The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-01-30
rovertlng the points raised, but have not

troVertlng tne points raised, but have not
satisfactorily met the positions of the Sec
rotary. The matter was discussed in exec
utive session for several hours on Monday and
was to have been resumed on Tuesday. A
conclusion will be reached this week, and if
the report Of the Commerce Committee is
sustained, the retention of their positions by
Messrs. Arthurand Cornell will only be until
the Senate adjourns, when they will be again
suspended.
The feeling growing out of this contest
will array the friends of Conkling and
Sherman very decidedly, if not bitterly,
against each other, and thus contribute to
the strength of Gen. Grant as the candidate
for the Presidential nomination next year,
for the friends Of either Sherman or Conk-
ling would prefer Grant to going over to
their antagonist in this confession to Blaine.
Senator Christiancy has been rendered
and accepted the mission to Peru, and will
therefore vacate his seat in the United
States Senate. Hon. q. Chandler will doubt
less succeed him in the Senate, an event an
ticipated with no little degree of bitterness
by the Democrats, remembering his admi-
rable organizing powers, and his vigorous
methods and English when aroused to meet
emergencies. John A. Logan will also come
into the Senate after the 4th of March next,
and with Matt. Carpenter will be strong
addition to the working force OF the Repub-
leans. In fact, the Republicans are already
thoroughly organized and united, so far as
the controlling issue of the next Presiden-
tial election is concerned. They will stand
square upon honest money-honest financial
management, and with resumption perfect
ed and accomplished, beyond cavil or doubt,
they will have little else to do but 60 for
card to assured success.
The report of the Senate Finance Com
mittee in favor of reducing the tobacco tax
from % to 20 cents per h., and licorice five
cents, will! not amount to much. The i'm
preston prevails in intelligent circles that,
since the passage of the alrearage pension
bill, involving such an enormous tax on the
resources Of the Treasury, there will be no
reduction in any tax now imposed, for it
will put Congress upon its best metal to find
subjects OF taxation to meet the require
ments of the pension bill. 1t is known that
tobacco can bear the tax now impos ed bet
ter than any other article from which the
tax would have to be raised if taken off of
it, and with that view there is very little
probability of any modification Of the tax
on tobacco this session. .-0
The question of the adjustment OF the
State debt of Virginia attracts good deal
of interest in Washington, and a general de-
sire is expressed that terms be agreed upon.
There is but one opinion about the effect.
If settlement is effected, it is conceded that
good will follow to the State, and if post
poned much harm will be inflicted. The
proposition Of the bondholders, for four
per cent. bond, substantially, is looked upon
as liberal, and should be met with cores
ponding liberality by the Legislature.
Quite an animated contest is going on for
the Secretaryship of the Senate. The cleo
tion in March is contingent on an extra
session. The number of candidates is very for
midable, embracing several Senators, whose
terms will expire on the 4th of March, sew
eral ex-members Of Congress, and three or
four newspaper men. 1t is admitted that
the present Secretary, Hon. Geo. H. Cor
hov, Is fho hop fhaC 70 hoch oI forv
years, and prominent Democrats say that
the incumbent under the Democratic Senate
shall be no fossil or figure head. Mr.. L. Q.
Washington,a well informed and able news
paper correspondent, will be chosen Ser
geant -at-arms of the Senate.
The plain English of Gen. Bragg,
Democratic Congressman from the North
west, to his Southern political brethren,
was not relished by the party. He was en-
tering his protest against Southern War
Claims, and took occasion to say that if
Southern Democrats could not be Democrats
without insisting on rushing their arms into
the public Treasury they had better 60 over
to the Republicans. Considerable feeling
has grown out OF it and Gen. Bragg will
hear some equally plain English from some
of his Southern brethren, who generally
speak to the point when it comes to a mat
ter Of this kind.
The Midgets are now on exhib ition In
Washington and occasion no little interest.
The "General" is 10 years old, and weighs
nine pounds. He is laxative and pompous.
His mother weighs about 100 pounds and his
father $50. They are both good looking and
healthy. Miss Zarate is Of Mexican nativity
IA years old, and weighs four and half
pounds. She has the appearance of kinship
to the monkey, although her feet and hands |
are those of an infant. She is.very irritable,
and on Saturday slapped the General over
with small book. They, however, are very
fond of each other. They visited the Presi
dent on Saturday, and Mr.. and Mrs. Hayes
manifested qualification in their company
Mrs. Hayes pinned boquet on the lapel |
of the Generals coat, and gave Miss
Zarate another very beautiful one.-
This little lady, in addition to the demon
strative propensity mentioned above, has
another proclivity Of domesticitY, and that
is, when it is impolite or inadvisible to
bring in play her pugilistic beneyolence,
stamps her little feet at terrible rate to
ooze out her rage. The father of the ''Gen-
eral' says be made $4,000 by their exhibit
tion in Baltimore alone.
The financial distress Of England is in
creasing. According to the Herald CORE
spondent, the first week of the new year
had not slipped away before another disas-
ter fell upon the west of England-the Cor
nish Bank, whose headquarters were at Tru-
70 in Cornwall, and whose business extend
ed over the central part Of that county,
stopped payment. Situated as tits, or rather
was, with its various branches, in the very
centre of the mining district, the principal
industry Of the country, with which it had
the most intimate business connections, the
announcement was received with astonish-'