The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-10-25
Washington.
SENATORS ATTENDING THE PINLIcO RACES
THE. u0UsE-THE ENGLISH M1ssIoS-THE
JOKE ON Mr.. RANDALL, &C.

SENATOR'S AT1EADlNt IhE flhLlCo hheEa-
THE HOUsE-THE ENGLISH h1ssIoN-THE
JOKE ON Mr.. RANDALL, &C.
+ From Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, October 24.-It has been a
dry day in Congress to-day. Hall the sem
ators were off at Baltimore attending the
Pimlico races, and the other half have been
using the occasion to bring up their CORE
spondence with their constituents.
The House spent the whole day discuss
ing the contested case from Colorado. Gar
field has been making the fight for the Re
publcans, who do not expect to get their
man (Belford) seated, but are laboring hard
to keep Patterson Oemocrat) out OF his
seat, thus making vacancy.
THE CASE IN NUTSHELL
is this: In October an election was held
under the Constitution OF the new State,
and by special permission of law, for con-
gresham for the remaining segment OF the
Forty-fourth Congress. The Republicans
thought they might as well elect for the
Forty-ffth Congress at the same time, and
voted with that understanding, although the
law provides that after the first election
the election for congressman shall be held
in November. In November the Demo.
cratic State Central Committee issued call
for an election on the day provided by
law, put Patterson in nomination and
elected him on that day; the Republicans
taking no part in the election. Now the
Republicans ask that the October election
shall stand for both Congresses. The case
will probably 60 to the Committee on Elec-
tons, and the ultimate result will most
likely be the seating Of Patterson. 1t was
rather amusing to-day, in the light OF the
solid Republican vote against the admission
OF the Democratic contestants from Louisi-
ana. to hear Garfield urging the Democrats
to keep Patterson out because it would not
be fair play to take advantage Of the mis-
take made by the Colorado Republicans.
THE CONTESTED LOUISIANA CASE,
The Senate Committee on Elections con-
sidcrcd the contested Louisiana casc-Spof-
ford Us. Kellogg-again to-day. Most OF the
time was given to Mr.. Spoford, who made
a strong argument in his own behalf. lie
reviewed at length the circumstances which
| led to the formation Of the Nichols Legisla-
ture, called the attention OF the committee
to the fact that the so-called Packard Legis-
lature, on whose vote Kellogg claims his
seat, never had any legal existence, and
has now been wiped entirely out OF
existence, and argued, as his main point,
that the Senate had no right TO set aside the
verdict OF Legislature which is every
where recognized as the only Legislature OF
the State, and which was duly organized on
the basis suggested by the Republicans, and
affirm the verdict OF q body which never
had any legal existence, which for months
has had no existence whatever, and which
does not and never has represented the
State OF Louisiana.
KELLOGG's CASE
is in the hands OF Mr.. Shellabarger. who
replied to the argument OF Judge Spofford.
The entire strain Of Mr.. Shellabarger's ar
gument was based on the assumption that
the Packard Legislature was the de jure
Legislature at the time it elected Kellogg
that it legally elected him; that he had the
certificate of the legal Government at the
time, and that the Senate had no right to
take into consideration any subsequent
events, since they could not vitiate Kel-
logg's title.
The friends OF Mr.. Spofford are more
hopeful than they were that the Elections
Committee will report his case to the Senate
at an early day, and are confident that if 1t
is reported he will be seated. They count
on Stanley Matthews's vote, since it is hardly
possible that lie can repudiate the action OF
the Presidents Louisiana commission, and
on the support Of all the Administration
senators. Don Cameron's vote is also doubt
full He says himself that lie is uncertain
how he will vote; that he urged his bro
ther-in-law (Wayne MacVeagh) to so to
Louisiana as a member of the Presidents
commission to bring order to Louisiana,
and is inclined to think that the Senate
should support the work OF that commits
sion.
Personal.
Speaker Randall has been ioked a good deal
about the suit for S150,0O0 damages which
Hallett Kilbourn, OF real-estate-pool fame,
has instituted against Randall ct ais. for al
legged false imprisonment. The defendants
have retained Hon. Frank Hurd, OF Ohio,
as counsel, and he is here now for the pur-
pose of entering motion to have the case
placed upon the docket for IN early hearing.
Senator Blaine is recovering from his Sc
rious attack OF malaria. He has been tele-
craphed that he need not come home, as his
daughter is improving.
THE ENGLISH MISSION.
The Administration has brought itself
into an unpleasant quandary concerning the
English mission. 1t decided some time ago
to give the place to Pennsylvania, and the
other day the Secretary OF State requested
the Pennsylvania Republican delegation to
unite upon name, and their opinion would
be respected. Accordingly the delegation
met and unanimously presented the name
OF Simon Cameron. Now the Administers
| ton wants to respect the desire OF the Penn
sylyania delegation, but does not want to
appoint Simon.
| New York and Pennsylvania clerks in the
departments have been quietly notified thai
they can 90 home and vote.
Associated Press Reports by telegraph to the Dis
| patch.1 --
PERSONAL.
WASHINGTON, October 24.-Representa
tiyes Stephens and Harris called at the State
Department to-day in the interest OF Hill