The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-02-23
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

The intensely interesting debate in
the Senate, upon the bill to provide a
tribunal for deciding who was elected
President at the polls in November
last, was concluded about seven o'clock
yesterday morning, by the passage of
the bill without amendment. The Sen
ate convened at eleven o'clock on We'd
nesday morning, and remained in con-
tinuous session until the bill passed.
Twenty-one Republicans and twenty
six Democrats voted for the bill, and
sixteen Republicans and one Democrat,
Mr.. Eaton, of Connecticut, voted
against it. The House proceeded to
consider the bill as it was received from
the Senate, and came to an understand
ing that it should be put upon its pas
sage at three o'clock this afternoon. AS
it is understood that the President fa-
vors the bill, no delay is expected about
securing his signature, and it will prob
ably be the law of the land by Monday
next at furthest. The first act under
the bill will be the selection of the
members of the Commission by the two
Houses, which is directed to take place
on Tuesday next. This early action is
the reason for the haste with which the
bill has been pressed through Congress.
The bill has many enemies as well as
friends, in both parties, but there seems
to be a general determination on all
hands to abide by the result of the de-
cision of the tribunal; and fortunately
for the country, the bloody strife grow
ing out of the decision of the Presiden-
tial question is happily passed. The
debates have attracted full galleries
during their continuance, and most of
the time the crowd has been so great
that thousands were turned away with
out securing seats. 1t is apparent that
the members Of both parties have laid
aside much of their prejudice and party
feeling, and have made an earnest effort
to agree upon plan which should at
once be just and fair to both sides, and
as far as possible removed from objec-
tions upon Constitutional grounds. The
acrimony which has too often charac-
terized the debates upon measures in
Congress has been laid aside to very
great extent during this debate, and
but few bitter words have been said on
either side. The appalling nature of
the danger which threatened the coun-
! try in the event of failure to agree
upon some plan for deciding the mo-
mentous question has brought out in
our public men qualities of which they
seem, at times, to be utterly devoid.
The order-lOving portion of the men,
bers of Congress seems to have secured
the ascendancy, and those who talk of
accomplishing results by forcible means,
and of resorting to the army iftheir pecu-
liar views do not prevail, find but little
sympathy in or out of Congress, and
they are seeking other avenues for dis
tinguishing themselves since they have
ascertained the unpopularity of their
present course.
| III L NAIlONAL NhEDlls
The capitalists of this country and
those of Europe seem to have full conf
dence that our ship of state will weather
the storm, and not founder among the
breakers by which she has been sur
rounded, in consequence of the Presi-
Dental election, for the four and one
half per cent. loan is being taken as
rapidly as the bonds can be furnished
by the Secretary of the Treasury; anG
the time is near at hand when the en-,
tire debt of the United States will be
funded at four and one-half per cent. in.
terest, thereby saving about fifty mil
lions of interest annually. The Secre
tary of the Treasury has just issued the
thirty-eighth call for the five-twenty
bonds of 1865, this time for ten millions
of dollars, which will be replaced by th'
four and one-half per cent. If this gooC
showing of our financial condition cal
be made in hard times like these, ou
credit bids fair to be the best in tht
world when business shall revive.
LEGISLATION.
Now that the election muddle is dis
posed of, attention may be expected
from Congress to the appropriation bills
aud other matters of legitimate legisla
, ton. The committees are supposed t.
have the bills in such shape that the!
can be pushed through in few days
In the Senate the silver bill will CLAIM
attention, and many other matters o
Importance engross both Houses of Con
gress. But, of course, the ever revolv
ing wheels of time will bring aroun,
the fourth of March, before which dat
but few of the many bills now on tn
calendar of the two Houses can b
reached. Pacific railroads are all anx
iOusly looking for legislation, but thei
bills seem to have been put in a posi-
ton in which it will be necessary t.
+ suspend the rules by a two-third vote
in order to get them before the House
THE INAUGURATION.
AS yet, nothing has been done in tn
way of preparation for the Inauguration
) apd DrohahIv nothing will he done nm