The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-01-17
GFFFAiRS IN WAsHINGTON.
EFom Oar Regular Correspopdeaa.
WLsHIHGToH, Jan. Ii, 1878.

rum of both houses of Congrey, and the
stars and stripes were unfu- led TO the
dripping hearers at both ends of the
Capitol. Debate was resumed, withoE:
the least ado, precisely where it had left
off before the holiday recess, and both
1ensbers and Senators appeared to be
crammed full of speeches. In the House
the question was upon Mr.. Growers reso-
luton for sweeping Investigations in the
Departments, and Messrs. Hale OF Me-,
Cox and Garfield OF Ohio. Banks of
Mass, CIymer of Pa, Tuckcs of Va, and
Conger of Mich, made short and oppo-
site arguments ON the subject, taking
grouEis, with the exception of Mr.. Cox,
of Ohio, with their respective political
parties. Mr.. Cox who, 1t will be remem-
bered, was Secretary Of the Interior, du-
ring the earlier days of Grants first term,
assumed the position that no Republican
should oppose investigation, but, allow
ing the majority the greatcs. latitude in
this respect, throw upon the Democrats
the approbrium of frivolous and expen-
sive inquiries.
The debate was spirited and interest
ing. Gen. Banks spoke with his wonted
! pointlessness and impresaiyenesa, insis..-
ing that the measure was unconstitu-
tional, comforting upon the committees
unwarranted powers to search, compel,
and imprison. His remarks wcro an op-
portunit.y for the legal pedant of the
House. Mr. Tucker, of Va, who was
once Attorney General for his State, and
also Professor of law in Washington and
Lee University. He quite overwhelmed
Gen. Banks an1. the House, and almost
staggered him1elf with his knowledge OF
the Consti' i'Iaion. Mr.. Conger, of Michi-
gan, made, as usual, funny speech, the
point Of which seemed to be that this
century could not endure repetition OF
the theatric farce of Mr.. Clymer's ex-
posure Of the supposed Bciknap crook
edness--that the new Democratic mem
bers were painting to emulate Mr. ely
mer, but that they mistook their age, as
we'll as the endurance of human nature,
since such gigantic fiascos must be dis
tributcd equitably through history, and
not monopolized by one generation.
Mr. Wood is bitterly reproached by his
party for his management Of this resolu-
ton; he, as Chairman of the Ways and
Means Committee, and leader of the
Democrats on the floor, allowed the
question to come TO vote when he knew
! the members Of his party present were in
q minority. 1t is charged that he Sc.
cretly desired the defeat of the resolu-
ton, but, he can, at least, plead that he
is not answerable for absenteeism in his
party, and that if eve:y Democrat had
been in his place and had voted as he
did: the motion would not have been
lost. Mr. Hale, of Maino, is credited by
his friends with having foreseen that
| there would be but small attendance of
Democrats, ac3 with quietly advising the
4 Republicans to .,e present ready to take
advantage of any weakness. Both par
ties made strenuous effort to rally every
ma1 for the struggle on the following
day; kilograms were sent to all alb
sentees, and arrivals were anxiorsly
watched and counted. The result on
the following day proved that the Demo
Gratis had proited by the delay, and the
resolution to investigate was passed by q
very small majority.
The lobby has been called the third
House, end, unless the Woman's Rights
Convention is branch of the lobby, it
may be called the fourth House, At
any rate the women suffrage agitators
were in convention in the lobby of the
Senate IN Thursday, and such conven-
tion 1t was chiefly mob of men, boys
and few women Of discordant views
trying to conduct a debating society,
prayer meeting and a political campaign
in one breath. Their efforts here during
the last week have been farcical in tho
extreme. Whatever of good or right
| there may be in female suffrage as an
abstraction, the whole subject is turned
into derision and puerility, whenever i.s
weak illogical advocates get an opportu-
nifty to make themselvcs heard. Iwould
not have believed that q -~avention of
women could do and say SO many fan
tastic things, without the true avouch of
my own eyes and cara. Many yageries
Fof quack, chronological. spifitualstic,
| and spurious, non-science were applaud
ed to .he echo by some sunwho,esome
looking women on the stage and in the
audience. don't think there can be a
doubt that every woman's suffrage con-
vention makes more enemies than friends
for the cause, and materially postpones
the attainment of the ballot by the sex.
Thoughtful and philanth.apic men con-
cede that woman's lot, like name, is
hard, and the tendency OF public senii-
ment us we'll as of legislation ia to give
her the fairest possible chance in life.
But there are disabilities, physical and
mental, from which no law or sentiment
can abso!ve woman. Moreover, thought.
full men have not unlimited faith in the
ballot as q panacea for human ills. They
have been trying il right extensively for
the iaSt, hundred years, and they have
found that, in spite Of it, the depravity
of human nature win crop out in legisla-
tion and government pretty much as it