Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1877-11-01
Letter From Washington.
From our Special Correspondent
W ,orrr>y~,sro~- II ~ O,r OF 1877

I Inc second week OF the extra session,
and yet the standing committees of
the House have not been announced.
But Speaker Randall promises us their
announcement on Monday, and after
that we may expect. business. The
Senate has perfect organization,
and could, il desired, get to work at
once: but as the Presidents call for
the special session involved appro-
priations, the bill must of necessity
come from the House of Representa-
tives: hence very little can be done
until the house gets into working
order. Both Houses adjourned yes
terday till Monday. The contested
election cases, which have largely
occupied the time of Congress thus
| far, have been referred to the COM
mittees on Privileges and elections,
and when the cases are reported
from committee then the flood
! gates of eloquence and argument will
be opened wide out. The average
congressman is right at home on a
| contested election case, and if there
is an opportunity for him to endear
himself to his constituents it is when
the broad fields of politics presented
in case OF this kind opens up to
his enraptured Vision. The contested
case now before the two Houses of
| Congress are very interesting. and
we look for lively times over them.
The case in the Senate is that of VIM.
Pitt Kellogg, republican, and Judge
Spoff0rd, democrat, from Louisiana,
the former holding his certificate of
election from the Packard govern
! ment, and the latter from the Nichols
regime. The whole Louisiana bust
ness is likely to be opened up in this
contest, and ventilation will be the
order of the day. Well, all we have
to say is, let the ventilation proceed;
we can't see that the republican party
Is in any danger OF losing anything
by the complete expose OF the whole
| matter.
The contest before the House is
also a lively item, and gives every
promise OF being on hands for some
time to come. The contestants James
B. Belford. republican. and Thomas
NJ. Patterson, democrat, both claim
ing to have been elected Represent
alive from Colorado. As Colorado is
entitled to only one member in the
lower branch of Congress. the state
must remain unrepresented until the
| question is decided. The contestants
start out full abreast, like two spirit
ed race ponies. May the best man
win, which is the republican, OF
course. But so far appearances now
present themselves to the naked eye
OF q newspaper correspondent, the
case stands about thus: Mr.. Belford
has all the law and facts on his side;
but Mr.. Patterson has the majority OF
voters, and as a democrat is never
deferred from voting by the abstract
principles Of right, we fear Mr.. Bel
ford's chances are rather slim.
Both Houses of Congress adjourned
over, the House from Monday till
Wednesday, and the Senate from
Tuesday till Thursday, to attend the
races at Pimlico, near Baltimore,
which are coming off this week.
They Congress. not the races) ad-
journed over one day too, didn't just
say so in their motions to adjourn,
but everybody knew that was what
they meant, as the papers were full
OF turf notes and headlines, and
hundreds were departing on every
train to see the fun. Senator Beck,
OF KY, who made the Senate motion
to adjourn, said privately that he
must go to the races, for his consti-
tuents would not think he was rep
resenting them IL he didn't The
average Kentuckian is "some" on a
horse race, and the Senator from the
dark and bloody ground" was will
ing that his spoTt-loving people
should be represented evsn at the
expense Of the suffering, neglected
interests Of the country, which are
longingly, anxiously looking toward
Congress for succor and relief. Such
is democratic consistency.
Merrimon, of North Carolina, in
troduced bill to repeal the Statute
which bars rebels from pensions.
The cotton tax refundment bill will
again be pressed. A bill has been
prepared which compels payment for
all property taken during the war,
without regard to loyal status of the
owner. and 1t constitutes the Court
OF Claims the tribunal for making the
awards. II any bigger OF more whole
sale steals can be organized than
either or all or these we will confess
our ignorance in hocus pocus. Each
measure will receive the full demo-
cratic support OF the South, and as
little good can be expected to come
out OF democratic Nazereth OF the
North, loyal people must make up
their minds to face the music that all
kinds OF rebel raids upon the National
Treasury will be the order OF the day
in this Congress. III the slight repub-
lican majority OF the Senate Is not
vigilant every dollar OF our resources
will be stolen. Mr.. ingalls, has intro
duced into the Senate the Equallza-
ton Bounty Bill which was killed in
1875. and which brought our unequal
bounty laws down to a just basis for
all soldiers. He has also introduced
n hill OrantirtO arraaro ~ oil ,a,e;oo