South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1878-06-14
Letter from Washington.
Correspondents of the Intelligence.
N NJ. 81 81, 80. !, 2 81

MI. HARPEn :-Ehere was real pro-
gress made. ON Satnsday in legislation.
Speaker Randeh said Yesterday he
thought it would be possible to finish
up oil importan. business SO as TO ad
joprn, on the day. originally fixed. the
nth. Others anticipate delays in the
agreement of the various Conference
Committees, and think the oath inst
will be as soon as the two Houses will
be ready for Adjournment. "a
The House or Sotnrday agreed TO a
Conference report on a form of Gov
eminent for this District, The Senate
will doubtless agree. Under this form
the higher District official will be APP
pointed by the President. None will
be elected hor will we have legisla-
tute or Delegate in Congress. The
General Government pays half our ex-
penses. s 5nrI as'r Ff
The Senate passed The Army Appro-
priation Bill, with an amendment refer
ring to Commission the subject Of n
transfer OF the Indian Bureau to the
War Department. The two principal
points of disagreement between the
tive Houses on this bill viii be this In
dian Bureau transfer and the Senate
provision increasing the Army to 49,
600 men. 8"
The Senate also passed bill appro-
priating Eve and half million dollars
to pay the Fishery Award. This the
House will ngree TO. The Senate. with
hardly a dissenting vote, passed the
bill advancing s500,O00 to Capt Eads
on his jetly contract. g rN %
A, Committee of Senators las been
appointed TO Investigate the conduct OF
Senator Stanley Matthews in connects
ion with Louisiana frauds. The Senator
declines to appear before the Potter
Committee, though summoned, and here
will oorneEa very interesting question.
Gcnl Butler and the other Republican
members or The Committee agree 10 that
the House, TO which the ease will bc
submitted o-day, has the power TO COM
pei attendance.
l. a bill to relieve Mrs. Ex-senator
Sprague. daughter Of tho late Chief
Justice Chase of the payment of taxes
on All estate in this District left her by
her father has escaped the attention it
deserves because OF the more startling
and sensational topics supplied us by
Congress Stree it met last October. 1t
was struggled through the Senate in q
semi -clandestine way, seemingly, or at
least without provoking much discuss
ion or comments, as though that body
had determined to do something that It
was ashamed Of and hoped the public
wouldn't hear Of it. The same or n
mother bill of like purport is now pend-
ing in the House. When it is remem--
berdd that members of Congress have
stood resignedly by and seen two-ffth
Of the private property Of the citizens
Of this District confscated for taxes to
pay the many millions of dollars Grim
inally wasted, or stolen by its agents,
their anguislI over Mrs. Sprague's hard,
ship in having TO pay her share of taxes
on property worth many thousands of
dollars is extraordinary, especially as
every dollar abated from, her assess
ments must come out Of the other tax.
payers, many of whom find it exceed
ingly difficult to provide the necessi-
ties of life for themselves and those de-
pending on. them. let alone any Of tue
lnxuries which Mrs. Spraguo appears
able TO indulge in. Vt also sounds fun-
ny to hear ''reformers" ia Congress
who groan and talk in the most lugu-
brious strains Of the wrongs heaped on
the poor, get up in their seats and urge
this measure because AIRS. Sprague is
the daughter Of Chief Justice Chasc-a
man, by the way, many Of them never
tbu' W dbuStH8 WhCh III pOl'b'Ch' ire
and while on the bench. There are
hundreds ortax payers in this District
SO lost 70 every chivalrous sentiment
and 50 ,incture3 with communism as TO
protect against this proposed abate.
ment Of taxes at their expense. they
appear unable 10 comprehend the JUS
tice Of any such determinations 10 ia
vor OF those who live as though amply
ample to pay their proportional part Of
tic public burdens some OF them are
descendants Of az ancestry noted for
It's services to THO Government and TO
humanity and they are 50 unrcason.
able IS TO demand chat This kind OF
class lcgI5lation-m making flesh OF one
and Csh Of nnothcr-should cease and
receive no further endorsement under
this Republican Government pariicl
larly from eminent gcformors MEMO.