Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-05-23
Washington Correspondence.
MAsHINGToS. May Is, 49,

EDITOR REPORI Ell. - ue efcbI VI
the greatest interest at this time is the
effort of the democratic house of re-
representatives. to pass strictly partizan
resolutions to investigate the presid-
entail election vote in Florida and
Louisiana. They have determined, in
a party caucus, not to allow any
amendments to their resolutions even
to be heard in fact to enforce the
gag rule and give the republicans no
opportunity to offer any amendments
looking to a general investigation into
all frauds, wherever they have been
perpetrated, but by their resolutions
are determined to confne the investi-
CATION to the frauds alleged TO have
been committed by the republicans.
BY their refusal to extend the in
quiry into the democratic frauds, they
acknowledge that they are afraid of
a full and thorough investigation of
the acts of their friends in the strong
democratic states.
The object of these resolutions is, of
course, to unseat President Hayes,
should tie democracy have majority
in the next house of representatives.,
and to aid them in accomplishing this
end. Speaker Randall wrote to his
democratic friends in Ohio that they
must re-district the state, SO as to give
a democratic gain of congressman of
FIVE in the fall election.
The Legislature of Ohio had fixed
the day of adjournment at the time
this order from speaker Randall was
received, and the order fixing such
time was recinded, Notwithstanding
the fact that it was contrary to all GUS
toms of the Ohio legislature in the pre-
vious years.
The state was distr;cted after the
census of 1870, and under all proceed
cnts in Ohio as we'll as IN all the other
northern states, there should not have
been another re-districting until after
the census Of 1880.
It is but another instance of the
utter disregard the democracy have for
any well settled principle that may
interfere with their success. 1t re-
minds one of the Wisconsin compro-
mise. which was kept up as long as it
benefited the democracy, and was re-
pealed as soon as it ceased to benefit
them.
In connection with this effort to
open up the presidential election which
was settled by a commission inaugur-
ated by the democratic house, and by
which they were bound in honor to
abide, [ cannot forbear quoting from
a letter written by jeff Davis to the
Ladies Memorial Association, of Mac
on, Ga. on the occasion of the laying
Of the corner stone of the confederate
monument at that place. He wrote:
GENTLEMEN: Il sincerely regret
my inability to be present at the lay
ing of the cornerstone of g a monu-
ment to be erected at Macon, Ga, in
honor of our confederate soldiers"
The event possesses every attraction
to me; it is inspired by the Ladies
Memorial Association; the monument
is to be located in the keystone stats
of the confederate arch, and to com
memorate the sacrifice of those who
died in the defence of our inherited
and ''inalienable" rights.
What though we were overborne by
numbers, and accessories not less efic
lent, truth is not to be measured By
success in maintaining it against force
nor is the glory less of him who up
holds it in the face of unequal odds
but is it not rather more to his credit
that he counted all else as dust in tn,
balance when weighed with honor anc
duty? On many stricken field GU
soldiers stood few and faint, but fear
less still, for they were the panoply o
unquestionable confidence in the recti
tude of their cause, and knew how tt
die, but not to surrender. Let no
any Of their survivors impugn thei
faith by Offering the penitential pie;
that " they believed they were right
1t is meet that this monumen
should have originated with the ladies
of the land. whose self-denial was con
spicuous through all the trials ano
suferings of war, whose gentle minis
trations in the hospitals and at tn,
wayside refectories SO largely contrib
uted to relieve the sick and tn,
wounded, and whose untaltering de
votion to their country's cause in th,
darkest hours of eur struggle illustrat
cd the fidelity of the sex which wa
last at the cross and first at the sepui
chure. ..-...
[ am profoundly thankful to then
for inviting me to represent them a
their orator on the approaching oeca
sion. Had it been practicable to ae
cept. their request would have been
to me. a command, obeyed With n
Ef #g atf4 s.. I'll o.