Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-02-10

to have undertaken to boss the job of |
buying or stealing enough electoral votes
to seat him in the White House. Potter
goes on a visit to New York rendering
suspension of work necessary when
Mac Mahon is asked to act as Chairman
of the subcommittee that goes to New
York he finds that the nature of his ,,
public duties will not admit of his alb
sence from the Capitol; when Hunton
is wanted to take the same position it is
found he is at Warrenton, Va, '.And
they all with one consent began to make
excuse" ] only need add relative to
the Republican Witnesses that they each
and collectively testified like men who
had nothing to conceal. Mr.. Chambers
genial way Of telling his story rendered
the work of the committee a real pleas
ure while he lasted. But they are call
ed from the temporary diversion to
again face the the skeleton in their
closet.
The Democratic managers found that
it would be impossible to keep the Chal-
mers. Hookers and other hotspurs desir-
ing to get at Bragg, muzzled to the end
of the session. Hence they made vir-
tue of necessity and turned them loose
to have it out with the plucky wolverine
who had thrown off his allegiance to the
Confederate cause and notified all con-
cerned that he would hereafter antago-
nize their raids on the Treasury to the
best OF his ability. But after they had
had their say it was found that Bragg
wasn't hurt much and it seems the gen.
eral verdict that he has the best of the
fight so far. The adverse votes on
Conkllng's motion Friday to Immediate
ly dispose of the N. Y. Custom House
nominations is accepted as foreshadow-
ing an Administration victory in the
premises. The Democrats have so far
revealed their hand as to make it toler-
ably certain that large majority of
them will vote for confrmation-at least
enough of them with the Republicans
who have indicated their sympathy with
the President in the matter to insure
the defeat of Senator Conkling. In view
of the bitterness that has prompted the
extraordinary exertions put forth by
both sides to this contest, the vanquish-
ed party can but feel the defeat most
keenly. 1t seems to have become a
question of the greatest recources and
few now seem to doubt that the Presi-
dent and Mr.. Sherman will jointly be
able to demonstrate their superiority to
Mr.. Conkling in that respect. However
| much of .'reform" there may be involved
IN the matter of confirming these nomi-
nations it will hardly be argued that
the Democrats have been actuated by
any other motive than that ofperpetuat-
ing and widening the existing differen-
ces between the Administration and
leading Republicans, save as they may
have been prompted by feeling Of per-
sonal friendship. But it is likely the
president and Mr.. Sherman have done
precisely what Mr.. Conkling would have
done under like circumstances, to wit:
They have utilized the advantages of
thoir position to carry their point. Pub
lie interests seem to have been almost
crowded out of sight by partisan consid-
erations, and through the demands made
on the time of Congress by the many
monopolies represented here by the per-
sonal friends of members who are here
in unusually large numbers to look after
the private interests for whose advance
ment legislation is needed. Though only
four more weeks are left, some of the
appropriation bills have hardly yet been
touched. Outside of these there are a
few matters requiring attention of some
kind, but it don't seem likely they will
get it. 1t is certainly saying little for
the aggregate wisdom of Congress that
in the present condition of our shipping
and foreign trade interests, it is unable
to extend a helping hand, or that it is
unable to devise a method to break
down and bring in subsection to the
laws great corporation, which enbar-
goes Interstate trade at will, and does
not scruple to paralyze large portion
of the trade of the world, till it forces
the acceptance of conditions that leaves
little margin for profit to any concern
except itself. Then again what have
we to show for all the time and money
snent nv Mr.. Hewitt and his Labor