Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-02-22
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
correspondence Of the Bulletin.

Senator Allison has not yet been able
to force a vote upon the Silver Bill, as
was his determination, simply because
the honorable Senators have not had
out their say. Yesterday Senator Jones
made an eloquent plea for remonetiza-
ton, and in defence Of himself, as
against the aspersions of those who
have charged him with interested mo-
tives in advocating this policy. We
were surprized to learn that he is not in
receipt OF silver by hundreds of dollars
a day as income from his mines, for we
certainly shared in the popular belief
that he was one Of the Silver bonanza
producers. But we must accept his de-
NAL and his statements that to gold only
must he look for income.
The biggest fight of the session occur-
red over the West Point appropriation
bill, on Wednesday, for the Democrats
hooked horns with each other and gored
and butted in a manner worthy a contest
between ferocious buffaloes. Hewitt, of
New York, and Aiken, of South Carroll
ma, were the principal warriors, and it is
difficult to determine which got the
worst scalping from the other. Both
insisted the other wouldn't fight. Mr..
Aiken's conduct and manner reminded
us of ante bellum times, when South
Carolina characterized northern men as
mudsills and greasy mechanics, but we
are glad to note that he is an exception
to the rule Of gentlemen representing
the South in Congress, as it is the first
time in this Congress that offensive ep-
ithets have been %sectionally hurled.
West Point got a regular hacking in
this discussion. 1t is the first time, we
believe, that West Point has ever been
fully and thoroughly ventilated. 1t
seems from the discussion hat it, like
the army, has five officers where three
would suffice, and that in the future
there will be considerable reduction
made in the number of it's professors
We were not aware until the debate
that the United States requires nearly
double the number of officers for it's ar
my that England, France or Germany
has in theirs, and while we don't agree
with some Of the structures upon theWest
Point portion of our army, yet there is
no doubt that we have too many officers
in proportion to the number of enlisted
men, and that some pruning process
should be given.
At last Gov. Hendee's bill for the
government of the District has been
presented to the House, and in some re.
spects is a very satisfactory measure
1t provides that the government shall
deposit in the Treasury of the United
States dollar for dollar with that paid
in by the people, thus sharing equally
the city expenses. 1t has been general
ly understood throughout the country
that Washington has been supported by
appropriations from Congress, and that
it's people are mere stipendaries, contri
buting little or nothing whatever fol-
the support of the city. Yet the facts
are, that while half the property of the
District belongs to the Government, il
has never contributed a third of the &C.
tual expenses, and now that it proposes
to pay one-half, u people are satisfied
Yet, to their intense disgust, Gov. Olaf
lin, of Mass, has tackled upon this bill 8
provision granting universal suffrage
Not one hundredth part of the tax pay.
ers have asked for this, and they have
protested in every possible way against
this extension of the ballot to the mass.
es. They are perfectly satisfied with
the government of the past three years
desiring no change, and if Congress for
ces upon us this provision of Gov. Olaf
lin S, there will be an end to all economy
in the administration of our finances
for there will be nothing to prevent oul
roughs and shoulder-hitters reviving oul
defunct Legislature. We don't want tc
trade our King Log for King Stork.
There has been so much good ground
for the complaining of the contractors
in regard to the favoriteism and frauds
of the Post Office Department, in the
matter of mail lettings, that Mr.. Key
has been compelled to introduce new
and extended precautions against these
irregularities, with a view to put an enc
to them. In the past, clerks were in.
trusted with all the proposals, and there
vas absolutely nothing to prevent sub
orned persons from examining the bills
in advance and substituting new ones
Carpenters celebrated picture of the
Reading of the Emancipation Procla
nation is, at last, the property of the
Nation, not by direct purchase, but by
gift of Mrs. Thompson, of New York
who presented it to Congress, and il
graces, as it should, the walls of the
Capitol. The reception ceremonies OF
this memorable picture of Mr., Lincoln
were impressive, though short. Aside
from its unmistakable merit as a work OF
art, it illustrates one of the gravest acts
of craftsmanship in the history of oul
country, and will occupy a prominent
niche in the Capitol as long as the can.
vas will endure.
The Senate at 2 o'clock entered the
House, and was received by the mem
bers standing. After taking their seats
and the announcement of the Vice Pres.
ident that the two Houses had met to
accept the picture, Mr.. Garfield made
an eloquent speech of acceptance, and
was followed by Mr.. Stephens, who in
his shrill clear voice gave us an intense
ly interesting political speech, in which
he took strongest patriotic grounds for
the present and future. We were re-
minded by some of his remarks of Fred
Douglas, who in his grafton at the un-
yelling of the bronze Lincoln monument
in Lincoln Park, would not give Mr..
Lincoln any personal credit for the
Emancipation Proclamation. He argued
that as Mr.. Lincoln had joined with