Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1877-12-14
0UR Washing aToN LETTER.


800 I'M nm = - AVN 401A1H
Correspondence 81 the Bulletin.
WASHINGTON. D. c.. Dec. 4. ~.
Both Houses Of Congress- met in reg.
ular session on Monday without the
slightest departure from ordinary daily
proceedings save the calling Of the roll
The organization of the extra session
averted all customary delays attending
the election of Speaker or seating mem.
bers. After the roll was called, short
adjOurnments were made to await the
arrival Of the President s message. which
was read by the Clerk to nearly empty
benches, and was followed by immediate
adjournment. Each legislator seemed
more deeply interested in the perusal Of
the printed copy Of the message laid on
his desk, than in listening to the monot-
onous delivery of the Clerk. The great
er number pocketed the document and
marched to other quarters. The House
would not submit to a prolonged strain
upon its powers of legislative endurance,
hence after two hours session yester-
day it adjourned over till Monday, leav-
ing the Senate to dispose of public bust
ness as best it could. Friday is private
bill day under the rules, or rather the
day of the week usually devoted to dis
cussion and passage of private bills in
the House, and as it affords little oppor-
tunity for forensic displays or buncomb
speeches, the members are generally as
much inclined to adjourn over Friday as
to stay away from their desks on Satur-
days, when this latter day is set aside
for speech making. Monday, by the
rules, is bill day, that is to say, any
member can introduce bill without
asking consent Of the House, which on
other days must be unanimous, one OBJ
lection sufficing to prevent its presenta-
ton and reference to committee, and
we doubt not that the time intervening
will be faithfully improved by the mem
bers in preparation for an immense ad-
dition to the already large record of
bills, which is something over 1000 in
number. The vote in the Senate yester-
day fixing next Tuesday for the consid-
Grafton of the Silver bill, surprises and
alarms the opposition to the measure by
it's strength, for not one of them dream
ed that the West and South would be so
nearly unanimous in its support, or that
VIZ VII Woulu COIHuldHu 81 nearly u UWO-
thirds majority. Friends of the bill
claim that the vote upon its passage will
be larger than that cast yesterday. But
your readers may expect long debate
before final issue is reached, as the
East is unit against the other sections
in opposition to their claims against re-
monetization of silver. The week has
been quiet one in Congress, for moth
ing has occurred to cause ripple Of
excitement until yesterdays action up
on the Silver bill. The House has trans
acted little business and the Senate still
less, as it has need Of recuperatiOn from
its excessive labors of last week, which
it has taken through adjournment. Sen
ator Conkling, in debate in the Senate
yesterday, said it is likely an adjourn
ment over the holidays will take place
before the 10Th instant. Mr. Blaine is
again in his seat, but returns apparently
not much invigorated by his rustication.
Father Time is not dealing gently with
him. But he may be made Of that stern
stuff which has kept Alex. Stephens
alive, and which enabled Parson Brown
low to retain his Senatorial seat for
years, though afflicted more severely
than hundreds who succumb to the
same diseases. AS we looked at Mr..
Stephens when he was listening to the
Presidents message, sitting in his wheel
chair near the reading clerk, wrapped in
his shawls, with hat on, seemingly a
mere anatomy, a veriest pinch OF life,
we fancied that we owed his presence
alone to the exercise Of will, for there is
nothing apparently in his physical APP
pearance to warrant the retention Of his
spirit with the body beyond the night
Our temperance people have taken
strong stand against the further sale Of
liquor in the House and Senate restaur-
ants, and have caused the introduction
of a stringent prohibitory bill into the
House. Mr.. Randall took occasion I'M
der it to disclaim all responsibility for
this condition of affairs, and threw it
upon Congress. We will soon see wheth-
er stop can be put to tipping in the
Capitol. Every device is resorted to by
some of the members to get their custo-
mary stimulus from the lunch rooms.
A call for certain kind of tea means
that the honorable NJ. G. desires drink
of whisky, and the various lodges by
which the rules are violated equal those
of Boston, which when under its law Of
prohibition managed to support over
1000 liquor stores. A strong effort is
being made by the New York bank note
printing companies to secure the de-
struction of the Treasury Bureau of
Printing and consequent removal of all
printing to New York Horrible tales
of crime and seduction are imputed to
the officials in charge of this Bureau,
and if we may believe these New York
perfectionists the interests of morality
alone demand that the Treasury should
cease further connection with money
printing More villainous ISLANDERS can
not well be conceived than those con-
cocted by interested parties against the
moral status of our Treasury women
and the officers over them, cunningly
told to Congressman, and which are in
order to get charge of government print
Ing %g.o We venture 9h to say in defense of
reputable body of employees in the world
than they. Far more honest and indus
trious than the male clerks, for not one
steals or dabbles in politics to the ex-
clusion of regular work, and with rigid
care exercised to prevent improper wo-
men being employed among them, it is
great outrage to charge the mass with
licentiousness. We know scores of the
purest and best Of women in this Blu
reau whom poverty have forced there to
earn bread for themselves and families.
FELIX.
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