Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1878-12-18
From our regular eoHsspondsnl'i
Washington Letter.
WaAiaglOa, d, O., Dee, II, 1878,

work Of the session, Four OF the
thirteen appropriation hills have Al
ready passed tho House, and one or
two more will follow before the holi'
day recess, which II almost unprece'
denled pronptness, No time has
been wasted IN wind exercise, and no
springing OF political discussions tor
party capital has been allowed. While
tho Democrats are fully prepared TO
give the other side all they want OF
the Southern question, should It b.
opened IN tho House, they do not pro-
pose TO assume the responsibility Of
thrusting snoh an . unseelnly row IN
tho way OF public business, The To
publican Senate has not done 10 well,
The programme Of the shrlekers was
TO percipitate tho political warfare In
both Hooses aud keep It up, aud In
the Senate IT has succeeded partially.
Notwithstanding the fact that Ar Ell
munds and some of the shrewder ones
do not approve the policy There is
considerable difference OF 'opinion
among the Republicans % 10 the wis
dom Of making this onslaught At this
time, especially as the Democrats are
likely to biing out all the facts, aud in
the end get the best Of II,
This feeling was one Of the induce.
ments to Senator Edmunds to push
his Electoral bill and engage the Sen
ate In tho consideration Of It, lie got
II up early In the week, but made lii.
tie progress. The discussion as tar as
il went was rather unfayorable to the
plan proposed, Its principal feature
Is ,he.ultra States rights doctrine Ell.
unciated by Joe Bradley on tho Elect
oral Commission, making the cerif-
cate OF a governor fihal. No matter
what frauds may have been commit
ted to arrive ut the result certified,
Congress would have no power TO Ego
behind the returns" Senator Jones,
OF Florida, made a severe dig at this
provision Of the bill, showing how
great the Involvement would be for
States to adopt the pernicious return
ing board system Of changing the act
ual results, as in Louisiana, from
which there would be no appeal. An
other feature OF Senator Edmunds
bill is a change in the tire Of holding
the election, making it month ear
lier. This might be wisdom, as it
would shorten the campaign, do away
with the influence OF October States
o. the elections now occur, and give
more time for judicial settlement of
any disputes in the different states.
The Democrats are wary of any
scheme coming from Edmunds, who
50 successfully tripked them in the
Electoral Commission business, and
look for cat somewhere concealed in
the meal-bag. Senator Beck looks
upon the measure IS legaliza,ion Of
all the frauds committed IN the last
presidential election. There are some
people who feel ambitious to see the
"fraud first triumphant" made doubly
conspicuous in being likewise to the
last.
Mr.. Blaine has spoken his piece.
The Senate has not yet passed his
resolution, but it was best to permit
Blaine to fire off tie barrel full Of wads
with which be has been c,aming him.
self. He was IN good voice and high
feather for the occasion, and in antici.
patton of an animated discussion. on
both sides, the galleries were filled to
overlooking, while members of the
House packed themselves in upon the
floor of the Senate like sardines in q
box. The speech bore evidences of
unusual care In elaboration, for Blaine,
as in the words of Senator Lamar, it
is more remarkable for its careful
omissions than for anything else.
Without reference to his reckless,
unwarranted statements, the logical
conclusion of Blaines remarks would
seem to be that he wants to take back
the boon Of suffrage given to the
negro unless the votes are counted SOL
IDLY for the Republicans. There is no
need of re,terating the fact that the
negroes do not all vote the Republi-
can ticket. 1t is well known that
thousands Of them freely vote the
other way, and that many more would
do so but for brutal mobbing by the
more ignorant lawless elements OF
their own race.
Senator Thurman and Lamar made
some very pointed remarks off hand
in reply to Blame, and both will fur
Their participate in the discussion