The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1877-12-15
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, ID. c.,
Dec, 8. 1877. {

The Senate, perhaps because of
physical exhaustion of its members,
is doing very little in the way of leg
islation. The House, however made
little progress yesterday. Bill to
repeal the Iron clad OATH was pass
ed. Also one in relation to jurors in
United States Courts. AS the law
now stands all are excluded from such
jury service who sympathized with
the South during the war, or who, in
the Judgment Of the Court, "were in
any completely or conspiracy to de-
feat the objects Of the civil rights bill
and the enforcement acts" There was
an eminent propriety in the repeal of
this latter act, as, if construed as it
was intended to be, it would have ex-
cluded from jury service a majority of
the justices of our Supreme Court,
supposing them to be otherwise ell
gible.
Speaking of the Supreme Court, /
may say that General Harlan who
was confirmed at the extra session for
the position of Justice of the Court,
but in whose case motion to recon
slider was entered, is considered as
having been confirmed and will be
here in 81 few days. 1t was undoubt-
edly the wish of Senator Edmunds to
prevent confirmation in this case, but
Harlan's friends called the case up
and confirmed him while Edmunds
was absent.
Our Freedmen's Bank lobbyists are
on hand promptly at this session, and
are not as modest as heretofore. They
not only propose that the Govern
ment shall pay 1926, 900 for the Bank
building here, but that it shall pur-
chase also from the Bank a country
seat in Florida. 1t is enough to say
of the building here that it would not
bring in the market to-day one-half
the amount it is expected the Gov
eminent will pay for it. l suspect
many Southern members are drawn
into this questionable scheme by
good natured desire to help the Bank
to declare another dividend for its
swindled and deluded depositors. 1t
will be cheaper in the end and far
more honest, to vote the money di
rectly out of the Treasury.
We shall have an early holiday re-
cess this year.
The message of Mr.. Hayes is a
more acceptable document than l had
expected, in that it shows so little
yielding to the radicals who have of
late so tiercely attacked him and his
various politics" Senator Bayard
was hasty in saying it was the first
message for many years that did not
violate syntax and the Constitution,
but there is general conservative COM
mendation of it so far as it relates to
matters other than the currency and
resumption. On these subjects, with
out regard to party or locality, men
differ, and Mr.. Hayes was sure to
make both friends and enemies by any
stand he might have taken.
This morning our Court decided
that Patterson's position as Senator
Of the United States took him out of
the class of persons known as ''fugi-
tives from justice" and therefore that
he should not be surrendered on the
requisition of the Governor of South
Carolina. This is very important
question, and certainly not. free from
legal difficulties, but one can readily
see practical dangers to both States
and the Senate in the establishment
of this decision as the law in such
cases. If decision of the highest
Court of the country can be secured
in the case, it should be.
There has been much discussion
among Democratic Senators of late as
to the policy of asking for larger
representation on the Senate Commit
tees. The best opinion seems to be
that that matter may as we'll rest for
the present. In no single case, where
any party question was up, did the
Senate during its special session en-
dorse a partisan report on partisan
grounds. The case of Kellogg is not
an exception, for Kellogg was admit
ted only after the Republicans had
agreed to admit Butler and Eustis.
1t might be on some accounts desira-
BILE to have fairer distribution of
Senators on the Committees, but as
the Senate is now constituted it is not
politically important.
/ Some day this week the Daily Fost
will appear here, and will, it is prom
Used, be spicy and able Democratic
paper. REX.