The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-02-20
Washington.

Washington.
,ss su.yER-BILL TO BE CALLED Up To-DAf---.
THE FRANKISG vILEGE--THE TAkitk BILL III
,an, ppoposPp REDUCTION IN THg TOBACCO
TIy-rHE VETERANS AND THE PENSION
-I,,R1cULTURAI.. AND EXPORT coNrEN-
ryoNs--yhRIous ITEMS. IS 81,
,rrom Our Regular Correspondent ~
WASHINGTON, February 19.-Judge- Har-
ris. in the House, after the reading OF the
journal called ND the contested-eleciion case
81 acklin and Darrail, from Louisiana.
This being a question Of high privilege,
oyerrode the morning hour.
Mr.. Stephens gave notice that tomorrow
morning he viii call up the silyer-bill ana
advocate its passage as it came from the
Senate, This declaration was received with
applause.
Mr.. Buckner said he had desired to get
the floor in order TO move its reference to
the Committee on Banking and Currency.
Judge Harris here remarked that he did
not think, as a friend OF the silver-b'li, that
il ought to be taken up until its friends had
agreed upon some policy in regard to it.
II was clear now that they had not yet done
this.
It is now said il the House returns the
hill to the Senate MeSsrs. Paddock, Win
dom. and other senator's will change their
votes and go against it..
THE FRANKING PRIVILEGE.
While the Senate to-day was discussing
the proposition to so regulate the pay OF
fourth. class postmasters that their salaries
shall depend upon the number OF stamps
cancelled, and not upon the numbersold by
them. Mr.. Morrill,, OF Vermont, offered
an amendment restoring the frankins priv
ileye to heads OF departments and other
officers who have to use official stamps. Du-
ring the debate Messrs. Edmunds, Morrill,,
and Others declared In favor OF restora-
tion OF the iranking privilege to members
of Congress, and it looked as il this was
the prevailing sentiment OF senators. Mr..
Morrill, was requested by Mr.. DAVIS, OF
West Virginia. to bring in an amendment
tomorrow to that effect.
THE TARIFF BILL.
The Ways and Means Committee were
again engaged to-day in discussing the
metal schedule, and made number Of
notifications in regard to the duty on iron.
They agreed to increase the specifications,
as was predicted yesterday in these dis
patches. Mr.. Kelley still continues to do
the principal speaking. None OF the iron
delegations here appeared to-day before the
committee. but they are busy at work with
individual members OF Congress. A very
distinguished advocate OF tariff reduction
from the West to-day expresses fears in re-
gard to the final passage Of the bill, which
indicate TO your correspondent that he be-
lieves it will be defeated.
THE TOBACCO SITUATION.
The letter OF Mr.. Kelly, Of Pennsylvania,
to DR.. Spence, OF Cincinnati, in which he
Yavors reduction OF the tobacco tax, is one
of the most interesting incidents OF the day
to the advocates OF tobacco reduction. He
is earnest and does nothing by halves.
Your, correspondent interviewed Messrs.
Blackburn and Willis, Of Kentucky, to-day,
and both agree that it would be suicidal to
attempt reduction by separate bill. The
tobacco reduction has no more efficient
workers in the House than they are.
= MORE LOUISIANA IN THE HOUSE.
After Judge Harris had made capital
speech to-day in favor OF seating Acklin
(Democrat), from Louisiana, Eugene Hale,
OF Maine, got the floor, and, in reply, pro-
ceeded to drag in all OF Louisiana politics.
Mr.. Hale aspires to fill Blaine's place in the
House, and Richard Cromwell was about
as fit a successor to Ironside Oliver as he is
to the Junior Senator from Maine. he
char ged that Nichols, in permitting the
prosecution OF Anderson & Co., had yio-
lated his pledges. Mr.. Davis, OF North
Carolina, wanted to know il Mr. Hale knew
OF any bargain by which felonies were to
be compounded. he eraded an answer ;
but the North Carolinian pressed him until
he had to say he did not. General Randall
Gibson made statesmanlike reply. Mr.. Gar
field made seemingly fair but an offensive
speech to the South, and when he said the
course OF the South would drive him from
his concliatory policy some one cried out,
:. Goodbye, sweetheart" s
THE POLK INVESTIGATION.
The Committee on the Reform Of the Civil
Service continued the Investigation Of the
Doorkeeper to-day, and Mr.. Bacon, docu-
ment clerk. testified that he had paid to
Colonel Polk at the rate OF 5000 per year,
and understood that it went to make up
Dufy's salary. The soldiers roll was ex-
amined, and it was charged that some OF
them received no wounds worthy Of the
name, and some others were home-guard
heroes. ssstss3 oss1
TO BE RESTORED TO THE PEEsIoN-LIsT. !,
Senator Withers, of Virginia, to-day. re-
ported to the Senatesa bill for restoring to
the pepsion-roll such persons as were
stricken from it by the act OF 1862 for par
tlcipation in the rebellion; and it provides
that all persons who served fourteen days
in the war OF 1912, or who werei In any bat
tie, shall be entitled to a pension, and the
widows OF such as married prior to 1850
shall also be entitled 10 pensions. Hereto
fore it required sixty days service, and in
the case Of widows thatthey should have
married prior to the proclamation Of peace
in 1916. Senator Withers gave a very clear
OF its provisions, and it re.
ceiyed the support OF Messrs. Blaine, In
gals, and other Republicans. Its most de.
cided opponent was Mr.. oglesby, OF Ilii.
nois. 81
Mr. ingalls, said by act OF 1862. f.44l
were dropped. including pensioners Of the