The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-04-10
Washington Letter.

The situation in Congress has not
materially changed during the week.
Consideration of the army appropria-
ton in the Committee of the Whole
has occupied the lower House from day
to day, the f1ood-gates of debate having
been thrown wide open. The point of
attack is the clause prohibiting the use
of troops at the polls on election days,
and from the howl that has been raised
on the Republican side. one would
think it was proposition to abolish
the government Of the United States.
The speech of Gen. Garfield, over
which his radical associates were SO
elated at first, turns out to have made
a very different impression from what
was anticipated. The admiration with
which it was at first greeted in, stall
wart circles is changed into q feeling
of discontinue after little cool reflec-
tion, and in the light of a little very
recent history. No longer ago than
last December, Mr.. Garfield took occa-
sion to announce, in a very distinct
tone of voice, from his place on the
floor OF the House, that the man who
hereafter undertook to fire the hearts
of the people with sectional strifes or
bloody shirt utterances, would find
himself without a party. Again, just
before the close, OF the last session of
Congress, he announced to the Domo-
Gratis that the Republicans were ready
to- concede that legislation which 1t
was proposed to repeal in the army
bill. as we'll as the jurors test oath, had
been enacted at a time so different from
the present that they might now be
repealed without harm to the govern
ment. Then he was willing, he said,
to abandon these differences give
up the clause relating to the test oath.
Now, barely a month later, hel de-
nounces as /" revolutionary to the core''
a proposition to repeal the army clause.
This S. 600 politician also caused to
be attached to an appropriation bill, in
1872, the partisan election law which
the Democratic propose to repeal. 70
pass the law in that way was perfectly
correct and regular, but to attempt to
repeal it in the same manner is " revo-
lutionary." In preparing his speech
forthe Record, Mr.. Garfield subjected
his speech to SO liberal toning down
that nothing remains of some of his
most stalwart utterances. Those who
listened to the speech as it was deliv-
cred, last Saturday, understood Mr..
Garfield to say-and he did say-that
his party would not yield an inch,
even to save this government" That
expression, with others equAily vigor-
GUS, has vanished. This highly COR
sistent and excessively loyal individual
was once q preacher, since an agricul-
turist, and is now q: rather moderate
priced politician ..! sldcaiiAi, ..iit.
Gentlemen nominated to office and
under obligations to Senator Anthony.
At the close of the session on Monday
the Republicans desired to go into ex-
ecutive session, and Mr.. Anthony made
motion to that effect. but out of de-
sire to make cheap reputation for
wit, prefaced it with the remark that
" if the chairmen of the various Dem
ocratic caucus and sub-caucus commit
tees had no business to attend to or |
speeches to make, he would move that |
the Senate go into executive session., |
To Mr.. Anthony's disgust Mr.. Herman |
presently rose and quietly moved to
adjourn, saying that, while the Demo-
Gratis Suere willing to help conf rm good |
nominations, they would do SO when
the motion for an executive session |
was made without a breach of good |
manners The Republicans, in some
consternation,7 got MI. Anthony IT,
withdraw. his remarks, but the motion
to adjourn was, carried The next ex-
ecutive session will be moved without
preliminary flourishes. This. talk
about caucus rule comes with mighty
bad grace from the Senatorial relics of
a party that has "run things" in the
most high-handed manner for nearly a
score of years, at caucus dictation.
The Democrats are disposed to allow
the fullest discussion of the repeating
measures proposed, and there is no dan
ger of their getting any the worst of
it. Mr.. Mcmahon SO effectnafy punc-
tured Gariield's effort that only wish
could give his remarks in full here
Gen. Chalmers also made u telling
speech. just as he was concluding he
was interrupted by Conger-jumping.
jack Conger-whO said the gentleman
had declared that the first revolution
had no terrors for him, and he wanted
L - | ,
Gen. Chalmers replied that in olden l
lines the King of England had kept q
ester, rugged in FOOLS cap and merry {
oells, to make fun for the court. The {
Republican party, in Congress also {
Kept a Jester, but. instead of a fools cap ::
md merry BELLS, they dressed him in a
coat. This was applauded
With great enthusiasm III the galleries {
md on the Democratic side. Conger q
etorted and tried to smile, but it was f
'nly sickly grin, and the title SO apt {
y given him will no doubt stick '".'1
Upon pedestal in the lower hall of
he Smithsonian Institute stands a
model Of the new National. Museum,
or the erection of which Congress- re-
ently appropriated $500 The item
vas stricken out of the bill once and
to be lost, but it was restored
It the last moment by the action of a =
conference committee. The money is u
rot available until the 1st of July, but u
he certainty of its forthcoming has in I
pired some preparations for commence
ng the work. The. idea--of National
was proposed many years ago e
y. the late Professor Henry who, in !
lis annual reports, continually laid be-