Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1877-11-29
Our Washington Letter.

IN lOrly years there has beer
no such contest in The Senate n.
is now Witnessed. One Re-
publican Senator yesterday, OIL
what was intended to be test
question, voted with The Demo
Gratis on the contested Senate
rial seat in the South CaloIina
case. 1t was Conover, Of Flor
ida. Owing 10 the absence of
Republicans this gave the De-
mocracy. one majority. and
Butler, Of South Carolina, if the
question OF his admission had
then been put, and If Covovei
had voted ON that question as on
the preliminary one, would, af-
ter debate, have been admitted.
The subject went over without
final action and the Republi-
cans may cctcd Tor some time
in preventing a vote on admis-
sion. 1t is also possible, if not
likely, that Conovcr will shift
his vote TO the other side. IIc
is a carpet-baggcr from New
Jersey. Patterson, Of Penn
sy.yania, who bought his right
to speak and vote in the Sem
ate in the name of South Caro-
lima, was during the debate on
trial in our Criminal Court, and
could not, therefore, either vote
with his party or sell himself TO
the Democrats. There is much
interest felt in the final vote, as,
if he votes to admit Butler he
will vote also to admit Spofford
and Eustis of Louisiana, and
with these Senators seated the
Democrats would have control
of the Senate. AS said above,
it is forty years or more since
the Senate was so near tie as
to make such a contest possi-
bic. If Patterson votes for
Butler it will unquestionably be
because he is promised or ex-
poets immunity from further
criminal prosecution. l have
already expressed an opinion
that the Democratic party can
not afford to make the purchase.
To-day Mr.. Ewing gets the
floor and will call the previous
question on bis bill repeating
the resumption act. Less inter-
est in this question is felt since
it was announced last night
that Mr.. Hayes would veto the
silver RECOMMENDATION bill if it
came to him. He would not Of
course approve the anti-resump-
ton bill after vetoing the silver
bill. While it is doubted if
any one is specially authorized
to speak for Hayes OH the SUBJ
ject, many who saw him ycstcr-
day are positive that the silver
bill, unless amended 50 as to-
destroy its principal features:
will be vetoed.
The Senate will undoubtedly
pass the bill TO secure Govern
ment representation at the Paris
Exposition, substantially as it
passed the House. This, with
the army appropriation bill, the
navy deficiency bill, and a mis-
cellaneous deficiency bill, will
be the only results of
this Improbable extra session.
Members this morning be-
lieve all adjournment will be
reached by Saturday or Mon
day unless bad blood is aroused
in discussing the resumption
question.
Recent reliable reports make
the value of real estate in this !
District about eighty millions
of dollars, and the debt aboIi !
thirty millions. Most of this debt |
accumulated between 1871 and |
1875, while the District was in
the hands Of Grants Board of !
Public Works. There was a !
Legislature, one House of i'll
elected by the people, but it
gave legal sanction to only a.
bout one-fifth of the debt.
Forty-one negroes die in this
District every year out of each
,ne Thousand of the negro pop
ilation, but only nineteen whites
tut of each one thousand of I
Will papers in South
,rn cities give the like details,
20 that it NAV be- known if the
,olored race is dying out every
where at the same terrible rate?
The figures for the District are
eliable. being from the reports
# a very efficient Board of
Health. Ii the race is dying
mt in the cities and not in the
country districts, means should
'e used to scatter the city pop
Ilations. If in both city and
then the scheme for Ii