Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-12-11
Che FREEMAN
MoErPELIER.yT.
WEDNESDAY. DEC. IL, 1878.
Congress.

Congress.
1t isa little curious that our national
Legislature should be in session from one
third to one-half the whole time. Three
months is the shortest regular session and
the long ones run up to more than six
months on the average besides now and
then special to fill in unoccupied time.
1t is needless and expensive to have such
long-drawn legislative sweetness. The
members themselves make nothing, unless
they make something dishonesty, by
these dragging terms FOR they are paid
stated salaries which they get whether
they are in Washington longer or shorter
time. The country makes nothing because
much of congressional action is mere
rolling of political waters so that some
shrewd schemer may dodge into the place
he wants to occupy before folks see what
he is at.
The real business which the country
demands congress should do, could easily
be accomplished in shorter sessions if it
were not for the political pot which must
be kept boiling. Congress unlike our
country legislatures is composed in greater
part of old legislators who can go right to
work without spending weeks in getting
into working trim. The present session
began well-some appropriation bills that
had been we'll considered in committee
going through almost rs soon as the two
houses could get to work. And since the
first two or three days there has been
shown quite a commendable working
spirit.
OF the strictly business matters intro
duced we notice Senator Morrilrs effort to
have u low priced bond into which folks
may convert any surplus currency they
may have-and it would be a very good
idea if a good many folks only had the
surplus to convert. Then Senator Ed
munds is pressing his most important cleo
toral bill in the Senate. 1t defines the
conditions under which votes for president
may be counted or rejected and leaves no
liability to conflict of authority which may
now come up between the two houses and
in exciting times plunge the country into
a war of factions. His bill is said to be
opposed by some of the Tiden democrats
who regard it as such a measure in form
as would rather approve the electoral
commission device adopted two years ago.
1t remains true however that for the
safety of the country there needs to be
law for counting electoral votes and that
the bill advocated by Mr.. Edmunds is the
best method devised. Its passage is urged
also by such democrats as Senator Bayard
and Senator Morgan of Alabama, and if
patriotic counsel prevails the present ses-
sion will see it enacted in substantially
its present shape. The Senate is supposed
to be surely in favor of its passage and
the trouble will come from the House if
anywhere.
Senator Blaine is TO make speech to-
day on the southern elections and it Is
very possible that he may stir up Ben Hill
to answer him us he did once before. This
would be very pleasing to the Maine
senator no doubt and would very likely
apparently do the republicans some good.
But after all the best thing that Can be
done is to follow those tissue ballot fellows
in the courts, and then if they cannot be
brought to time there it will be all the
more reason why the country at large will
be disguised with the actions of the solid
south. If facts can be obtained by a con-
gressional Investigation that cannot be
otherwise had then it is we'll enough 10
have one; but the Potter committee bust
ness is not one to be initiated by republi-
cans and people are suspicious of political
investigations anyway. One man like Il.
L. White Of the New York Tribune who
goes south to find out the exact truth
carries more weight with the country at
large than full fedged committee of
congressman could.
And by the war the Potter committee
has assembled itself once more. 1t is said
there has come a trunk full of cipher dis
patches but whether republican or demo-
cratic iniquity is locked therein nobody
knows. Meantime Pelton has nothing to
say and Manton Marble is making a new
dictionary of language that it is hoped
will be sufficiently comprehensive and as
founding to express his feelings as we'll as
what he calls his thoughts. Mr. Potter
would doubtless like to attend to the real
business work of congress, and he and
others would do better SO to do than to be
raking after stinkpots to be thrown in po-
lit;cll warfare.