Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-02-22

post OF Obtaining possession "
Of the said property and its cony erson and appica-
tion TO the liquidation Of our debts and to take
stock In such corporation in proportion 10 our resec
This agreement to be binding when majority of
creditors in the amount shall have signed the same
LETTER IRON H.lSHLNGTON
WASHINGTON. D. c. February 20. 1879.
To Tie Editor of the KcnBejec Jou5Hci;
Rapidly the hours which mark the close Of
a Congressional session are drawing near.
But nine working days now remain. There
seems 20 he no Improvement upon past his
tory in this instance all the important meas
urcs of government, with n few exceptions,
are DELAYED until the last few weeks or days.
and then thrust through in careless and
hasty manner. A. in the case Of the river
and harbor appropriation bill the rules are
sometimes suspended and bills passed in
toto, and all measures which now pass, will
have but passing glance bestowed upon
their merits. From now until the close Of
the session. is the lobbyists harvest time.
The galleries, halls and passage ways are
filled with them and their friends. Add to
llltSt- hlltt NttNtIN hill 0iENA NtNiH anu N'b
may well conclude that the Capitol is not Il
lonely place just now. The light is animat-
ing and rather captivating. As the last few
DAYS and hours draw near | am afraid the
view will be- painful ard disgusting. Last
wear there were many evidences of lnoSeness.
drunkenness and indecorum. Already this
wear the same bad features are becoming ap-
parent Several members of the House up
! Of "a, cCe.i.,,, in tat 1f
inebrey which is degrading to the body
which permits the exhibition. Were it not
that one or two Of Virgnia's Congressman
I are to end their term on the 18th of March
next, should predict some more deceased
members from that State. The finest look
| ing member of that State delegation was,
quite recently. Unahl, to keep his seat, and
was led to a sofa to doze off the fumes of
liquor Verify. is this a reform Congress
| fear FIR the treasury as the last hours APP
proAcb, for many men here will scarcely
know what they are voting for Is not such
! legislation 4 good temperance lecture to the
country, and should not the people see to it
that mono bat sober men should be nominated
to FL such important positions?
THE ARMY Bill.
The Amy Dil as it passed the House is but
a roiterntion OF the old Banning Bill with
here AMI there Burnside clause inserted.
1t is strange that large appropriation
should b. made by Congress to provide n
committee with means to sit a whole year il
they chose for the purpose of perfecting an
efficient and satisfactory army bill, and then
when that Committee is called upon for it,
action it is absolutely ashamed to submit its
report let such is actually fact,
The Burnside Bill was 4 weak, wishy-waslv.
incomplete and injurious concern which, as
soon a. it was diSscctcd hv competent experts
showed clearly its absurditics and utter fail
urc to meet the wants OF the case. 1t looks
rs if those SolOns on the committee deter
mined to have good time to themselves at
the Springs and other places where they met.
and left the military business to be ''iixcd up
by one or two interested persons. There is
10 other explanation that | can see.
! am confidently persuaded that the
same Number of employees, taken from the
various bureaus of the War Department, to-
gether with one or two good officers and sol
diers OF the army, could have framed more
sensible and less cumbersome BILL and at
one tenth the cost. which this wonderful com
mittee has brought forth. Such measure
requires the talent Of those who have had di-
rect and continuous connection with the army
and its various qualifications.
AnnEAHAGEs OF PENSIONS.
The bill in relation to the Arrearagcs OF
Pensions il another hasty and incomplete
measure. In the main il is Just and bencfi-
cial but there are many provisions in the bill
which leave large openings for the practice
of fraud and deception, and besides give rise
to yeXati0us complications and imperfect dis
cussions. The bill was political measure, as
il were, and was hurried through one House,
and slipped through the other before the diff
culties of the measure were apparent. Now
it will be exceedingly difficult to ''cure' the
imperfections.
As EXTRA SESSION.
The chances for an extra session depend al
together upon the persistency of the demo.
Gratis in lacking political measures upon
the appropriation bill. If they insist upon
their pet measure-the repeal of the clause
providing for supervisors of elections-and de
terminc to place this drag on the legislative
executive and judicial appropriation bill, and
stick to it, they will be gratified with an ex
ira session. But they fear one, and wouC
much rather get through in this one. The
country would give them thorough rebuke il
the next elections and they are partly awar.
Of the fact. Yet they hate nightly to e,
home without having erased this last proven,
tive against fraud in the Southern elections
The Butler-Corbin case, too. may b,
brought up in the Senate, and if fllibustereC
upon may SO delay business as to require tn,
calling of an extra session. The filibuster
in2 would be on the democratic side this time
y few days must decide the whole question
CoLoRnD INSTRUMENTATION.
At the end of this session there will be b,,
one colored man remaining in Congress
Senator Bruce of Mississippi. The year ls6.
first saw n ColOrpd MAJ to "a his Spa in tho ho