Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-01-16
From our Regular Correspondent
Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, Jan.

On Thursday, the 10th instant. contrary
to general expectation, there was quo
rum of both Houses of Congress, and the
stars and stripes were unfurled TO the
dripping heavens at both ends of the Cap
itol. Debate was resumed, without the
least ado, precisely where it had left off
before the holiday recess, and both mem
bers and senators appeared to be crammed
full of speeches.
In the House the question was upon Mr..
Growers resolution for sweeping investi-
cations in the departments, and Messrs
Hale of Maine, Cox and Garfield of Ohio,
Banks of Massachusetts, Clymer of Penn
sylvania, Tucker of Virginia and Conger
Of Michigan made short and opposite ar
guments on the subject, taking grounds
with the exception of Mr.. Cox of Ohio,
with their respective political parties. Mr.
Cox, who, it will be remembered, was
secretary of the interior during the earlier
days of Grants first term, assumed the
position that no republican should oppose
investigation, but, allowing the majority
the greatest latitude in this respect, throw
upon the democrats the opprobrium of
frivolous and expensive inquiries.
The debate was spirited and interesting
Gen. Banks spoke with his wonted point
lessness and impressiveness insisting that
the measure was unconstitutional, confer
ring upon the committees unwarranted
powers to search, compel and imprison.
His remarks were an opportunity for the
legal pedant of the House, Mr.. Tucker of
Virginia, who was once attorney general
for his state, and also professor of law in
Washington and Lee University. He quite
overwhelmed Gen. Banks, and the House,
and almost staggered himself with his
knowledge of the constitution. Mr.. Con-
ger of Michigan made, as usual, funny
speech, the point of which seemed to be
that this century could not endure a repe-
tition of the theatric farce of Mr.. Clymer's
exposure Of the supposed Belknap crook
ednesS-that the new democratic members
were painting to emulate Mr.. Clymer. but
that they mistook their age, as well as the
endurance Of human nature since such
gigantic iiascos must be distributed equita-
bly, through history, and not monopolized
by one generation.
Mr.. Wood is bitterly reproached by his
party for his management of this resolu-
ton; he, us chairman of the ways and
means committee and leader of the demo-
Gratis on the floor, allowed the question to
come to vote when he knew the members
of his party present were in Il minority.
1t is charged that he secretly desired the
defeat of the resolution, but he can, at
least, plead that he is not answerable for
absenteeism in his party, and that if every
democrat had been in his place, and had
voted us he did, the motion would not have
been lost. Mr.. Hale of Maine is credited
by his friends with having foreseen that
there would be but small attendance of
democrats, and with quietly advising the
republicans to be present, ready to take
advantage of any weakness. Both parties
made strenuous effort to rally every man
for the struggle on the following day. tel
egramS were sent TO old absentees, and ar
rivals were anXiously watched and count
ed. The result on the following day
proved that the democrats had profted by
the delay, and the resolution TO investigate
was passed by u very small majority.
The lobby has been called the third
House, and unless the Womans Rights
convention is II branch Of the lobby, it may
be called the fourth House. At any rate,
the women suffrage agitators were in Con-
vention in the lobby of the Senate on
Thursday, ard such convention! 1t was
chiefly u mob of men and boys and few
women of discordant views trying to con-
duct debating society, prayer meeting
and political campaign in one breath.
Their efforts here during the last week
have been farcical in the extreme. What
ever of good or right their may be in fe-
male suffrage us an abstraction, the whole
subject is turned into derision and pueril-
ty, whenever its weak illogical advocates
get IN opportunity to make themselves
heard. would not have believed that a
convention of women could do and say so
many fantastic things, without the true
avouch of my own eyes and ears. One
session of their convention, in Lincoln
Hail. was occupied by oratorical dOctresses
in protest against maternity or rather in
urging the right of women to control the
conception and progeny business, so that
only such numbers and such characters of
babes Stockings might be born into the
world as they desired. These and other
vageries of quack, chronological, spiritu-
alistic and SPURIOUS, non-science were APP
plauded TO the echo by some unwholsome
looking women on the stage and in the
audience. don't think there can be II
doubt that every woman's suffrage conven-
ton makes more enemies than friends for
the cause, and materially poStponeS the
attainment Of the ballet by the sex.
Thoughtful and philanthropic men con-
cede that woman's lot, like mans, is hard,
and the tendency of public sentiment rs
well as of legislation is to give her the
faircst possibls chance in life But there
are disabilities primarily sexual and con-
sequently physical and mental, from
which no law or sentiment can absolve
her. Moreover, Thoughtful men have not
unlimited faith in the ballot rs Il panacea
for human ills. They have been trying it
right extensively for the last hundred
years. and they have found that, in spite
+ of it, the depravity of human nature will
crop out in legislation and government
pretty much us it has always done in what
we call the efletc despotisms.
Mile. Rozo, the latest prima donna
brought from Europe, is Mrs. Perkins, the
French widow of Jules Perkins, IL native
of Woodstock.
Judge Usher, Lincoln's secretary of the
interior, has written the president II strong
letter on the violations of law by the
Union Pacific railroad in its relations to
the Kansas Pacific and in other respects.
NOVEL CASE. THE venerable academic
town of Hanover, n. H., is cOnvulsed over
a singular lawsuit between two of its
citizens. John McNally has brought a
suit against Tyler j. Newton, boot and
shoe dealer for 5000, said amount being
for room rent, fuel and light during the
defendants courtship of the plaintiffs step
daughters period of over four years