Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-03-20
from our Regular UorresnondentI
Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON. March l6.

ed TO its pristine liveliness. Mr.. Blaine
has been giving assurance of the old vital
ity, by his attack on the fisheries award
his denunciatiOn of the report of the sec
rotary of the interior in relation to depre-
dations of government timber; by his Wig
orous defence of those whom it is said
have been stealing the government timber,
and by his effort to so amend the military
academy bill that the descendants of off
GERS of the United States army only shall
receive appointment TO the cadet corps by
the president.
In the house there has been an interest
ing exposure by Mr.. Willets of Michigan
of scheme of southern mail contractors
10 be paid twice for ante-bellum mail
servce-once by the confederate govern
mcnt and now again by the United States.
Mr.. Reagan of Texas, who was the
confederate postmaster-general, alleged
that the confederate government had made
no such payments, but Mr.. Willets proved
from the confederate archives in the war
department, that the payments had been
made, and subsequent examination has
fixed, beyond question, the identity of
many of the present claimants with those
who have been previously paid by the
confederacy.
Ten days ago the pardon of Anderson
was confidently anticipated here, and
southern members say his pardon would
have been granted if any reliable assurance
had been given that he would be removed
from Office as deputy collector of the port
of New Orleans. There was much fear at
the south that the prosecutions of the re-
turning board would " fire the northern
heart" and this apprehension was so
strong ut one time that the state authori-
ties of Louisiana would have been glad at
any sacrifice, to have gotten rid of its
menagerie of elephants, short of retaining
them us public functionaries. Southern
men say that Wells and Anderson would
not have been brought to trial at all but
for the provocation committed by the adj
mission of Kellogg to seat in the United
States senate. They insist that this was
the first infraction of the compromise en-
tered into with the presidents special
commissioners last spring. There is much
gossip and wrangling in the matter of the
returning board trial, and an increasing
undcrcurrent of rumor that the question
of the disputed presidency is to be reopen
ed 1t is impossible, of course, to predict
! the surprises of the future, but. taking in
10 consideration the recent utterances Of
pablo men whose voices and votes would
be influential in such an emergency, and
especially Of Mr.. Hewitt, the supposed
keeper of the conscience of Mr.. Tilden
no political event is more improbable than
n reopening OF the presidential question
Propositions for revival Of the contro
versv have never found favor with large
majority of southern democrats, many Of
whom have been placated with little OF
that patronage for which they have so long
hungered and thirsted. They would resist
any movement to unseat Mr.. Hayes by
every means in their power. But it is
certain that very strong republican ele-
ment would rejoice to see him unseated,
The dissatisfaction of the party with his
administration is so intense that there is
not the least doubt that a majority of re-
publicans in both houses of congress
would prefer Tilden to Hayes to-day,
and would rejoice at any miracle that
could produce the change without COM
promising their jewel of consistency Fail
ure to get control of the offices is at the
bottom of this dissatisfaction among con-
gressmen, but it is not the whole Of it. The
presidents distribution of offices is consid
cred no better basis for civil service reform
than distribution by members of congress
and it is very pertinently urged that it vii
be much less likely to strengthen tn,
party. 1t is charged that the president ha'
not only broken up venerable system o
distributing appointments, but that lie ha
substituted nothing in its place and in thi
way done much to weaken his party. Tn
president, it is said, does not see the fore
of this objection, but there are those in hi
cabinet who do see it, and VIII
are convinced that the preser
antagonism between the administrator
and the republican party cannot contnu
for three years longer without producin
a collision of violence sufficient to distur
the peace that reigns between the presidel
: and himself. What the denouenleM wi
be no one can tell 1t is too late for NJ
Hayes 10 return to the good old system
of assessing office holders for election puI
, poses and dividing spoils among member
of congress. The average congressma,
no doubt, longs TO be placated in this wa
but so many promises have been made
| institute thorough, radical and compile
reforms That no president or party cou
stand the opprobrium of a retreat row.