Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-11-07
Our Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 80.

tOgeCher relatlVe TO the raplQ QlSpatcn
of business with a view to as early an
! adjournment as possible, it is the pre-.
vailing belief that there will not be a
longer interval between sessions than a
week or ten days at the very farthest.
1t is presumed that Mr.. Randall will
announce the Committees to-day, when
the message will be appropriately re-
ferred; but the several recommends
tions have got to be considered, dis
cussed and talked over in the Commit
tee rooms and report made to the
| House before the work that brought
Congress here In extra session can be
disposed of. 1t almost always happens
| thai there are one or more members
watching opportunities to spread them
selves in the Record, tor the instruc-
ton and edi6cation of the general pub
lie and the voters of their districts par
ticularly, or from other disinterested
motives; and Notwithstanding the fact
that every appropriation asked, save
three comparatively insignificant ones.
were exhaustively discussed last win
ter, it would be strange if the House
should be found without some Of this
class of interesting statesmen; hence,
limiting their number to the smallest
average, and promising that no confer
ence com mmittees will be necessary, sew
eral working days will be needed to
dispose of the matters imperatively de-
manding attention. Aside from this.
the bills already introduced or which
will be this week, relative to remoneti
zation, repeal of the resumption act, for
| grants of land and loans Of money to
citizens desiring to emigrate to the
| public lauds, and the distribution Of
| the balance of the Geneva Award, are
deemed of enough Importance if pushed,
| to consume about all the time between
this and thanksgiving week, and there
has already been fled food Of others
of less general importance, but of sufi-
cient moment to particular classes and
localities to justify their originators in
demanding the early attention of their
associates. 1t is felt by every Repub-
licaa and likely by not few Demo
Gratis, that the reference of Belford's
case to the Committee on Elections was
very shabby trick; and the precedent
established will often return to plague
the inventors. He had the Governors
certificate of election and had, it is
contended by lawyers of such calibre as
Senator Edmunds, as clear prsnea ta-
cie right to his seat as any member in
the House. What was tempted in
the case Of CEonin was accomplished or
partially so, in Belford's case. Fol-
lowing the usual course it will be
weeks-quite as likely months before
a report is reached, Colorado meantime
remaining withaut representation in the
lower House. Last session the same
spiteful end was attained by contend
ing against the suficiency Of a Presi-
dental proclamation to make Colorado
a state, though there had been full
compliance with the enabling act.
The Senate Committee on Privileg.
es have the case of Kellogg, spoford
and Gusts under consideration; had
not, at their last session, determi ned as
to the exact scope to be given the in
quiry. 1t is evident that Spoford
means to make his fight almost wholly
on the act of the Executive in recog-
nizing the Nichols government; and
no one familiar with the atrocities of
the Centennial campaign in Louisiana,
wonders at his earnest protests against
any review of the.bull l-dozers achieve.
ments, as proposed by Kellogg. The
vote authorizing the Committee to
send for persons and papers is contrived
as favorable to the latter gentleman /:
and consistency would seem to demand
similar course when the rival claim
ants from South Carolina present their
claims for adjudication. Though ma
ny will regret the reopening of old
wounds, the possibility could only be
AVOIDED at the expense of justice, and
by allowing the control of the Senate
to fall into the hands of the enemy by
default s.