Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-12-19
Our Washington Letter.

expected The silver bill goes over until after the
recess. The Paris Exposition bill was approved
by the President to-day, who insured the success
Of this governments representation there by send
ing to the Senate the name Of Governor McCor-
mick, to be United States Commissioner General
At the Exposition The Senate committee author
lied by the resolution introduced by Conkling u
investigate our relations with Mexico was ap-
pointed yesterday by the Vice-President, and con-
sists Of the following members. Messrs Conkling,
llamlin, Howe, Cameron of Pennsylvania Jones
Of Nevada, Eaton and Maxey. The committee is
one which will be led entirely by Mr.. Conkling,
and, although the resolution does not indicate by
its wording that 1t is in any respect hostile to the
administration, yet from the very fact that the in.
vestigation il undertaken and from the source
from whence 1t comes it IL generally believed
that the curly-headed New York Senator intends
some kind Of an attack upon Secretary Evarts
Should Mr., Conklng undertake 10 dictate to the
Secretary OF State how and what should be done,
as he is in the habit Of doing 10 his brother Sen
ators, he will be apt to find his match in dplo-
macy as well as argument and will probably re-
ceive Il warm reception
Colonel Joyce introduced several bills of an inn
portant nature in the House un Monday. One
was to amend the act relative to salaries Of post
masters of the second third and fourth classes so
Ms to base compensation on the amount of stamps
Cancelled, instead Of stamps sold, as now required
by law. lie also introduced joint resolution
proposing an amendment to the constitution maxi
ing the term Of office after the ith of March 1885
Of the President and President six years,
and the former ineligible for re-election17
Mr. Patterson, the democratic contestant for
the seat in the House from Colorado, was adj
mitted and sworn in yesterday, by the very close
vote of one hundred and sixteen yeas to one hun
bred and ten nays. This may be considered as
the browning outrage of democratic House. The
discussion the subject was a long and bitter
one. Mr.. Patterson was allowed to speak in his
own behalf, and evidently gained some votes
thereby, as he il good talker and knows how to
make the most of his case Ben Butler was in
favor of sending the case back to Colorado for
new election, and made sharp speech on the
subject Colonel Joyce made an eloquent appeal
to the House to rise above mere partisanship and
award the seat to the man whom the state desired
as their representative. Mr. Bedford, the Repub
lican contestant, was that man, aud should be
admitted
Ch' VI wv 'NNi'ihS t'liNS VI tHu N''h III i'iti-
cal circles has been the rejection of two of
THE NEW YORK APPOINTMENTS
by the Senate, those of Roosevelt and Prince
for the positions of collector and naval officer
nominated by the President to dsplace Messrs
Arthur and Cornell. The rejection of Presidential
appointees by Senate of the same political faith
with the President himself WAS matter Of such
frequent occurrence during the administration of
President Grant rs to create little excitement or
comment. In such cases, however, the rejection
vas usually made on the ground Of the unftness
of the appontee. The constitutional power of
the Senate to refuse its assent to an appointment
was exercised in legitimate way and for the pro-
motion Of the public interes;. In the case Of the
New York custom-honse appointments rejected by
the Senate it is evident that they have been dealt
with in different spirit. The contest upon these
nominations has been of a persona, and partisan
character from the start, the whole object of the
opposition of which Senator Conklng has been
all along the head and front, being to win victory
over the President and secure to Senators the con-
troll of the Executive patronage The President
has undertaken to carry ont the wishes of the peo-
pie by dvorcing politics from the civil service and
by exercising the power of appointment ndepen-
dent Of congressional dictation. In doing So he
interferes with patronage which Senators have
come to regard as theirs by right and to fellow
feeling among them on this subject is due the
support which Mr. ConIling has been able to rally
around him in endeavoring to keep his pets
Messrs Cornell and Arthur, in their places that
he may thereby be better assured of his reelection
to the Senate Had the President made it mat
tar NJ ~. 10 ;nt In, ali
matters, he would doubtless feel somewhat hui
INFLATED at what might then be considered de-
feat but he seems to be little concerned about
any personal prestige in the matter, aud continues
to pursue the even tenor of his way. Six Re
publican Senators voted for the confirmation Of the
appointments, viz; Messrs. Burnside, Christaucy,
Dawes, Conover, Matthews and IIoar. The dem
ocrats who voted with Conkling were Maxey OF
Texas, Davis Of Illinois, aud Eaton of Connecticut
The decisive vote was thirty-one to twenty-five
During the executive session of the Senate
Yesterday, u disgraceful scene was enacted be-
tween
SENATOR'S GORDON AND CoNKIING
which has heen the talk Of the town to-day, and
caused no little comment as well NJ censure. Al
though 1t was merely war Of words, the language
used was such ms would have been deemed suffi-
cent for Il duel in days gone by, and it was even
expected by some that challenge would result in
this case The occurrence may be briefly stated
in this wise: General Gordon, democratic Senator
from Georgia, had called for the reading of II re-
port, and while discussing the subject he was in
terrupted by Senator Conkling, who, without ris-
ing from his seat called out in loud tone "Oh,
90 on with the calendar meaning the regular
ord NJ husuass Spnatnr Gordon nos tin he