs, at the gambling
hells, and Mt the spacious rooms of the
Young Mems Christian Association. 1t
is, in word, the all-absorbing sensation
of this national political metropolis.
OF course there is great deal OF politics
in it.
Upon the question which has brought
forth this excitement, or upon the COM
parative merits of the debate in the
House, have no single word to say. l
beg leave to remark, however, rs an i'm
partial observer Of men and things here,
that the debate has demonstrated the
fact that there are uncommonly able
men in the House belonging TO all par
ties. Whether one were Republican
or not, he could not have heard Mr..
Blaine's speech without acknowledging
his great powers as an orator. On the
other hand, no man could have listened
to Mr.. Cox's reply without laughing at his
wit and enjoying his keen thrusts and
palpable hits of humor. Ben Hill, of
Georgia, had, perhaps the most attentive
audience. He has been called an "ex-
IRENE" man. He is generally considered
one of the ablest men of the South. He
had long been out of public life. There
was great curiosity, therefore, to hear
him, and on the day he spoke the Capt.
tol was simply tram jam full" / only
report a fact when l say that while all
agreed that Hill showed great oratorical
powers, many who agree with him in
general politics regretted that he made
the speech. They conceded that many
of his statements were 80 highly colored
as to create entirely erroneous impress
sions. Gen. Garfield also made a strong
speech, and the remarks of Gen. Banks,
who is a Liberal, were received with very
great favor.
have said that there was good deal
of politics in this matter. 1t is regarded
here as n preliminary skirnlish to the
great Presidential battle of the year.
This is the opinion of politicians. For
myself, think theykhave overestimated
the importance of the matter with the
people at large, who care more for what
is going to be the policy of the present
and the future than for what was done in
the past. But, however this may be, the
debate conclusively shows that we are
going to have a lively session. 1t has
kindled the party fires, and they may
be expected to burn with more and more
glow from this time OH till after the
Presidential election. There is not
much "bad blood" in the current feel
ing, but there is an evident determine
ton by the leading men of both the
great parties to do their level best for
success next November.
ON Ex-PREsLLEcyr JOHNSON.
The death of ex-President Andrew
johnson was formally announced in the
Senate on Tuesday, as in the House on
The following day. Mr.. Johnson always
had, even in the stormiest times of his
stormy career, great following in this
city. Besides that, he was always greatly
respected on account of his personal in
tegrity. l recollect well tina. when he
last spoke in the Senate he drew thither
a greater concourse of people than had
been there for years to hear Il speech.
Thousands were unable TO gain adinis-
sion. So also great crowds came to hear
the eulogiums upon his life and charac-
ter, the other day. Speeches on occa-
sions of this kind are generally
fulsome, indiscriminately adulatory, and
q tremendous bore all around. Not
so in this instance They were ali, ex-
cept one in the House, short, and alto
gether devoid of that puffy character
which has so often made efforts Of this
kind utterly stupid and worthless. The
character of Mr.. johnson, with his
faults and foibles as we'll as his noble
and great qualities, may be not unproft-
ably studied in these eulogiums. Who
shall say that we are degenerating when
the orations over our dead statesmen are
worth reading?
THE CURRENCY QUESTION.
There have been introduced in Con-
gress several bills and resolutions upon
the currency question. The defeat by a
very large vote of Mr.. Rea's resolution
against any further contraction of the
currency-upon which 1 commented in
my last-was regarded as tolerably sure
indication that the resumption act OF the
last Congress could not beinte rfered with.
Since that time Mr.. Payne, of Ohio. has
introduced bill which is likely to be
much discussed i'll Congress- and by the
people and press. 1t is understood to
have received the hearty assent OF some
of the leading members of the majority
in the House. Whether this be so OF
not, Mr.. Payne's position in the House,
M the second man on the Committee on
Banking and Curren ~, and IA member
OF high standing ami ability, would give
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