Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-02-06
Our Washington Letter.


session. The House, ut least, has shown some In
clination to begin work. while the Senate has
continued speech-naking upon financial matters
r,tr WEEK IN THE porrsr
has been lively one. On Monday the silver mon
led off with the Matthew'S silver resolntior
which has inst come from the Senate. and MI
though lis massage was TONIGHT AGAINST nv Ceneral
Garfield and other able debaters the Iouse nasaed
the resolution in concurrence by vote Of ono
hundred and eiphty-nine to seventy-nine-a sur.
plusage of ten votes more than a two.thirds
majority This practically settles the ouestion n,
reconciliation of silver, and the country must ac
cept the result with AZ good grace as possible
| An ANALYSIS of the vote on the resolution shows
that there wore lint TWENTY-FIVE members abscn,
and not voting. The affirmative vote was made
up of one hundred and thirteen democrats and
seventy-six republicans while the negative vote
comprised fifty,fye republicans and twenty-fou,
democrats. Only two New England members
General Butler and Phelps of Connecticut--yoted
for 1t, and only two members from New York
A resolntion uasa lso on ered and nassed ooains,
the passage of any subsidies whatever. which NAV
be considered NJ merely political bnncombe -
and no real evidence of what members NAV do
when called to vote upon any political or Subsidy
scheme. MANY of the avowed friends of the
Texas Pacific subsidy voted for the ant-subsdy
resolution The bulk Of the vote against the res
CLINTON came from the South and Southwest
Frye of Maine, Denson Of Vermont, Harris Of
Massachusetts, and Ianders of Connecticut, were
the only New England members who voted
against the resolution. Mr.. Denison, It will be
| remembered voted, In the same negative way.
for a third term OF Grants administration. The
House has also declared, during the week by a
vote of one hundred and thirty-four to ninety.
five, that It is inexpedient to reduce the tax on
whiskey. The action of the House in directing
the speaker to enforce the rule which excludes
persons who are not members from the foor
during sessions, has caused considerable con.
sternation among the lobbyists and much com.
ment everywhere. Even ex-members must now
make oath that they are not interested in any
pending legisiauon before they are allowed To
enter Inc change Is generally considered as
creulu'pie 10 'he Rouse IN causing IT, and bene-
nc'ai I" Tue proper discharge Oh Congressional
BUSINESS
MT. D"Nef' oi ihuiaha' Threw oompshell into
'he oenocfatic camp yesterday ny presenting
resolution providing Tor an investigation oil Door
Keeper roN' ne hau read NJ the clerk desk
several damaging aihdavits' signed by ex-em'
ploNes' 7" 'he erect tIiat FOLK compelled employees
10 contribute OUT oi their saaries Tor the support
oil others not on the roll; that Polk is lobbyist
ana Is interested IN claim now pending In Con
gress' ana that ne mas made his boasts that he had
u" corner IN Congress These aifidavits created
great excitement and, after several attempts to
defeat It's intenton'the resolution was referred to
the committee on civil service reform
Colonel Joyce yesterday presented resolutions
adopted by the Merino Sheep Breeders Assoca.
ton OF Vermont in favor of the substantial con-
tinuation OF the present duty on wool and woolens
and declaring it to be necessary to the prosperity
OF the wool interest; which were duly referred
Governor Hendee has introduced hill author.
'A'"S 'i'e iO''i"S'ei-"eHe'a' 10 eN'ehu tnc Posta
'nohcy oiuer system 10 poSt-oinees whlch are mol
ho" au'horlzeu money order ohceS
IN THE SENATE
the debate on the Bland silver bill was commenced
on Monday by Senator Morrill, in an exhaustive
argument against it. The National Union of this
city, in speaking of It, says, " As an intellectual
effort, we consider Mr. Morrirs speech worthy OF
the best days of the Senate" Another important
subject which has been before the Senate during
the week Ia the delay in the matter of rng
pensions. The force in the Surgeon-Generafs Of
flee is so much inadequate to the work to be per.
| formed, that the business Is six months behind
There are nearly seventy thousand cases in the
Pension Bureau awaiting action, with not enough
clerical force to prevent the extra number Of cases
from constantly accommodating Senators Edmunds
HORT ingalls, ana ifamiin referred To the numerous
hse'"ecs VI inJ"suoe uohe W pensioners through
.",' oeN's' anu "''u '"e o'a''e "here " 'ighus
oei"hsS-on 'he parSi'nohio"s anu pehuriou'
COURSE "uop'eu py 'he uemocfatc House On
i"ur'uay' az no oen"'or was prepared 10 SPEAK
"n .he ShVer question: 'he senate ADJOURNED ovei
1n'" 'iohuns' HeNpec'eu ny t""t t''e dozen
SENATORS VIII oe ready I'd 'en'i'a'e 'heir opinions
"h 'he p''no o''i
THE LOUISIANA RETURNING BOARD
has received its due share of attention here the
past week, ON account of the recent arrests OF
some OF It's members in New Orleans 1t has
been ascertained during the last twenty-fonI
hours that Governor Wells is in this city, and has
been IN close consultation with his counsel The
administration il understood to be thoroughly
satisfied that the prosecution OF the Returning
Board Is being stimulated by disconteGted Repub-
leans in this city and elsewhere with a view to
widen the breach between the President and party
leaders in the Senate, and to undermine the sup
| pow '' nos "'''''" wv" eN'ehueu I" nun pS
CONSERVATIVE "en VI an parties Is also De-
".''u ''". s"'''' '"' Ao.,sN'"" oo"r's US gwen
so'e J"''Su'o'oh anu s','"u SEM ,he members oil
'"o oo''a " '"e pei''cn,pfy' uo'erhor MICH
o''' "o''' ~ '''e p'''oh '"e'i out
THE HENDEE BILL
10 provide form OF government for the District
oil Columbia has been considered by the House
committee on the District the past week, and
evoked much discussion An amendment has fl
nally been passed by majority OF one in COM
mittee' ohered by Governor Claflin, of Massachu-
sets, providing that there shall be elected annu-
any, by universal suffrage, council OF twenty
Tour members, the cities OF Washington and
Georgetown and the county to he divided into
election precincts, from which two members each
are TO be elected annually The council is to ex-
ercse legislative functions, pass the necessary or
dinances for the public health, etc. Governor
Hendee opposed this amendment vigorously, hold
ing that the sad plight in which the District stood
to-day was in great measure due to universal
suffrage heretofore, In this ground he was sup
ported by five of the eleven members Of the COM
mittee, all Of whom believe that the bill as
amended has not the ghost of a chance of passing
either branch of Congress.
NOTES AND COMMENTS
The President snubbed the politicians in two
pointment of Van Zandt to be chief Justice of
1