The daily gazette., 1879-12-20
Washington Letter.

POLITICAL INFLUENCE OF WEST POINT
A LIVELY DEBATE IN THE sKNATE-
APPOINTMENT OF CENSUS sUPERvI-
soRs, ETC., KTo.
(From our Regular Correspondent.)
WARRINGTON, d. G. Dec. IS, 1879.
The Military Academy bill wos passed
with merely nominal reduction from
last years appropriation. Notwithstand-
Ing the fact that the rank Of our nina
ture army is out of all proportion to the
Tile, there is to be no surcease of the
gorge with which West Point has for
years overstcck its Official corpse.
Few people appreciate the peculiar po.
litical influence of West Point. The
Englishtaunt our Republicanism with
the remark that we too have q peerage
OF Judges and Honorables. But the most
potent and aristosratic peerage is that
which traces Its ancestry to West Point
and the Naval Academy. The cadets
appointed by members of Congress, SAL
asied from the day of their matricuIation
to the day Of their death, evince their
gratitude and wise providence by marry
ing coHgressmen's sisters, cousins and
aunts, thus securing influence which
means q securer hold on the public treas
ury. Washington Is the paradise of the
Army and Navy officer. They masuue-
rade In citizens clothes and few reaIize
what hosts Of them are here. Their
rank, their education, their accomplish
ments In all arts-except those of war
and navigation-endea them to society
and facilitate those martial RELATE ons
whic have burdened the country with
81 necures and robbed Congress Of It's in
depfn n %
In the senate yesterday there was q
lively debate on the resolution Of Mr.
Voorhees, calling for the appointment of
a committee to nvestigate the cause of
the exodus of negroes from N. O., to In
diana and Mr.. Windows proposed
amendment.
lnstructing the committee,in case they
should find the cause to be cruel and pn-
jnht treatment of the negroes by their
white fellO W.. .citizens, to report to Con-
gr, ss what steps should be taken to Sc
cure them in the free exercise of their
political rights, and whether a territory
should not be set apart for their exclusive
use. The debate, though animated from
first to last, was moderate In tone and
characterized by becoming courtesy and
dignity on both sides.
Congress adjourns to-day for the holi-
days, having accomplished much in the
way Of appropriations. On Friday last
the House passed Fortifications and Pen
siOns Appropriation Bills, the latter
calling for $32, ,4O4 ,00s. During the week
Mr.. Warner has asked for Information al
to what came Of the bi-metallic mission
to the governments of Europe for which
1000 was appropriated and Mr.. Nor
rill for the effect on the revenue of the
repeal of the duties on tea and coffee
Resolutions have been introduced ex-
pressing sympathy with the Irish Ma
tionalists in their efforts for equal law
and self government, and the hope tina
they may be soon become owners of th,
soil ttey cultivate and speeches hav'
been made over petitions for enrichinj
the soldiers and sail0rs of the civil wa
by the difference between the gold valu
OF the greenbacUs in which they wer
paid and their nominal value.
The President has decided to appoin
an equal number of Democratic and Re
publican supervisors of the census of eacl
State. This decision gives some dissatis
faction in Republican circles, and tn
President has been urged to make a
such appointments from his own politi
cal party. He, however, declines to
so. on the ground that the law, as it no,
stands, would not be fairly administers
If he appointed only Republicans.