Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1879-05-01
Our Washington Letter.


y
hardly likely. The event Of the
week has been The strong speech
OF Senator David Davis, on
Tuesday, who not only advoca-
ted the principle of the provision
against the use Of troops at the
polls. but defended the engraft-
ing Of it on an appropriation bill.
BESIDES the discussion on this
subject, the Senate has discussed
The propliety CT abrogating a
rule which requires the Vice
Presidents assent before subor-
dinate officers Of the Senate can
lie changed. 1t is noticeable
that such lawyers as Senators
Conkling, Edmunds, Carpenter,
and the like, prefer cxpending
their eloqnence On this latter sub
ject, to combating the Demo
cratic declaration that troops
shah not be used at tle polls.
The legal or constitutional ques-
ton on which die radical party
get its only support from men
like Blaine, Chandler and IIoar,
and on which the other radical
Senator'S mentionedxemain silent,
is already decided against the
radicals.
Monday was "bill day" in the
House-at least, there were ] ,400
bills presented on that day: On
y one presented at this session
has become a law, and that as
before mentioned was fer the
prevention Of yellow fever. 1t
is not to be expected-nCr, in
deed, hoped-that all these j AGO
bills will be acted on, either at
this ca any subsequent session.
They will sleep in committee
rooms the sleep that knows no
waking. Tie bill Of Mr.. Ste
piers, making small silver coin
exchangeable for lawful money,
has passed the House, and viii
pass the Senate. Most Of the fl
nancial bills, it is now under
stood, have no show of passing.
Experienced members differ as
to the probable length OF this
extra session, some believing
an adjournment in ten days OF
two weeks possible, and others
not expecting to get away before
July or August. AS ] have be-
fore stated, L see no probability
of an early adjournment. Per-
haps there may be few laws to
show at the end Of the session,
but there viii, | think, be an
enormous number of speeches.
HE House now holds night
sessions for the discussion Of the
Legislative bill. The mere part
relating to appropriations is ac-
ceptable to both parties, and the
point in dispute,as is.well known,
is as to juries and as to the pow
ers of Federal supervisors Of G.
lection. As upon the Army
bill, the argument has been with
the Democrats, and the declama-
ton, generally, with the Repub-
licans.
A remark of Senator David
Davis, in his speech Of Tuesday,
has been construed as an intima-
ton that Mr.. Hayes would not
veto the Army bill. The Sena-
tor did not say so, but there is a
fair chance to believe that he
meant it. The principal Repub-
lican speech in the House yester-
day was made by Ex-Secretary
of the Navy Robson. The bur-
den of. it was protest against
what is known as estate rights"
and in favor of a strong central
government. All the friends Of
Grant-and Robson is not the
least Of them--are favorable to
a concentration Of power at the
Capital. Frank Blair was mis-
taken in saying that if Grant
was elected for a second term he
would never leave the White
House until put out by force,
but a vast number Of the Gener-
ais admirers, and many Repub-
licans who neither admire nor
support him, would like to see
such a government as wonld
make it possible for any man,
once elected President, to retain
power.
In the MIDST OF the ueDale III
House and Senate, in which the
Democratic majority is freely
charged with revolutionary IN
tentions and with an attempt to
."starve the Government to
DEATH" there has been the most
wonderful re-funding of Govern
ment indebtedness known to his
tory. As far as can be lawfully
done the whole debt has been
changed to bonds bearing 4 per
cent. interest. If anything had
been necessary to show that on
the questions now under discus
sion the capital Of the country,
and the intelligence of the eoun-
try were with the Democrats,
this fact supplies it. Though
Mr.. Sherman might be the great
financier his friends claim, he
..a,,fd not sc fbat.a was n DOnulaF