Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-03-28
(From our regular correspondent.)
Our Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, March 29d.

w ASAlNGlONt MIL Cll AOus
Although week has elapsed since the
adjournment of the Senate, many senator:
and members of the House remain in
Washington, and there is reason to be.
lieve that interest in the political situation
will be prolonged far into the summer II
is difficult, just now, to tell whether the
struggle for political supremacy in the
forty.fifth Congress, the effort to resusci-
tate the old whig party, the civil service
departure. or the southern question, is the
more entertaining or aggravating, as the
case may be, to political partisans or phi
losophers. But these questions are inter-
dependent, conglomerated, and the future
is nebulous, charged with surprises. The
democrats who have been doubtful of their
ability to control the organization of the
next House, are now more con fident, since
Packard's obstinacy embarrasses the Presi-
dents southern policy, and has Il tendency
through suspicion TO keep the democratic
phalanx intact. Messrs. Wood and Ran
dali are here looking after their respective
interests, and genial Sunset Cox is " tour
ing :" through the sunny, congenial South,
on the same unselfish mission. But it is
by no means certain that the next speaker
will be democrat or that the result will
he dependent merely upon the denoueniept
in Louisiana, The effort to make the
wing party factor in politics is formula
ble and some democrats say, portentious.
Political parties may be held together by
great hopes or great perils, but in piping
times of peace they are permeable by the
dew Of patronage. If the republicans
shall decide that they cannot elect as
speaker one of the straitest of the sect,
they will try, at any rate, to defeat the
democrats by combining upon some
southern man who it is hoped will be able
to draw 4 sufficient number of votes from
his own party, to defeat, with their power
ful help, the democratic nominee. Again,
there are those who treat rs II Quixotism
the idea of galvanizing the wing party,
and ask if there are dolts stupid enough to
believe that political parties issue Minerva
like from the brain of presidents and cab
inets, instead of through dim throes of
birth and struggles of infancy from the
people.
The determination of a majority of the
cabinet to recommend sending commits
sion to Louisiana, to examine and report
upon the condition of affairs in that state,
has been anticipated since the cabinet
meeting on Wednesday. 1t was such u
bitter disappointment to southern demo-
Gratis who had hoped for the withdrawal
of the troops upon the Inauguration of
President Hayes, that their mercurial tenn
peraments fell at once, and the southern
policy of the President, that had been laud-
ed TO the skies, was denounced to the OPP
posite locality. Since President Hayes
has been inaugurated he has listened to
the interminable eloquence and argument
of delegations from the dually but not duly
governed states; he has listened with the
patience Of II judge, and of Job, to both
sides; but in no single instance it is be-
lieycd has he indicated Just what he pro-
posed to do. Notwithstanding this great
majority of the Nichols and Hampton men
have INDUCED in the illusions of hope, and
reports have been extensively circulated
that the troops would certainly be with
drawn, and that the Chamberlain and
Packard governments, unsupported by
bayonets, would tumble. OF course the
democrats are very angry and de-
spondent over the appointment of a
commission. M. G, Butler, elected to the
Senate by the Hampton legislature, tele-
graphed to Wade Hampton: There is
no hope for our state. 1t is the second
edition of 8 to T." Hampton replied ask
inc if it would be advisable for him to