Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1877-10-25
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WAsH1NeroN. D. C., Oct. 10, 1877.

the people of that State have doubtless
settled down TO q realization of the fact
that they are to be presided over by
Bishop for the coming two
years, and the politicians of the coun-
try generally are engaged at their lei
sure in fignring out the causes and sig
nificance OF the result, we presume the
political interest of the country is rap
idly centering on Washington. 1t is
true the Pennsylvania and New York
elections are to come yet, but as no
Governor is to be chosen in either OF
those States this year, we hear very
little said about the prospects OF either
party. Aud after all, the question of
who is, or who is to be, Governor of q
State, is not regarded Of SO much i'm
pOrtance here as some other matters.
The Senate is the great arena as re-
cards the States, and the fact that q
Democrat of the Pendletou or Tom
Ewing school is to sit down in the seat
of John Sherman, now occupied by
Stanley Matthews, is source of more
regrets in Republican circles here and
elsewhere than the coming inaugura-
ton of the Merchant Governor of
Ohio, as the Democrats now term the
mau whom they nominated at COlum
bus, but did not expect to elect. Ii
they had even dreamed of carrying
Ohio this fall, they would have nomi-
Uated a pure article of the politician,
and their smiling, sugar-coated utter
aGces of "our merchant Governor" are
only to make believe that they really
meant to do it.
CONGRESS.
The called sessiOu has not succeed
ed in getting down TO business.
The Senate is quarrelling over the ev-
erlasting Louisiana mu1dle, and Sena-
tor Thurman as the leader of the Dem
ocratic side in the matter, has been
trying to seat Mr.. Spofford, who claim.
a seat upon the certificate of the Mich
oils government; Thurman WAS dead
set on having him swern in at once,
Whether or no-but Edwards and
Conkling succeeded in having the case
disposed Of for the present by referring
it to the Committe on Privileges and
Elections. 1t will, of course, come up
again in a few days. and there will be
sharp work between the opposing glad
iatOrs of the Senate. The absence OF
Senator Morton is very much felt here,
and although we have Blaine, Conk-
ling and Edmunds at their posts, ye!
the vacant seat OF the great Indianan
seems to form void that none can
fill. Some think he will never appear
in the Senate again, while Others be-
lieve he will be able to come for the
opening OF the regular session in De
cember. The House adjourned or
Wednesday afternoon until Saturday
This was done to give Speaker Ran
dali time to arrange his Committees
We see by the papers that he hied hin
away to his homein Philadelphia, tC
lock himself up, we presume, In tht
quiet of his own domicile, there I.
struggle with the momentous problem
OF pleasing everybody in the formation
of Com mittees. 1t is reasonable t.
suppose that the selection of leading
important Committees is not one o
the items that make up the sum tota
of the Speakers perplexities in th'
premises! Such small fry ss Sayler, o
Ohio, and 'Shoo fly, Cox ,of New York
will carry off these honors, whil,
Bounding Banning, also of th'
Buckeye State, will not be left out il
the cold. 'Binning is a promisin,
youth, and if he could only get rid o
the fraud that ever and anon, like
nightmare, looms up around the sub
ject of his elevation to the Forty fifti
Congress, he might some day amour
to something.
ASSOCIATE JUSTICE.
Among the prominent nomination
by the President, sent to the Senate OF
| Wednesday last, was that of Gen. Johl
Harlan, of Kentucky, to be Associat,
Justice of the Supreme Court. We ar
glad to see that Mr.. Hayes has choseI
a prominent and Unknown Southern
man for the seat made vacant by tn,
election of Judge Davis to the U. S
Senate. Gen. Harlan has the reputa
tion of being a good lawyer, and he j
emphatically a representative man
He was twice the Republican candi
date for Governor of Kentucky. III,
will likely be confirmed, though per
haps not without some opposition. Oh
lection will probably be made that h
has never before filled any judicial po
sition; but there is precedent for thi
in the case of at least two of the ap
rointments to the Supreme Bench
Justices Bradley and Davis. The Sen
ate is apt to take pretty high ground il
regard to cOnfirmatiOns for the Su
preme Bench, and rejected, it will b
remembered, no less than four of tn,
nominations made by President Gran
for that high position. But it is gen
orally believed that Mr.. Harlan will
be confirmed.
BENZ. F. BUTLER.
Those of our Republican friends VIII
have been anxious to know whs
course Gen. Benz. F. Butler would tax
in the present Congress, will doubles
feel relieved when we tell them tha
when asked the other day how h
liked being in Congress this session, h
answered, sit feels very comfortabl
to sit in the House without any respon
sibility, and have your hat full O
brickbats." This is evidently an ex
preston of Bsnjamin's true feeling il
the matter, and some of the Dems. will
likely reaiize before the session close
that the Essex stateman's supply Q
brickbats is enormous. While Samm,
Cox was speaking, the other day, Mr.
Butler asked permission to interrup
him for moment, whereupon Co,
said. certainly, will yield to tn
gentleman from Massachusetts witt
pleasure! l have not seen him her
fore two years." Ben. said nothing il
reply, but he doubtless laid aside on
of bis brickbats for special use in tn,
future upon his friend from New
York. We are of the opinion that San
Cox would about as soon he didn't Sc,
Ben Butler here now.
We are meekly enduring the ava
lanche of Ohio Office seekers which fol
lowed Messrs. Thompson, Banning
SayIer, etc-big and little fellows
shoulder-hitters and whoopers-in, etc
and more molly crowd never march
ed after Fallstatf than these precious
unterrified Democratic hangers on
They swarm everywhere, and like
Oliver Twist, insist on more The,
want to be Doorkeepsr or carrier O
coal scuttle, and don't care which. 81