The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1878-06-14
Our Washington Letter.

WASHINGTON, ID. e., June llth, 1878.
There real progress made on Saturday in egisla-
ton Speaker Randall said yesterday he thought it
would be possible to finish up all important business
to adjourn on the day originally fixed the lTth.-
Others anticipate delays in the of the various
Conference Committees, and think the 2lth instant
will be as the two Houses will be ready for al
journment
The House on Saturday agreed to Conference eport
form of Government for this District The Senate
will doubtless agree. Under this form the high Dis
trct officials will be appointed by the President. None
will be elected nor will we have legislature or Dele.
gate in Congress. The General Government pays half
expenses.
The Senate passed the Army Appropriation Bill, with
amendment referring to Commission the subject of
transfer of the Indian Bureau the War Department
The two principal points of disagreement between the
two Houses on this bill will be this Indian Bureau
transfer and the Senate provision increasing the Army
to % 600 men,
The Senate also passed bill appropriating five and
the House will agree to. The Senate, with hardly a
dissenting VOTE passed the bill advancing $500 600 to
Capt Eads on his ietty contract.
Committee OF Senators has been appointed to in
vestigae the conduct of Senator Stanley Matthews in
connection with Louisiana frauds. The Senator declines
to appear before the Potter Committee, though sum.
moned and here will come very interesting question.
Gen. Butler and the other Republican members of the
Committee agree that the House, to which the will
he submitted to-day, has the power to compel atten
dance.
bill to relieve Mrs. Ex-senator sprague, daughter
of the late Chief Justice Chase of the payment of taxes
on estate in this district left her by her father has
escaped the attention IL deserves because of the
startling and sensational topics supplied Congress
since il met last October. II struggled through
The Senate In semclandestine way, seemingly, at
least without provoking much discussion or comment,
as though that body had determined 10 do something
that 1t ashamed of and hoped the public woudn'
hear OF it. The another bill Of like purport is
now pending in the House. When ii is remembered
that members of Congress have stood resgnedy by and
two fifth OF the private property Of the citizens If
this District confscated for taxes to pay the many
millions of dollars crminay wasted or stolen by its
agents. their anguish over Mrs. Spragues hardship in
having to pay her share of taxes property worth
many thousands of dollars is extraordinary espec
as every dollar abated from her
out of the other tax payers. many of whom find 1t
ceedingy difficult to provide the necessaries of life for
themselves and those depending Them let alone any
of those uxures which Mrs. Sprague appears able to
in Congress who groan and talk in the most ugubrous
strains Of the wrongs heaped the poor get Their
seats and urge this because Mrs Spraugue
the daughter OF Chief Justice Chase-a the way
many of them mover tired Of abusing when in political
fe and while the bench There are hundreds of tax
payers in this district lost to every cbvarous sent
ment and so tinctured with communism as to ppotes
against this proposed abatement of taxes at their
pense. They appear unable 10 comprehend the justice
Of any such determinations in favor of those who iy
though amply able to pay their proportional part
the public burdens. Some OF them descendants o
an ancestry noted for its services to the Government
to umanity and they so unreasonable rs to de
mand that this kind Of class egisation-makng esl
of one and fish of another-should cease and receiv
no further Endorsement under this Republican Govern
ment particularly from eminent Ieformers
SEMINOLE