The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-02-08
From our Special Correspondent.
Our Washington Letter

VOiilillttccj WlNDln tnlIty uayS aItcl incl
appointment, at every session of Congress
commencing On the first Monday of DC
cembor, to report the general appropria
tion bills for legislative, executive ant
judicial expenses, for sundry civil expcn
scs, for consular aud diplomatic expenses
for the army, for the navy, for the ex
pcnses Of the Indian Department, for tn
payment OF invalid and other pensions
for the support of the military academy
for Notifications, for the service of th
Post Office Department and for mai
transportation by ocean steamers, or, il
failure thereof, the reasons of such fail
nre And said committee shall hny,
leave to report said bills (for referenc,
only at any time. In all cases where
appropriations cannot be made specific il
amount, the maximum to he expended
shall be stated, and each appropriation
bill, when reported from the committee
shall in the concluding clause state tht
sum total of all the items contained il
said BILL"
The rule is imperative and mandatory
and not pcrmissivc in its wording, it says
1T shall be the duty Of the committee
etc" Over fifty days have passed since
the first Moaday in December and the
committee which is presided over by Sam
Randall, salary grabbor, roiormcr, etc.,
has not yet reported any of the bills re.
quircd to be pnt before tho house within
thirty days. But then roformcrs are en-.
titled to such privileges. 1t works this
Inconvenience. that no business can be
done by either house, and it is suspected
that Mr.. Randall and his party intend by
their action TO clog the wheels Of govern.
ment, and leave the administration on the
lirst OF July without any appropriations to
run the government oD. 1t is we'll un.
derstood that the appropriation bills will
be vigorously " discussed in the house, and
that the senate will not consent to any de-.
duction from the estimates that will en-.
barass the administration.
The tactics of Mr.. Randall are to with.
hold the bills as long as possible, and thus
force the senate to agree to the amount
appropriated without discussion, so that
the bills can be passed previous to June
30. The ways and means committee can.
not determine the manner of raising the
revenue until they know the amount re.
quirod, and the senate cannot consider the
revenue bills until the house has passed
them. Such course is worthy OF the
small brain OF Randall.
Every four years this committee is re-
organized for the pending canvass, and
the Republican caucus last week appoint
ed committee consisting of Senators
Cragin and West, and Representatives
Whccler of Now York, Hunter, of In.
diana, Lynch, oil Mississippi, Durohard
and Page. The duty Of this committee
is to select one member Of Congress from
each state and territory to act as a con.
gressional executive committee in Wash
ington, and the duty of this second com.
mittec IS to provide documents and speak.
ers Tor campaign purposes.
1t is probable that Senator Howe will
be chairman of the committee, and Mr.,
Ed Z. Brooks, editor Of the National
Republican, will, it is said, be appointed
secretary, in lieu Of Judge Edmunds,
postmaster OF this city,
Dame Rumor says that President
Grant has formally signifod to leading
Republicans that he is not and will not
be candidate before the Republican con-
ventlon, nor will he accept denomination
if tandered. This will probably set the
third term spook at rest, and allow Ben.
nett OF the Herald once more to slumber
quietly o nights.
The Southern Republicans resident or
sojourning in the District and the South
crn Republican momhnrs of Congrnss have
determined to hold a meeting soon, which
will be public and at which their views
on the situation will be presented for the
consideration Of the Republicans of the
country, Several addresses by the ablcst
men Of the party will be made.
The house committee on public lands
are considering bill which provides for
the appointment Of commissioner Of for.
estry, whose duty it shall be "to ascertain
the amount of forest products annually
taken for consumption and expectation,
the probable supply for future wants the
best means for renewal and preservation
the influences of forests upon climate, and
such other matters upon this subject as
may be OF interest to the country" The
measure is an important one as it is well
known that the wholesale destruction OF
our forests promises a scarcity of timber
in the near future, and has already caused
marked climatic change.
The New York Herald, in speaking of
the debates that have already occurred in
Congress, says that "a body ike Con
gress is never so usefully engaged as when !
debating" While this sentiment is not
the popular idea on the subject it comes
very near the truth. All general meas
ures proposed should be fully, freely and
elaborately discussed. The people Of the
United States have the right to know why
their representatives favor or oppose the
adoption Of any law. so that they may de.
termine whether such representatives are
acting wisely or not. On the other hand
the New York World advises the demo.
Gratis to abstain from speaking, and from
partisan standpoint the World is right
unless its party can bride the tongues of
such speakers as Ben. Hill, of Georgia,
and Beverly Tucker, of Virginia.
The New York World, of the 9th,
reads the democratic members long lee.
ture on their duties, and tells them that
vote for the Centennial appropriation is q
vote "to disband the party" 1t alone of
all the Northern papers endorsed the in.
famous haranguo of Ben. Hill, in which
the North was accused Of atrocities equal !
to those committed at Andersonvile, and
it is almost alone among Northern papers
in opposing the apr opriation to make our
Centennial celebration an assured success.
Bills almost innumerabe are before
Congress asking subsidies for works of
only local importance, ard it is feared
that some of them will pass.