The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1878-12-20
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Special Correspondent
WIsHINGTON n q Doc q 10

Nothing very startling marked occur
rences at the Capitol the first week of
the session. Wood, Chairman of Ways
and Means Committee in the House and
hence recognized as leader of the Demo
cratic majority, boiled over the first day.
He made bad mess of it as ne did at q
similar stage of proceedings three years
ago. On that occasion Mr. Blaine
promptly took him in hand at the close
of his diatribe, and he was 30 severely
disabled that his convalesence was re-
tarded beyond the close of the session.
The servility of this Representative of
the Five Points Democracy to his old
tasks masters of the South was notorious
even among the old line dough faces
sent here by Northern Democracy prior
to the war. Lapse of years seems to
have made him more than ever obsequi-
GUS and ready to bow to the arrogant
demands of his bulldoze associates. He
sought to utilize his appointment by
Randall to the head of the Committee
named. to build up his reputation as q
reformer; but the contemp'uous manner
Of his fellows in kicking his bill for q
revision of the tariff out of the House
last session, after he had spent months
in maturing it, deeply wounded his van
ity. 1t was pointedly uncomplimentary
to his Statesmanship and was regarded
as left-handed protest against his as
sumptions as leader. He appeared to
think the Presidents mild allusion to the
Southern situation as providential OPP
portunity to retrieve his character and
regain his influence. Accordingly the
reading of the message had hardly
ceased when he secured the floor and
proceeded to deny the truth of every
intimation of Southern outrages con-
tanned in it, and asserted his knowledge
of Republican intimidation of voters in
the North. 1t was an open bid for the
favor of the South and was 80 repulsive-
ly servile in its promises of instant and
unquestioring obedience to the behests
of the Confederate Brigadiers,as to make
the position of those for whom he spoke
appear only less pitiable than that ofthe
freedman under Democratic Hhome
rule" But he succeeded in committing
his party associates ofthe Houee-notor-
ious zealots as they have been for inves-
tigation-to the policy of opposing any
inquiry into the abhorent crimes South
ern Democracy is alleged to have resort
ed to in the last campaign to make the
late Confederacy redundantly solid.
Republicans saw the blunder "Mr Wud"
had made and spiked Democracy to the
record, though its clearer headed mem
bers struggled to escape from the dam
aging position in which their leader left
left them. They labored four days to
that end unsuccessfuily, then adjourned
over until to-day in order to reform
their lines, bring up the demoralized
stragglers and agree on programme
for the future. Republicans of both
Houses appear substantially agreed on
the plan reached by Messrs Blaine,
Edmunds, Dawes. Howe and Christiancy,
designated as a Committee for that pur
pose at Senate caucus. It is bold and
aggressive. Edmunds was entrusted
with the details; and resolutions, pre-
ceded by preamble reciting the sub
stance of the 18Th, 18th and 18th amend
ments, win be early offered, proposing
a decrease in the ratio of representation
of certain Southern States in Congress
and the Electoral College, in proper
ton to the number of citizens they have
disfranchised by Legislative enactments
and violence. Mr. BAineIs resolutions
which proposed searching inquiry into
the alleged campaign lswlessness and
crimes In the South will also come up
and the fighting forced. As they are in
the line of the recommendations of the
Presidents message, no difference be
tween the Executive and Republican
Cougre@men can result from their in
troducion.
The Committee having IN charge the
proposed transfer Of the care of the
Indians to the War Department have
taken voluminous evidence, including
that Of General Sherman in favor; and
of Secretary Schurz and Col Meacham
in opposition. The bills for establish
ing poial Swings banks and for furth-
er distribu6en Of the General Award are
inherited from last session and win re-
ceive early confederation,
Public eonideratim seems pretty
generally aroused TO he belief that .
renewal Of old time prosperity is to come
through developement Of our own re-
sources with . judicios extension of
our commercial relations onold and new
fields. The opening up Of the rich belt
Of our country to Be tsversed by the
Texas & Pacific railroad to the stock
raiser, the kruer and miner risrsgarded
- one OF the most important steps IN
this doctrine, and 10 ftee transecutinen.
tial trade Of the incumbus Of the exist-
ing monopoly Of the Central Pacific
Hence unusual interest has besn man.
Tested in Matthews argument in fsvor
Of the bill to aid in the construction Of
that competing line. MAXWELL.