The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1877-02-02
our WASHINGTON LETTER.

Iut question OF COUNTING the
electoral vote has occupied the
attention Of both Houses Of Con
gress during the greater part Of
the week, and very little lcgisla-
ton has been accomplished. Sen
ator Conklin's speech on the COM
promise bill in the Senate last
Tuesday, viii long be remember
Cd as one Of tho ablest efforts ever
delivered before that body. 1t
was unlucstionably the best dc
Tense of the bill presented.
Among the other Senators who
spoke Tor and against the bill,
were Messrs. Morton, Sherman,
Blaine, Elmunds and Bayarl. An
all night session OF the Senate
was held on Wednesday, and the
bill passed on Thursday morning.
The vote on its passage was ~
yeas and II nays. twenty-five
Democrats and twenty-five Re
publicans voted for the bill, and
sixteen Republicans and one
Democrat against it. The gale
RIGS Of both the Senate and House
have been crowded every day,
and it may safely be said that this
bill has been the anxiety and at
traction ofthe present session Of
Congress thus far.
There has been considerable
comment upon the proposition
brought before the Democratic
caucus on Monday, to employ EN-
inent legal ability to prepare the
Democratic case for presentation
before the Commission provided
for by the compromise bill. Da
vid Dudley Field seems to have
been the originator of the idea,
and it is said by various Demo
Gratis that mis- motives are not en-
tirely disintercSted in regard to
the matter, and that he has an un-
dcrstanding with Mr.. Tilden's
friends that in case the PROPOSE
ton is adopted he shall be made
senior counsel. Mr.. liidcn's
friends claim that this is not so;
that he would himself prefer and
Mr.. Tilden would prefer him to
be one Of five to represent the
House on the high joint commits
sion.
The President has conyersed
very freely with those who have
called upon him during the last
two days in regard to the Electo-
raj bill. He expresses himself
earnestly in favor Of its passage.
He said that he considered it a
patriotic, statesmanlike, and equi-
table proposition for the adjust
ment Of the difficulties, and that
no one would welcome a peacea-
bic solution Of the Presidential
question more than he. He said
that he had noticed the opposition
to the bill among extreme parti-
sans on both sides, but it did not
appear to him to be Of such Il
character or to be sufficiently or
ganized as to secure its defeat.
He thinks that the business inter
ests Of the country would give
such a support to the proposition
and would so speedily make that
support felt from all sections of
the land that it would be impossi
bic even for those who now de-
clare their hostility to the scheme
to vote against it. Speaking Of
the election in the three disputed
States, General Grant said to a
gentleman who called today that
as to South Carolina and Florida
he did not believe that any fair
minded man could now properly
deny that both went for Hayes
As to Louisiana, he spoke with q
much less degree Of certainty. In
fact he left upon the mind of the
the impression that he Sc
riously doubted whether the &C ?
ton Of the Returning Board could
be justified, or whether the vote ,
Of the State could honestly be
given for Hayes.
The Congressional ~investiga- I
have developed nothing Of j
much Importance during the past
,
The gay season may now be ,
said to be at its height, and the I
receptions and parties are as nu- ,
ner0us and brilliant as those Of I
my previous winter. Every year )
he attractions at the National :
become greater to the low !
srs Of society, and many Of the +
eaders of fashion from other cit :
es take up their residence for the :
Washington certainly Of +
'ers many superior inducements !
o people Of wealth, leisure and 9
'elinement. Some Of our hotels Z
ire now second to none in the y
The Congressional de- a
,ates and the attendant scenes !
possess a novelty and an excite
nent peculiar Of course, to the II
Of the Nation, and in the +
resent complicated condition of y
fairs, when every day is liable I,
bring out most startling results, +.
nd to produce important charges i
n the condition of public matters, q
hey possess peculiar significance {
nd are watched with singularin- y
crest by people of all classes !,
rom all sections Of the Union. :,
he ease and freedom too. with l.