Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-11-21
Our Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 18th.

OltZ0U aUUut all tut tllu0 VI tuo I1OuSe
last week. Atkinson clearly demon.
strated his incapacity to manage it 9
dozen times, more or less, and the de.
bate reveals the fact that We are blessed
with about the average number o1
demagogues among the legislators of
the lower House. Perhaps it wouldn''
be deemed polite to mention the sub
classi6cations suggested by the brilliant
propositions of Mr.. Hooker and other
Democratic statesmen, and [ forbear;
but frankness demands the statement
that some of the Representatives from
Texas have earned very uneviable
reputation by the utter selfshness
characterizing their votes upon the
matter of reduction of the army, not
mentioning what looks to good many
like deliberate betrayal of confidence.
The bill is now in such jumbled con-
ditlon that if members of Congress un-
derstand just what they are voting for
they have the best of scores of spectat.
ors who have undertaken to follow the
bill through all the vicissitudes to
which it has been subjected. When it
came from the Committee OF the Whole
on Saturday, one of its amendments
permitted recruiting to 60 on till the
army was increased to 25 5000, and an
other adopted few moments subse-
auently limited its strength to 10000
1t appears tolerably certain that unless
Atkinson can bring greater powers of
comprehension into his business as
Chairman of the appropriation Com
mittee he will be overwhelmed long
pefore he gets through with the less
complicated bills that it is the duty of
his Committee to perfect.
Pledges of secrecy were imposed on
the participants in the Republican
caucus of Saturday, lasting about FIVE
hours; but sufficient is known of its
proceedings to seen to justify the
statement that while large majority
of Republican Senators favor an appli-
cation of the enure-of-ofice act in the
matter of Executive nominations. the
number who will vote to confirm, even
if not always strictly consistent with
the civil service programme enunciated,
will insure their confirmation il the
Democrats are favorably disposed
Hence the adoption of rule, as pro-
posed, seems impracticable. But the
sense of every Senator present appears
to have been opposed to any further
appointment of Democrats when there
are Republicans equally we'll qualified.
1t is generally understood that the
Republican members of the Committee
on Privileges and Elections are unit
in favor of Kellogg's admission, and
that the decision was approved by eve.
ry Senator present at the caucus.
Democratic politicions who have
counted certainly on the Senate's falling
under the domination in 1879. are said
to have made frantic appeals to leading
supporters of the Administration to
defeat this purpose on the ground Of
inconsistency; but the general impress
sion is that Mr.. Kellogg will get the
seat.
The novel sight of several of the alb
origines from the Western wilds ad-
dressing the Sunday School children
in one of our city churches was wit
messed yesterday by the densely packed
congregation, including the President
and family, large number of Members
of Congress and other officials, at the
Foundry church. The speakers were
the Ponca Chiefs recently arrived here
from their reservation in Indian Terri
tory. One Of them was particularly
eloquent in his gesticulations and his
language, as interpreted, containing
many noble sentiments. It was an
impressive episode and furnished
abundant food for thought to those
given to reflection. The President
Saturday, declined to accede to their
request they have come SO far to pro-
cure, viz: that they be moved back to
their old reservation. He explained
that it is now occupied so that such a
course is impracticable, but he prom.
ised they should select new one from
anv 0f the unnccnn;od rouo,a.y