Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-11-28
Our Washington Letter.


"''o"O"t ""t only ny tne lOOkefS-On NJ the zap
ltol, but by the whole country. On the results Of
Monday and Tuesday will probably depend the
supremacy OF parties In the United States Senate
TOT the present session, Mt least and possibly for
the next two years
THE CONTEST IN THE SENATE
"a developed on Thursday, IL Of great interest to
us here, just now and cannot fail TO be Of the ut
most importance to the future welfare of the ma
ton When the Senate met on Thursday the
question was to lay the resolution introduced the
day before by Senator Thurman, to discharge the
committee on elections from the further consider
alton of the Butler contested election case. upon
the table. Nearly an hour was spent in wranp.
ling over parliamentary rights and privileges,
without touching the real question at ISSUE when
Senator Edmunds, who had been absent for day
or two from the Senate, came into the chamber
and took his seat lie at once called for the read
ing of the resolution before the Senate That be-
ing read the Senator, without resuming his seat.
Immediately moved to amend by substituting in
place Of Butler the name Of W. r. Kellogg The
real business Of the day was then commenced
There were in the chamber, when the voting com
menced, thrty-two Republicans twenty-nine dem.
ocrats, and one Independent Judge Davis). As
soon as the clerk began TO call the roll for the
yeas and nays, two Senators who have always
been counted as Republicans and who had seats
upon that side Of the chamber went over and
took seats on the democratic side These were
Patterson OF South Carolina and Conover of Flor
ida When their names were called both voted
nay, as did also Judge Davis, and the amendment
was lost by vote Of thirty-two to thirty. Conk-
ling then off cred an amendment. as a substitute
instructing the committee to report the Kellogg
case on Saturday, and that the resolution of Mr.
Thurman be postponed in the meantime This
substitute received the same treatment as the
other. Senator Edmunds then came to the front
again with another amendment to the ect that
the committee be discharged from the cases of
both Kellogg and Butler. Conover voted "aye"
and Patterson "no." This would have made
tie vote II it had been allowed to remain But sew.
eral democratic Senators at once took Conover in
charge and argued with him so successfully that
he rose and changed his vote to "no," and this
amendment was also defeated by two majority
Mr. Edmunds then followed it with a motion to
postpone the resolution until Monday This was
also voted down by the same vote. Then Mr. Ed
munds moved to adjourn until Monday Conover
voted AYE" the vote was declared tie the Vice
President gave the casting vote in the affirmative
and the whole subject went over until Monday
THE POLITICAL SITUATION,
as 1t looks to-day, is one of encouragement to the
Republicans and OF great satisfaction to the dem
ocrats.
THE CAUSES FOR THIS DETECTION
from the Republican ranks, Of these two Southern
Senators, are variousy announced by different
authorities. None Of the reasons given, however
are OF sufficient importance in the eyes OF honor
able men for such course OF action The most
probable cause for Pattersons action is a simply
selfish and personal one. lie is now in danger of
the penitentiary, and as his accusers are mostly
from the democratic party he hopes to win i'm
lnunity from punishment by aiding that party in
attempting to gain control Of the Senate By
such course he gives strong proof of his guilt of
the charges brought against him Conover :
motive arises from the fact that the democrats
have made certain discoveries with regard to his
action rs Treasurer in Florida and as they hold
the same power over him that they hold over
Patterson, he is very liable to do anything that is
likely to save himself These are the men, and
such rs these, who have been placed in power by
the Republican party in the South during the last
ten or fifteen years, and who are made to repre-
sent that party in the United States Senate What
wonder is it that the present administration, in
looking over the ground and examining the many
Republicans from that section who are eager for
office as were Patterson and Conover, should de-
eide occasionally tn appoint democrat from that
section? Yet the President is blamed by Repub-
lcans at the North because he sometimes declines
to choose from the ranks which include such illus
trious names AS Patterson and Conover The ac-
cesson Of the two gentlemen last named to the
democratic ranks, whether it proves to be tenn
porary or permanent, is not looked upon by the
entire democracy with unaoyed favor, as wit
ness the Baltimore Sun, II democratic daily of
standing and influence, which says: Meanwhile
it is certainly premature tn speak of the Senate
as at last democratic, likely to remain so through
the uncertain and not over-creditable alliance Of
two such men as Conover and Patterson. Su-
gremacy acquired and maintained through such
agencies is not to be proud Of nothing to re-
joice over
There is a disposition among not Il few Repub,
lican Senators to have the appropriations com
mttee report the appropriation bills pass the
same speedily, and adjourn with the election con-
tests pending, rather than to prOtrlct the special
session to dispose of them. This, however, will
hardly be done, as the democratic Senators will
undoubtedly think best to strike while the
| iron is hot"
FINANCIAL QUESTIONS
have had the floor in the House throughout the
week, eliminating yesterday in the passage of the
bill To repeal the resumption act OF 1915. This
was passed by majority OF thirteen. Twenty
eight Republicans voted for it and ninety against
it, The Vermont delegation voted solid against
the measure, rs did the entire New England del
egation with the exception Of one, democrat
from Connecticut
The Paris exposition bill was passed by the
House on Monday, appropiiating one hundred and
fifty thousand dollars. The Senate appropriations
committee have agreed to recommend an amend
ment increasing the amount to one hundred and
seventy-ive thousand dollars The Senate finance
committee have agreed to report favorably the
Bland silver bill with amendments, striking out
the free coinage clause, and directing the Secre-
tary of the Treasury to create a bullion fund OF
five million dollars for the purchase of bullion;
also recommending the appolntmentof commits
sion to correspond with other nations using the
bi-metallic Standard in relation TO the relative
values of the precious metals aud the bi-metallic
standard.
NOTES AND COMMENTS
The adjournment of the House yesterday until
Tuesday has given members an opportunity TO 90
home and prepare for the winter session. The
extra session is liable to be prolonged until DE
cember, although the House is ready to adjourn
the first OF next week.
Henry W. billiard is to be confirmed as Minis
ter To Brazil The accusations against him relate
chiefly To acts of his during the war, and were
not considered by the Senate committee ON foreign
relations as uniting him for the place to which
he Is appointed
new democratic daily paper is to be started
hereon the Sd of December. Its To be brought out
by Stilson Hutchins of the st Louis Times with
J. A. Cockerill, formerly Of the Cincinnati En-
quirer as its principal writing editor,
The state Of Maine contributes statue Of its
first governor, William King, to the National
Hall Of Statuary at the Capitol II Is the work Of
Simmons, carved from block of Serravezza mar
BILE, and IL conspicuous ornament OF the gallery.
Should the silver bill become u law and the sal
aries Of Congressman be paid in silver dollars re-
quiring each month twenty-five pounds of coin for
each member, the honorable chairman Of the
committee on coinage, weights aud measures,
Aleck stephens, will draw his weight in salary
every four months.
The arm-rest attached To the desk of the late
thus removing the last link connecting the dead
statesman with the Senate chamber Ransom of
North Carolina, has secured the seat, and in his