The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-05-25
From Washin gton.
TIE POTTER RESOLUTION.

The deadlock in the house mentioned in our
last on the Potter resolution to investigate the
presidential frauds was not broken until late
on Friday of last week when it was finally
found that 147 democrats, enough to consti-
tute quorum without the republicans were
present. OF course by filibustering, the repub-
licans could have STAYED off a final vote week
longer, had they been so disposed, but the
country was becoming FESTIVE under their I'M
reasonable blockade of the public business and
they lacked courage to continue the game any
longer So the resolution was allowed to pass,
145 democrats voting for it and-two Mills Of
Texas and Morse of Boston-against it, Thus
closed the dreary fight of the week and the
house adjourned before o'clock D. m
On Monday speaker Randall announced the
committee under the Potter resolution as fol-
lows:
Hons. Clarkson n. Potter, of New York;
VIM. r. Morrison, of Illinois; Eppa Hunton,
of Virginia; John A. Mcmahon, of Ohio; j.
G.. S, Blackburn of Kentucky; w. S. Stenger,
of Pennsylvania; Thos. r, Cobb, of Indiana,
democrats, and b. f. Butler of Massachusetts,;
Frank Hiscock, of New York; j. ID. Cox of
Ohio; and Thos. B. Reed of Maine, republi-
! cans.
GEN SHIELDS.
4 The senate on Monday and Tuesday took up
and disposed of the house bill TO place Gen.
Shields on the retired list of brigadiers general
Sargent had a rider attached to the bill also
placing Gen. Grant on the retired list with the
rank of major general. The friends of Gen.
Shields not relishing this amendment, Thur
man proposed asa substitute for the bill, simply
to grant Gen. Shields pension of $1200ayear.
This was voted down by the republicans-33
to 81 Then the bill to amend so as to place
both Shields and Grant on the retired list came
to a vote and was also defeated, by a vote of39
to "a The only hope for Shields now is that
the Thurman proposition of a 5000 pension
may be stuck on to some appropriation bill at
the close Of the session.,
HALIFAX AWARD.
The President on the 18th sent to the senate
his long delayed message announcing the well
known decision of the Halifax fishery com.
mission with recommendation that the exor-
bitant award of $1,000 900 be paid, though he
doubts the competency of the commission to
, make the award except with the unanimous
: consent of all its members
TREASURY INVESTIGATION,
In reference to the treasury investigation
which senator Davis, of West Va has been
conducting for some weeks, he made a state
ment on Wednesday and asked that the COM
mittee be allowed to sit during the recess. He
do thn bot thn ira
, ton thus far had shown a leakage in the
treasury, by the discrepancies in the debt state
ment, amounted to over $20O,0O0O00, He does
not assert that this amount has been stolen, but
that at least the book keeping must be in errer
!, to to that extent.
FORTS BILL.
Forts bill to forbid the further cancellation
: of greenbacks, which passed the house last
D., week. was favorably reported to the senate on
Tuesday by the finance committee and will
$ doubtless pass.
ARMY BILL.
The house is at present occupied in the daily
h discussion of the army bill, the democrats gen.
c orally insisting on reduction to $4,000 or 20,
: 900, while the republicans favor an increase to
e % 900 or 10000. The Texas and Arkansas
e democrats vote with the republicans for an in
C crease, and the final vote on that point will be
g very close.
HARRIsON's RESOLUTION.
It The republicans having based their factious
|. opposition to the Potter resolution to inyestil
@ gate the presidential fraud upon the ground
that 1t excluded an investigation of frauds out
q side of Louisiana and Florida, and that it was
v intended as an assault on Hayess title, Mr.
!. Harrison on Wednesday offered a resolution de-,
n claring that no attack on the presidents title
r was intended and directing the committee also
|. to investigate the alleged Mississippi and Orr
% cron frauds. 10 his surprise, the republicans
o opposed the adoption of the resolution, thus
|. showing the hypocrisy Of their pretended
|. ground oil opposition to the Potter resolution
:, Harrison thereupon withdrew his resolution
!. and anotherwas offered extending the power OF
@ the committee to any state where there may bd
g well grounded allegations of fraud. To TINS
the republicans made no opposition, demon|
strating that instead OF being so averse, as they
. pretended, to the Revolutionary" assault or
4 Havcs's title they really desire the Hayes scar1
is to BE- kept up.
:, PACKARD.
= The senate on Wednesday confirmed the ap|
, pointment of Packard us consul 10 Liverpool
l. bv strict party vote. Thus Hayes is about
y through paying up all the scoundrels that com
passed the fraud of counting him in as presl|
y. dent while the majority was against HIM.
Al GAZETTE.
r. Buffers bill to establish a newspaper al
: Washington to be run by the government an'
! known as the 0bicid Gasctte, passed the housq
e on Wednesday.
. WH1TEBAIT.
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