The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1879-02-19
DOINGS AT WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, February 10, l


The result of caucusing and private
agreements among Democratic senators
seems to be that no general legislation will
he finally insisted on as amendments 10 the
appropriation bills except repeal Of the
test oath for L. s. jurors This is an oath
which keeps off Of L. 5. juries all men who
aided or SymDathzed with the confederates
in the ciyi! war. The Democrats, it seems
to be understood, will not insist upon a
transfer Of the Indian Bureau, upon army
reorganization, or upon repeal Of the law
authorizing the appointment Of Federal
supervisors Of elections, and the Republ-
cans will consent to the test oath repeal.
This prevents an extra session. OF course
tderc will De much and spirited debate on
all the subjects mentioned above, but the
results known in advance. Mr. Southland,
chairman OF house special committee on
laws relating to the election of president
gave notice Yesterday that he should not
press the committees bill at this session
Tins makes it probable that we shall have
another presidential election under the law
as it has long existed Both houses realize
that there is chance for improve
ment, but neither will probably
take fnal action at this session.
The house has been occupied for several
days of this week on the legislative, execu-
tive and iuliclal appropriation bill, and
will dispose Of it probably by Tuesday.
Following t will come from the committee
the sundry civil and deficiency bills, and,
to be passed in the last days of the session,
that most outrageous of swindlcs, the river
and harborimprovement bill. All these the
senate willpass, agreeing as stated above
to an amendment to one of them doing
away with the test oath. General Butler,
of Massachusetts, yesterday gave the house
his views on war claims He thinks no
payment should be made, except TO keep
the contract between the Federal govern
ment and It's soldiers Mr.. Blackburn spoke
briefly on the subject and said it was
wrong to impute to the South any respon-
sibility for the presentation of these claims.
She had made no claims. "The SOUTH
said Mr.. Blackburn, "had staked her all on
her convictions and had lost. She had not
complained, and would never in the future
complain. She bore her losses and simply
protested, that it was neither generous nor
kind nor manly nor merciful to drag
her into this question and to make her the
football of the passions Of men who seemed
to have at heart the serving Of partisan
purposes rather than the advancement Of o
common good" Among the various docu-
ments laid upon the desks of members of
congress, not one perhaps has more re-
ference to the commerce of the southwest
and south than the report Of
the aamy engineers on the
jcttcs and the review by Capt. Jas, b. Eads
of that report. The most important ques-
ton really decided by the engineers, and
one that is very complimentary to the cngi.
ncer who urged the jctty system Of works
at the mouth of the Mississippi, is the qucs-
ton of the formation of bar in front of
the jetties. The commission is decidedly
Of the opinion, to quote its own language
that 1.-THE actual results, so far as we know
them, do not justify the predictions of nc
celebrated bar advance. On the contrary
they show u disappearance of bur
material from the front OF the ic.tics,N
This question then is finally settled.
1t exercised the minds Of the chief en-
gincers OF the country, when the je,ties
were first suggested by Capt, Eads and
there was u decided conflict Of opinion
between the builder of the jettics, on. tho