Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-12-27
Washington Notes.

Washington Notes.
Congress has adjourned until January !.
The first three weeks of the session have
been remarkable, alike for the absence of
political excitement and the amount Of legis-
lative work accomplished. Work and not
talk has been the order Of the day. Old
members are reported as saying that it is
the quietest session for twenty years, and
that more work has been done than in the
first three weeks of any session during that
period. Five of the appropriation bills,
providing for the expenditure Of fifty mil
lions of the one hundred aud thirty-nine
million to be appropriated have passed the
House-certainly sufficient proof OF the
truth of what we have just said. 1t is fer
vently to be hoped that the last part Of the
session will be patterned after the first.
The Senate has adopted a resolution, sub
mitted by Mr.. Voorhees,, instructing the
Census Committee to inquire into the ad-
visibility of including in the next census the
total number of pensioners of Indian blood
in Indian Territory, the number of mixed
blOods, the number of white members of
tribes by the marriage relation, the amount
Of property owned, the extent of agriculture,
the number of schools in that Territory,
children attending, etc.
The House Committee on Foreign Affairs
called on the State Department for the pa
pers in the case of John C. Landreau, who
claims large damages against the Peruvian
Government, involving millions OF dollars.
for an alleged breach of contract in connec-
tion with the discovery of the Guano Islands.
meeting of Senators and Representa-
tives from the Southern States adopted reso-
lutions expressing the most grateful feeling
towards the people of the North for their
generous charity and kindness during the
prevalence of the yellow fever.
The Senate Committee on Mr.. Blaine's
Southern outrages resolution as finally made
up is as follows Senators Teller, Kirkwood,
Cameron, Hoar and Mcmillan, Republicans,
and Senators Bayard, Wallace, Garland and
Bailey, Democrats. The Committee will
meet and organize at once and began work
during the holiday recess. Mr.. Hoar will
probably be Chairman.
In the House, Thursday, Mr.. Harrison,
chairman OF the committee on civil service
reform, submitted report on the inyestiga-
tion into the charges made last July in the
columns of the Washington Post against the
members of the District committee. These
charges were that Mr.. Hendee. of Vermont,
was paid S25 600 Mr.. Brentano, of Chicago,
Sl2 900, and Mr.. Henkle, of Maryland, Sl2,
900. for using their influence in favor of the
District ring. 50 called. The charges were |
of so serious nature that the gentlemen
aggrieved iet called upon to demand an in
vestigaton which should be as broad as the
publicity which the telegraph had given to
the calumnieS. The report grayely detailed |
these facts, and added that, in accordance |
with its instructions, the committee had ex-
amined Mr. IIutchins, the editor of the Posi-,
Mr.. Barton, the night editor, and others,
bat not one particle of evidence had been
ELECTED to sustain the charges. The report |
concluded by generating all the gentlemen
supposed to be concerned, and read the Posi-
severe homily on the sin of publishing |
charges on mere hearsay that will affect in
juriorslv the character of gentlemen OF high
standing. Such conduct was characterized
as wanton and uDjustifable.
The Democratic members Of Mr.. Blaine's
Southern investigating committee are Sena-
tors Bayard, Wallace, Garland and Bailey.
Ex-senator Henry 5. Foote, of Tennessee,
nominated as Superintendent of the New
Orleans Mint, has been confirmed by the
Senate, by a large majority.
Senator Whyte told a good deal of truth,
the other day. aprOpos of an investigating
committee lie did not believe any Of
them ever accomplished anything good.
They 90 junketing about the country. he
said, with deputy sergeant-at-arms to
!
halt-iozen stenographers to take down all
that anybody has TO say on the subject. At
the end there is an immense mass of crude
testimony, but little OF it of any possible
value. Then large number of copies are
printed at the public expense, and nobody
ever reads 80 pages Of it. all this, because
it is done in the worst possible way by men
who have no interest in the work. To many
the chance afforded by the commission to
travel from place to place is improved solely
for the pleasure to be got out of It
Senator Morrill,, Of Vermont. who knows
v hat an immense amount of unfinished
business is on the calendar, endeayOred to
curtail the time proposed by the House for
the holiday recess. but he was voted down,
aud day was added. Should the House
accept this, the vacation will be from Decem-
Der 20 to January =
Ben Perley Poore, in letter u the B1s-
ton Journal, says that Vice President Wheel ,
er is one of the most acceptable presiding
officers that has presided in the Senate for
many years. lie Is quiet, firm, courteous
and dignifed, understands the rules of the
body thoroughly and enforces them quietly
without noise or buster.