Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-06-07
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Correspondence of the Bulletin.

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OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Correspondence of the Bulletin
WASHINGTON, D. G., May, 81, 49,
The proposed adjournment of Con
gress on the 18th of June, meets with
much disfavor here among the Demo
Gratis, and so great is the expression OF
dlsapprobatiOn, that we regard it as
probable that the time will be extended
at least two weeks, under recommends
ton of the adjourning resolution, other
wise the five minute rule must certain
~ be applied to all discussion upon the
business under consideration, for few
measures will be acted upon should free
debate be permitted, no matter if IL
hour sessions be held instead of the Gus
tomary hours from II to 4. The reaI
business accomplished thus far is Gov
cred by very few bills, hence, if an at
tempt is made to adjourn on the 18th OF
June, much Of material Importance will
be neglected or passed in that hasty
careless manner which invariably opens
the door to loose or impolitic legislation
The last days OF Congress are usually a
shame and disgrace to the country, fol
in them are concentrated that legisla-
ton width should have been spread ov-
er the entire session under fullest DELHI
Grafton.
Decoration was observed here pretty
generally. Congress adjourned over, by
order of the President all the executive
departments were closed, and our peo-
pie fairly poured out of the city in ex-
cursion parties and to decorate the
graves at the various cemeteries in
our suburbs Arlington is usually the
great resort, though the cemetery at
Soldiers, Home contains nearly as many
graves. But the storm married and
brought the ceremonies to an abrupt
close. On the 18th St. road, near the
Soldiers Home is the monument erect
ed to the memery of the 80 men who
fell at that point while resisting Early 5
attack on the city in 1864. 1t was dec
Grated with some few flowers, but really
as matter of fitness, it should have
been the most highly honored, for, but
for these brave men and their gallant
comrades who escaped injury, Early
would have entered Washington, and,
by destroying and laying waste to it, the
ruin of the government might have been
accomplished. We would have heen a
nation without Capital, and Early s
success perhaps the end of the opposi-
ton to the Confederacy. We, at the
time, saw many of the dead heroes, who
sleep under this shaft, with their ghast-
ly wounds speaking their devotion to
their country, and cannot now resist the
thought that Washington should put
them and their lovely monument in the
place of highest honor, and give them
ever the hottest reverence. The sol
diers burial place is upon the battle
field where he gave up his life, and the
prOudest monument of Washington
should be this one covering the handful
of patriots.
Our papers have published interest
ing letters from Alexander H. Stevens
and Post Master General Key, giving
their views upon Mr.. Potter's Presiden-
tial resolutions, and both handle these
measures with no gingerly words. Both
declare them revolutionary, and only
productive of evil if pushed to fullest
extent. The reader of their letters
would hardly conclude that the writer's
had been identified with the Confeder-
acy, when noting their devotion to Mr..
Hayes and their solicitude for undis-
turbed peace throughout the country.
The opinion seemingly grows stronger
here daily that the whole matter will
prove silly farce in the end, be-
cause the people will not permit that
MeXicaniZation Of our government which
Messrs. Stephens and Key so freely
charge upon the supporters of the res
olutions as a consequence of their acts.
The Senate licked our District govern
ment bill into pretty good shape, and it
is likely the House will accept the ma
jority of the amendments made by the
Senate. The differences between the
two Houses upon this bill will doubtless
be speedily harmonized by a committee
of conference. And then we will be in
position where we can feel we have a
definite city government The clause
requiring the United States to pay one
half the cost of governing the District,
has not been disturbed. The debate in
the Senate showed conclusively that the
District should not bear greater burdens
of taxation than the Nation. Mr.. Bay
ard, Of Delaware, went so far as to say,
that the government should pay even
more than half, because it received
more than half the benefits following
expenditures made here for public pur-
poses, and yet, in the past, our citizens
have expended one-half more than Con-
gressional appropriations for Distri ct
purposes.
1t now seems settled that Congress
will erect separate building for the
National Bureau of Engraving and
Printing. Senator Thurman has with
drawn his objections, he having hereto:
fore opposed, on the grounds that it
cost the government more to do its own
printing than to have it done under con-
tract, and that one impression printed
by private parties operated as a check
against fraud and loss. He frankly
stated, however, in Tuesdays debate,
that investigation had caused him to
reach different conclusions, hence he
would favor the experiment