Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1878-03-14
Correspondence.
Letter from Washington.
WASHINGTON. ID. c, March o, 1.

Lotter from washington.
WASHINGTON. d. c, March o, 1873
The Senate Pension bill passed the House
Monday, by vote OF yeas, sis, TO nays, 81; not
voting, So. Mr.. Joyce attempted. unsuccess-
fnlly, TO amend by excluding from It's benefits
all those who voluntarily participated In the re-
bellion. The bill includes rs bene6cisries all
surviving tofiicers, enlisted and drafted men
who served IA days in the war Of 1912. or who
were in any engagement and were honor ably
discharged; also surviving widows OF alt such
as are above enumerated. BIT all person. 81
ready receiving - or above are not entitled
under this bill; and all receiving less than IS
are only entitled 10 the difference between that
sum and the sum now received. II will there
fore be seen that the present bill allows a uni
form rate OF - per month, or such par, OF il a..
when added TO what is already received under
other acts. will aggregate that smount. The
widows Of such soldiers AS would he entitled il
living, are themselves entitled during life time,
unles. they again marry; that the allowance
ceases at the date Of re-marriage. Gilmore Il
Co. of GO +. ST this city, will furnish free all
information needed by claimants. by addrr sing
them rs above.
Mr.. ssrgent's bill for the transfer of the Life
Saving Service to the Navy Department. has
stimulated the friends of its present msnsge-
ment TO heroic efforts, which take the form Of
protest. against the transfer. II seems to he the
impression that they will be able to defeat it.
But il naval officers technically and practically
educated TO all the duties OF n sea-iaring life.
and incidentally. we might suppose To those is-
quired in the conduct Of that Service. are mol
competen, rs charged by the opposition. what
special fitness can men have above them. who
were appointed to positions in the Treasury
Department upon purely political considers
tions:
Judge Kelley taking speech made by Gar
field last November rs = test, seems 10 have
aroused the wrong passenger when he provok-
cd the latter to reply. AT least comments heard
here as 2 the merits Of the two efforts ale to
the efet bal the General go',,. .,uSSNsi most
Of the bOnOiq Of the os-r--'S"
Presi3en' -. seegs 4, immineu, danger
of losing 'se spaisfi,y tina, occurred to him in
the sod.sffrom the adoption of the Southern
PolE,'. by his veto Of the bill Introduced. no
one can doubt. TO secure the acquittal Of the
message is generally commended by those de-
string the punishment Of all plunderer..
The fertilization bill has passed and 1t is
hoped its prompt disposition as soon rs report
ed by the Committee. i, indicative Of the dispo.
si,ion OF the House TO go on with the routine
work OF the session.
report unanimously against Polk is expect
ed the first of next week, and the numerous
friends OF the postal savings bank bill seem dis
posed TO insist on its carly consideration.
II is iel,. will not say universally, but BY
large majority here who have diagnosed the
complication Of ailments now affecting our
langulshiug business interests, that Wood and
his committee OF tariff adju.ters are doing
more Ia perpetrate the existing commercial
prostraiion than are all other causes now set
ing in tina, direction. The steady decline Of
gold since the passage Of the silver bill over
the Presidential veto. seem. TO have discredted
the predictions of disaster INDUCED in By the
advocates OF the exclusive gold standard sy-
anonymously with this decline there has been
noted growing firmne.s in abou, every class
OF Government securities; and the feeling Is
general that # the mischieyous tendencies Of
the infaiioni.ts on the one hand and Of the
anti-tsriG maniaes on the other could be re-
strained. we might confidently count on a grad
ual recuperation from this time forward But
Wood, shutting his eyes TO the evil conse-
quences already 30 papabe that the wayfaring
man, even, is al loss TO Interpret their ominous
purpori, appear, determined TO 20 abuse the
power that has accidentally fallen 10 him, .. 10
cripple every interest within hi, reach. As
compared with Feb. ls11, the decrease for last
month in custom dues amounted 10 SIS, .ia2;
internal revenue taxes sl,ls4 81. Total de-
crease in the revenue for the final months Of
present fiscal year a. compared with some Pc
riod last year, foots up to s5.0,& 36j. Only 10
on, OF the - pages of Woods bill have been
completed during the six months session.
There Is hope. however, that on the fr., day
1t /, presented TO the House, motion 10 strike
out the enaeting elsuse may be adopted, thus
defeating the bill aud properly rebuking the
Encouragement responsible for such losses.
The report OF the Senate Judiciary Committee
seems conclusive 10 the right Of Congress TO
force the Pacific Railroad Companies TO live up
10 their contracts and 10 enact such legislation
a. appe ars needful to enforce the rights OF the
public in the premises. The report substan-
TALLY says that while dis,iainln. on the part
Of Congress any right to destroy at pleasure
the vested rights OF property. the right to
alter. amend or repeal the charter OF the
Pacific Railroads was reserved and is un-
doubted; that even had II not been specially
reserved the prohibition found in the Federal
| Constitution against the right OF any State to
impair the terms Of contract would give Con-
gress the right TO interfere; and finally that in
the absence OF any positive stipulation. the
| fundamental principal that no Congress has the
| right TO limit the Constitutional powers OF any
subsequent Congress, would confer the right
on Congress TO adopt such legislation As In its
| discretion is deemed necessary to force those
roads to comply with the spirit and letter Of
their contracts with the Government.
VOLUNTEER.