Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-01-15
Our Washington Letter.


meSSfs. EdntOrs TN tuesday last Congress re-
turned from its holiday recess, refreshed by I'M
limited doses Of turkey and cranberry sauce, and
reinvigorated by contact with country air and the
healthful association Of their constituents, once
more to do penance for the legislative and pot-
ical welfare Of the common country. The
RETURN OF CONGRESS
has been marked only by the sad and unexpected
death Of two OF its members in the lower house
Messrs Hartridge of Georgia and Schleicher OF
Texas-both occurring during the present week.
While two others-Messrs Williams of Michigan
and Douglass OF Virginia had died during the
recess. Three other members Of the same House
had deceased during the first session, viz Messrs
Leonard Of Louisiana, Quinn Of New York and
Welsh of Nebraska, making seven deaths In the
House during the same Congress. Such great
mortality is unprecedented in the history of any
previous Congress Of the United States and is
regarded as an event Of particular sadness at this
time. Two of the number, Messrs Leonard and
Welsh, alone were Republicans; the remaining
five were prominent members Of the democratic
party. Another member OF the House, Mr.
Thornburgh of Tennessee, is now lying danger
ously i'll at his Southern home and great fears are
entertained for his recovery. lie is the only Re
publican member in the House from Tennessee
Owing to the demise OF two Representatives
during the week. bat little business has been done
in either branch of Congress since its reassem-
bling The only debate Of any importance oc-
CURED in the House yesterday on the bill to
reimburse the
"coLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY"
in Virginia. for damages done to the institution
during the late war. 1t will be remembered that
in the debate upon this bill, at the last session,
quite sensation was created by a speech deliv-
cred in favor of the bill by DIR. Loring of Massa-
chusetts. Believing that such n precedent would
open wide the door for all sorts OF Southern war
claims, the Republican members OF the House al
most unwisely condemned the measure and Sc
verely criticised the speech referred to. The de-
bate yesterday was opened by Mr. Conger, OF
Michigan, one OF the most radical of Republicans
and generally accorded as one of the most sar-
castle orators and readest wits in the House.
His remarks were mostly an attack upon the
speech of DIR. Loring which he characterized AS
fancy SKETCH while the bill he considered
as "a scheme to wheedle money out of Congress
by the syren song of the sweet mnstrels of vir-
gina aided by the tuneful alto of Massachusetts 4"
Quite naturally this brought up the gentleman
from the Bay State, so humorously alluded to,
who made very eloquent speech from his stand
point He was opposed to war claims, but he
looked upon this question as one rising above
politics, and he believed the time had come to
look beyond all local trials and all the difficulties
of the great conflict and seize upon the bright
and luminous spots of that time and turn our
attention to the fruits OF peace. Mr. Munroe of
Ohio, one OF the most conservative of the Repub-
lican members, as well as one of the best edu-
Gated also spoke in favor OF the bill. A final
vote was taken upon the passage of the bill, and
it was rejected, yeas eighty-seven, nays one hun
dred and twenty-eight. The only Republicans
voting in favor were Messrs. Loring, Monroe,
Cox of Ohio, Jorgensen of Virginia. Cain, Rainey
and Smalls-the three latter colored members
from South Carolina. This vote disposes of the
matter for this session at least
SENATOR EDMUNDs RESOLUTION,
offered in the Senate on Tuesday, has been the
only movement of any political significance made
in that body during the week. In introducing it
Mr.. Edmunds said that in this glad morning of
the New Year when there was peace and joy and
hope everywhere he thought it best to offer
resolution tending to cement more perfectly the
good will and harmony throughout the land. The
resolutions are as follows, viz:
"Resored the judgment OF the Senate that the thr-
teenh fourteenth ana fifteenth amendments to the cons
e ,., os 81" ueu' 'es'y ia.e' anu
other part Of the Constitution tina, the neops Of each .as
have interest In the enforcement of the whole
y, every su''e IN 'e uhoh ana mat ake
and nro,sc, vsry citizen H., ,ha asaro.a =, Al, 49, 80,
thereby secured by laws of the general character already
passed for that and by further appropriate ega
'on 50 ar as snch ana projection are not Sc
eorra r,,s,, os ,n "e =, Wv
diligence to carry all such laws into impartial execution
and of Congress appropriate all moneys needful to
that END
,nAt :. II 'ns u'y VI 70 pro
lens Of the United states legally ouaae Ia vote for Rom
Congress- and to this end the Committee on
the Judiciary be- and hereby is instructed to prepare and
as soon as , De- o lor 'ne proeceoh OF snch
"o .""s y, '"ose iosoiu.'on' 10" s'.'pie anu
e'hph"''o ie'er"'ion Vi tne prihcipies oi 'he ne
p"o'i'"" party anu "' 'he s"'ne ''ine rehe"cu
Vi tne more PROMINENT Poht'cai
Vi 'na' party WIN quite na'u-
raiiy pu. 'he ue'hocraVs OIL the senate 10 direct
'es' on TINS iInpor'ah. question. one oil the chief
resolutions Is that the author OF those ABOVE
quo'eu proposes 10 10 snare Oh the "orR MIN
SCH az ne moves 10 INSTRUCT the Juuciafy commit
'ee' Vi which ne rs c"airni'h, 10 repote Dill 10
seooie ''o pro'eo''on heeueu' me RESOLUTIONS
Will oe caiieu up ny MI Iu'nunus Ill ie" DAYS
THE POTTER COMMITTEE,
which has been allowed to drift almost wholly
out of the public mind for some time past, has
lately received new lease OF life in the renewed
interest taken in recent developments concerning
1t. Something OF sensation has been created
within the last twenty-four hours by the publica-
ton Of an affidavit from Mr.. S. II st. Martin, a
deputy sergeant-at-arms employed by the COM
mttee The affidavit was offered to the COM
mttee, at its meeting Yesterday, by Secretary
Sberman's counsel. and rejected by a strict marty
vote. The Republican members all voted to place
the paper on record. while the democrats decided
not to receive 1t on the ground that the witness
shonld he called and examined nersonallv St
Martins statement il that be was Amounted
denntv serpeant-at-arms for the committee nj the
instance Of f. l. Weber bis residence being
Dona,dsopvi,le In Ue WAC ;,drced hv Wehar
IN interv;ew tho democrat;c memhors 81 Tho co,,-
mttee and also tho confidential aaan,s 81 r,Iden
amopo whom yas NJ Cihoon tho Uaobin,,on