The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1878-12-11
WASHINGTON LETTER.
A HOPE THAT WILL NOT BE RE.\LIZED--THE
POLITICAL CAUIDRON--A HAUNTED CHAM
Der, ETC.

/ DFN, Ell.
WASHINGTON, December 7, 1878.
The actual necessary work OF congress
is done by its committees. Debates, pOlit.
| ical speeches, and other causes of delay
may be called the ornamental work of
| a session, and alone attract attention from
the people at large. Half the needed work
of this session was done before congress
met on December I'd, the house appropria.
ton committee having met and prepared
the bills, so that when the house adjourned
over on Thursday two appropriation bills
had been passed and two more reported,
and all the Others are nearly ready. If, at
ter passing these bills during the next two
weeks, congress would adjourn without
delay | know of no government interest
that would suffer, for their schemes are not
ready thus early to be pushed.
But the contamination so dcvoutedly to
be wished for cannot be expected. Senator
Blaine and Others in the two houses must
discuss the politics of the country. What
good they expect to do, either to the coun-
try or themselves, puzzles the understand
ing. In hardly any of the Northern states
has any party majority of votes, and this
condition of things exists simply because
thousands have already had too much poll
tics, and wish to see the business of the
country attended to. Senator Blaine will,
if he gets 4 chance, speak next Monday on
his political resolution, introduced the first
day OF the session. do not believe there
will be extended discussion on the subject
Senator Edmunds will endeavor on the
same day 10 get up his bill TO amend the
manner Of counting votes for the president
II is not likely this will be made party
question. The senator for wonder, seems
to have drawn bill which has no party in
it, Of its details | shall speak further, but
il seems, upon hasiy examination, to be
fair and practical.
Secretary Schun and some of the Indian
agents were yesterday before the committee
on transfer of the Indian bureau. They all
oppose the transfer. The secretary gave
his case away" when he said he could not
efficiently manage the bureau without more
money and more officials. There is no
money to waste, and if the people are salts,
fled of anything, it is that there is mischief
in the multiplication OF offices.
Senator Conover, in asking for a commit
tee to investigate his alleged connection with
the loss or theft of II certain part of an en-
rolled bill, at the close of the last session,
did wise thing, The charge against him
was made 10y the secret service office Of the
treasury. The senatorial committee, after
examining the evidence on which the
charge was made, found there was nothing
init, and proposed to drop the subject, but
Senator Conover asked to put in evidence.
The investigation will probably result in
damage to the rest Of the rogues who have
so long, under the protection of official pos
ition, backmailcd or blackencd honest
men Of all parties. The committee now in
vestigahng Conover is composed Of two
Democrats and one Republican.
Washington has, if any placein the world
has, haunted church As the story goes,
almost every day but at uncertain times,
there appears in one Of the churches Of the
city, venerable lady dressed in black.
She takes seat always the same seat
remains for few moments, and disappears
mystcriously. OF course this is simply
ghost story, but it is rcligiously believed
by hundreds of imaginative people, many
of whom profess to have seen the "ghost."
Some added that white dove appears
whenever the old lady does, and disappears
at the same time.