The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-01-29
WASHINGTON LETTER
A SILVER LINING TO THE CLOUD.
Ardent Spirits I'm Congress - The
Electoral Bargain and sale-Im-
portant Financial Measure
Prospects OF the Bland Bill.
Correspondence OF the Register.
WASHINGTON, January 28.

Correspondence OF the Register.
WASHINGTON, January 2S.
Matthews Silver Resolution has nov
passed both branches of Congress-th
Lower House by more than q two-thi-d
vote, and the Senate by a vote lackin!
but one of two-thirds. OF course, th'
silver men are jubilant, bnt they want II
find that odd fellow to make the necesss
~ two-thirds. Perhaps Lamar vii
prove martyr, as 1t is confidently asserted
that he will vote, according to instruc
tions, for the silver bill. If that is th'
case Mr.. Hayes veto will not be more ,
an obstacle than a West Virginia ex
Governors was to its Legislature few
years ago. There is no question Of the
fact, the victory in the Senate is mos
substantial one to the silver movement
and the eagle on the dollar of our dad,
dies Is chuckling all over at his triumph
There was a whiskey row in the House
Friday.
Mr.. Tucker took up his resolution ex'
tending the time for the withdrawal oi
distilled spirits now in bond, until July
l, 1878. AS the tax on the ardent is &c
be reduced, it is claimed thai if the dis
tiller withdrsws his whlskey from bond
and is compelled to pay ninety cents
tax with market falling on him in
view Of the reduction, 1t will break him
up.
OF course, New England, which pays,
but four million dollars internal revenue
taxes was up in arms against the re-
duction, and to quote one of the speakers.
Tray, Blanch and Sweetheart" were
making a moral howl.
Wicked Don Giovanni tells Us that
There's naught so much the spirit calms
As rum and true religion"
But one is loathe to look upon the Don's
epigram as inspired truth, because OF the
dilemma in which it places Mr.. Maine
of Hale las Mr.. Tucker Inadvertently
called him, whose spirit was much per.
turbed during the discussion. He placed
himself at the head of the band
Wha are sac guild themsel,
sac pTOuS and Sao holy,
They've naught 10 do but work and tell
Their neighbours iau'ts and folly"
Now Eugene Hale (who is a lillipu-
tian Blaine, and very small minis.
ture, at thstD was not the
picture of spirituous cslmness or
of pious resignation. Indeed, as far as
IN him lay, he was tempest. To be
sure, it wasn't anything at which any
one need TO have been alarmed, and no
one was, but it was very gallant effort,
all things considered, to get up big
storm, and was as big as any one could
reasonably have expected from little
Eugene's mental and physical dimen-
sions. When Blaine boils over, he is
like the tidal wave in his Bay of Fundy,
which rises hundreds of feet. When
Hale tries the etfervescent game, he is
like gutter during an April shower.
He gathers little mud, too, but not
enough to harm any one else, though
quite enough to make you feel what q
dirty thing the gutter is
Whisky-the name of twas such a
fine theme, and possibly Hale. remem-
bering that he is an exotic of that land
which is supposed to be productive of
moral ideas to ihe exclusion of cereals,
and as representative Of the Maine
liquor law, which has always been
opened TO q coach and four, felt
called upon TO iemolish the ardent,
(fgurstively, OF course) and he and his
followers, as they thought, "took plough
and ploughed him down, put clods upon
his bead, and they had sworn solemn
oath that John Bsrleycorn was dead"
The little Msinite, in closs imitation Of
his bigger brother, walked up aud down
the aisle between the desks, shook the
first finger of his dexter hand, and talked
of lobby and Lobbyists with q familiarity
that might have been suggestive of &C.
W OuS 4lO NlA NV huOW bbas
"they are sll honorable men,"
1t was rich sight 10 see Mr.. Joe
Blackburn, of Kentucky, bounce him.
Blackburn is one Of the very best speak
ers in the House, and at invective has
not his superior. His manner is digni-
fed snd imposing, his voice is like the
reverbration Of the clouds, and his Ian
guage keen and cutting as lightning.
He took little Hale and lsshed him and
threw him about after the manner Of q
cat with Q mouse. Blackburn IS said 10
be only quarter horse, and this may be
true, but il SO, he does his quarter in as
handsome style as ever did his eonstitu-
ent, "Ten Brock"
Mr.. Tucker paid his respects TO Mr..
Hale, too. He proceeded amid many
interruptions. Questions to right of him.
questions TO left of him, vol!eyed and
thundered, but be sent grape and canis.
ter back among the csnnonsders. The
discussion grew livelier and more enter
tsiuing until il became per-
feet field day, and members
left their seats and gathered around the
speakers, and sll efforts 10 restore order
were in vain. Mr.. Tucker gave some
statistics which should have been whole
some food for Hale to digest. He showed
tbs. in 1867, when the income tax WAS in
force, the Stste Of Maine paid $1,000, 600
revenue and Virgins $1,000, ,00G that
now Name paid sl0O, ,060 to the support
Of the government and Virgins sS000,-
600. These twin iniquiiies,' whiskey
and tobacco, were supporting, almost
alone, the burdens OF the gov
errment and were certainly en-.
titled to some consideration from
those who were tsttenlng of them. Old
Townsend, of New York, Northern
fre-es,er and humorist, who mutt be sn
octogensrian, or st lesst no. far from hi.
eightie.h mile post, rushed TO the front
of the seats and performed feat which
will ensure him employ ment with any
first clsss minstrel troupe ia the country,
when his engagement for the boards Of
the iCspitol expires. This old man, ST.
though weighing not much short OF two
hundred and fifty pounds, and being con-
strucied almost square, with the activity