Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-11-07
WASHING TON CORkE . POA DENCE.
From an Occasional Correspondent
WASHINGTON, ID. c., n

NAsHlNGIoN, ~. u, t>of' q, AO'''
To the Editor Of EenHebtc journal;
The general character of the bills introduced il
the House last Monday, indicates that the 45tl
Congress is to be working Congress. That is
the interests Of the country are to be given NOR
prominence and politics less than the last session
This pleasing prospect is due, of course. to the re-
moteness of the next Presidential campaign,
PEI haps, also. the House Of Representatives has
realized the earnestness with which the country al
large urges its claim for consideration. Howeve
that may be, business session may be looked fol.
Already the anti-resumptonists have begnI
their work. The 18th Of this month is set dow
as the day for the fnal consideration of Mi
Ewings bill, which will be passed. The vote OF
Wednesday does not however give the infationist
assurance Of success. Should the measure react
the President, it is by no means probable that bt
will sanction it, And veto could not be rendered
ineffective by the small majority which the inha-
tionists have. The opponents of resumption in thu
House by the way, obtain more than half their
numbers from the "solid South"
The chances for such bill to pass the Senate
are not good. The committee TO which the bill
will be referred does not appear to be composed OF
men who would recommend it to the Senate. It.
chairman is a Vermonter: Senator Dawes, o.
course, would misrepresent his State, were he t,
favor the measure; Senator Ferry's colleagues i'll
the House are unanimous in their opposition
Senator Herman represents New York interests
Senator Howe and Allison are resumptionists. il
we can judge by the votes Of a majority of theil
colleagues; and although the Maryland repre-
sentatves were solid for greenbacks, yet it is by
no means certain that Senator Bayard sympathizes
with them on this subject. AT all events, good
majority of resumptionists may be counted on in
the Committee on Finance. The bill, then, if j,
goes to the Senate, will be freghted with the op
position Of the Finance Committee, and it is not
probable that under such unfavorable conditions i
can pass.
In this connection the reason imputed to Speak
er Randall for the composition of the Committee
on Banking and Currency should be noticed. /
is said that be, knowing that the majority of the
House were in favor of initiation, thought proper
that the committee should represent the sentime
of the House. If the House were republican and
Mr. Randall had by some chance been elected
Speaker, would he have given the chairmanships
Such a course would have been criticised, and
rightly criticised, desertion of his party. YET
such would have been his action, had he followed
the principle which is alleged to have governed
his composition Of the Banking and Currency
Committee. The majority is not always right
For this reason the power of veto was placed in
the Presidents hands. But, carrying out Mr.. Ran
dalrs reason to its logical conclusion, the Presi
dent should always yield to the majority and the
power of veto would be imperative.
The silver men claim large majority in House
and Senate. Even as high as one hundred major.
ity in the House, they allege has been counted
1t is not at all improbable that they have a numer
Gus following. All the intationists are on thei
side, and great many who see the wickedness o
reputation as presented by the greenback move
meut, are blind to the fact that the proposed plaI
of reconciliation is modified form of the sam,
doctrine 1t would not be surprising if the silve
of the measure say it will not be stopped. Th,
President as yet, has not committed himself te
either side, and much doubt is felt as to the action
he would take upon it. The friends of remone,i
zaon say that he will not hesitate to approve such
ameasure when he sees that his approval is de
manded by great majority of the people.
The more thoughtful of the leaders of this cru.
sade against gold acknowledge that Congress ha
neither the moral nor the legal right to impair th,
obligation of the government to pay its bonds
with possibly the exception of the SIS in gold
Ihis being the case, the restoration of the silye
dollar will put the silver men in rather a sorr,
plight. For they will find that thew have bee,
advocating one kind of money for the bondbold
er and another kind for the workipgmap. a dis
elimination against which they have been loud
excaiming. Again, if the bonds are PAYABLE il
gold aud the government will receive silver in un
limited qua mites for all customs duties, where wi
the gold come from to pay the interest on bonds
Either those who favor reconciliation must fave
the restoration of the old silver dollar with tn
consciousness that its restoration means repudil
ton, or they must give us silver dollar wit
enough silver in it to make it the eqnsl of gol
dollar.
The administration having gone to school to tn
Pennsylvania delegation and having received
pretty sharp lesson, has had the good fortune t