The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-02-15
From Washington.

From Washington.
As the present congress rapidly approaches
its close, the two houses are mainly busted
about the appropriation bills, neither party
caring to be held responsible for the defeat of
any important one and thus nccessltalng an
extra session, nor yet being willing to sane
/ uon obnoxious legislation or outrageous grabs
merely for the sake Of getting the appropro-
Ipration bills through. There are, however
two objects which the democrats are very anx-
ious to attain at this session but which are
beyond reach in the regular way, and which
they therefore propose to attain by the ques.
tionahle expedient Of attaching them to an
important appropriation bill These are, the
repeal of the southern test oath, which eX-
cludes all eXrebels from sitting on juries, and
the repeal out OF office of the L. s. superv;-
sors and marslaS Of elections. A democrat.
ic caucus on Monday evening decided to force
these through by attaching them to the legis
latvc and judicial appropriation bill. A re-
publican caucus next evening decided that,
while rs Il separate measure they would not
oppose the repeal of the test oath nor tactious-
~ oppose the other measure, they would fight
to the death the lacking of such political leg
islation on appropriation bills The republi-
cans ignore the fact that the trick is one Of
their own invention, but there are indications
that rather than shoulder the responsibility of
forcing an extra session, the democrats will
recede from the caucus proposal
The senate on Saturday passed the bill
which had previously passed the house, to
allow lady lawyers, under certain restrictions,
to practice in the supreme court of the L. S.
The bill is one about which Mrs. Belva Lock.
wood had been mportuning congress for sew
cral years, and which Is mainly for her own
benefit she being recognized as one of the
ablest lawyers IN " ashington, and having
Considerable business in the supreme court,
which heretofore she had to hire other lawyers
to attend TO.
The bill to pension Mexican soldiers occu-
ped Friday OF last week in the house, but
was killed with amendments. The southern
members insisted on restoring dislcyal pen
too long and heated discussion to leave any
hope of reaching a final vote at this session,
In response to an inquiry of the commits
sioner Of pensions as to how many new clerks
he would need in consequence Of the passage
of the arrears of pensions BILL he informs
congress that more clerks won't expedite the
business at all. What he wants is lawyers
who are expert in the examination and consld
Grafton Of testimony.
Part OF the session of the senate on Friday
of last week is said to have been as funny as
IL niger show Granny Burnside, of Rhode
Island, reported for action his bill to intro
duce moral and social science IN the schools
of the District of Columbia" One section Of
it requires daily oral lessons upon industry,
order economy, punctuality, patience, self
denial, health, purity, temperance, cleanliness
honesty, truth, justice, politeness, peace, tideli
ty, philanthropy, patriotism, setrespect, hope,
perseverance, chcerfulness, courage, selfre,
lance, gratitude, pity, mercy, Kindness con-
science reflection, and the will"
The reading of this caused IN instantan eous
laugn All over lne llali, anu senator AFTER sena-
tor, under pretense of not having heard it, had
it read again, until the laughter became 50
uproarious that The billiwas withdrawn IN dis
gust,
The senate on Thursday took up the house
bill against Chinese immigration with the
chances in favor Of It's passage.
The President sent to the senate on Saturday
the appointment of cX-GoX. Hartranft as post
master at Philadelphia, Jas. Pollock as nava'
officer and \. Newton Snowlon as director of
the mint