Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-01-22
Our Washington Letter.


transpired the past week In Congress-, although
that body has been busy Mt work In shaping egis
lation for the succeeding few weeks which remain
Tor the work Of the present Congress The only
really important measure which has been passed
during the week is the bill for the payment Of
ARREARS OF PENSIONS.
The Senate concurred in passing II lust as il came
from the House, and although some little debate
was had upon II no Senator seemed willing to OPP
pose Its final passage by voice or vote. The full
text OF the bill Is a. follows viz:
IAN pensions which have been. or which may hereafter
be granted In consequence Of death occurring cause
which originated In the service ih day Of March
1851 or In consequence wounds or Injuries receve mr.
diseases contracted since that date, shall commence from
the death or discharge Of the person whose account the
claim has been or hereafter granted or from the terlna
ton OF the right Of the party having prior to such pen.
sion provided the application for pension has been OF
hereafter hled with the Commissioner Pensions within
hve years after the right thereto occurred otherwise the
pension shall commence from the date ng the last
evidence necessary to establish the same But the lma-
ton herein prescribed shall not apply claims by or in be-
half Of insane persons and children under sixteen years
The provisions of this bill will, IL Is estimated.
take some twenty millions Of dollars from the
treasury The fact was pointed out by Senator
Morrill, during the debate upon the bill in the
Senate, that 1t would be necessary TO largely in.
crease the force in the Pension office in order TO
carry out the provisions OF the bill, and ii will
now be In order for the democratic House to show
just how much they really mean by passing such
n measure, by voting the requisite appropriation
needed for the work demanded by them or in de-
feating the same by failing to give the necessary
| force. The Pension Bureau il still some two
| years behind In its work, owing TO the parsimony
OF the last House, and it Is easily seen that any
increase OF work will be nugatory in effect with
out an additional appropriation for the office is
made.
EDMuNDs FOR PRESIDENT
The President-nakers have been busy Mt work
recently, in bringing forward the claims of their
respective favortes, and in canvassing the field
Tor both real and imaginary support. We are
good deal interested in reading the following ex-
tract from the Milwaukee Sentinel, one OF the
st'unchest Republican newspapers in the West,
which comes out strongly for Senator Edmunds
for President. The Sentinel says:
sena,or Edmunds has been closely Identified with every
great of the Republican party and has entire CON
hdence of every Republican. Brave honest and cautious
he has been balance wheel In the Senate promptly
trusted by his fellows that body where keen
true patriotism and practical demand As the
OF the people broad mind, ripe Judgment welldenned
principles unfalteng loyalty hs country and his party
clean hands, n strong WILL minute Information to the
theory Of our institutions, and no visionary schemes lie
IL hardmoney man. practical civil service reform advo
cate, and statesman in his of sectional question
The Republican party do a more foolish thing than to
nominate him. and doubtful II can do better There
Isn't Northwestern State but would give him the full
electoral vote"
The views here so well expressed are substan-
italy those given heretofore in this correspond
ence, and coincide perfectly with the ideas we
still hold on this subject. We believe that it il
best for any party to put forward their hest man
not merely for the sake Of catching more votes
but to command the respect and confidence of the
country. We consider it the greatest wisdom,
too, to choose leader of whom nothing can be
said against, to his dsparagement as candidate
or TO his dtscredit as a man. The Republican
party is now in the position to elect any good man
they choose to nominate. No particular name l.
necessary to success. Such an idea has been ex-
ploded by the nvncible front shown by the Re-
publicans of the North in all the recent elections,
by the success attending the resumption of specie
payments, and by the confidence which Is stead
lily gaining in the minds Of all classes as to the
principles and policy of the Republican party.
The record Of this party on the money question,
and the prominence given to that branch of our
government in the politics of the present day,
has helped to put the Republican party upon its
feet in more strongly entrenched position than
the agitation Of any other subject could possibly
have done. The battles fought upon this issue
have been far more victorious in their results to
the Republicans than those fought upon the sec
tional controversy, or any of the innumerable
sde-issues which have grown up about it, 1t
would seem right, therefore, that in choosing
their leader for the next campaign the Republic
cans should take no step backward, and instead
OF clinging to dead issues and making the fight
on the old grounds, it should prefer rather to
stake their success upon the broad and enght-
ened plane Of true craftsmanship of the present
day. There are many Republicans throughout
the country who, in studying the question, are
brought to believe that such course is the wisest
aud the best. The sentiment in favor Of such
men as Edmunds, Sherman, Washburne and
Evarts, which is seen now and then to be cropping
out all over the land, proves this to be the case
SECRETARY sHERMAN's CLAIMS
Tor preferment at the hands of the Republican
party may be looked upon, in the light of recent
events, as equal, at least to those of any one else
Should success attend future resumption, as it
has the beginning, the Secretary of the Treasury
will be difficult candidate to defeat when the
next Republican convention convenes That he
has any particular aspirations for the Presidency
Is not, as yet, fully known, but his name il Just
now being very generally mentioned as the pos
sible cognomen OF the coming man. Being ut the
helm when the resumption ship set sail, he had
superior advantages of testing the temper Of the
winds and waves and to him will, quite naturally.
be ascribed much OF the glory resulting from
safe and prosperous voyage. As between him
and Mr.. Edmunds, those who have watched the
career Of the two men, in the Senate and ont of
it, have noted the difference of ability shown by
each, must concede to Edmunds the first rank in
craftsmanship. And in thus ranking Edmunds it
is unnecessary to bettle the abilities of Sherman
The singular importance which seems to be at
tached to the coming election of governor OF Ohio,
and the selection of the candidates Of the two par
ties goes to show that the state of Ohio is becom-
ing to be considered more and more prominen,
factor in national electons,-in fact, the pivotal
state. The Republicans are canvassng the claims
OF such prominent men AS Garfield, Sherman and
Foster for their candidate, while the Democrats
have been endeavorng to secure Senator Thurman
for their candidate, but being met with II prompt
refusal from that quarter, they are now looking |
about for the next best man. Should Sherman or |
Garfield be elected governor of Ohio next fall AT
ter spirited contest, such now seems TO i'm |
pend 1t would bring the successful man still more
prominently before the country when the national |
battle comes to be fought. Gen. Gouyenneur OF |
Ohio, prominent politician, is here now feeling |
the public pulse and says II is his opinion that
Gen. Garfield will be the Republican candidate |
Either he or Secretary Sherman seem to be willing |
TO accept the candidacy, which looks as II they |
realized the Importance OF the contest to be |
fought, and the possibilities of success Garfield
Is becoming to he regarded giant in the polit
zeal world, and grows year by year in the conf |
dence and esteem OF the public. With him, even, |
rs leader in the approaching contest, the Repub
lican party would need have no fears for the re |
suit But let MS put the two names together |
Edmunds and Garfield ; and what a tower Of |
strength is expressed in the very soand
THE CUSTOM HOUSE APPOINTMENTS.
Something of breeze has been created the |
past few days concerning the New York custom |
house appointments 1t is said that Senator Conk-
ling again arose in his wrath in executive session |
the other day, and arraigned the President and 1