Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-01-16
TFrom our Regular Correspondent
Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON. Jan. H.

stars ana slrlpeS were uhiuii0N
dripping heavens at both ends of the Cap
itol. Debate was resumed, without Inc
least ado, precisely where it had lett oil
before the holiday recess, and both mem
bers and senators appeared to be crammed
full of speeches.
In the House the question was upon Mr..
Growers resolution for sweeping investl-
cations in the departments, and Messrs'
Hale of Maine, Cox and Garfield OF Ohlo'
Banks of Massachusetts, Clymer of Penn
sylvania, Tucker of Virginia and Conger
of Michigan made short and opposite ar
guments on the subject, taking grounds
with the exception of Mr.. Cox of Ohio,
with their respective political parties. Mr.
Cox, who, it will be remembered, was
secretary of the interior during the earlier
days of Grants first term, assumed the
position that no republican should oppose
investigation, but, allowing the majority
the greatest latitude in this respect, throw
upon the democrats the opprobrium OF
frivolous and expensive inquiries.
The debate was spirited and interesting.
Gen. Banks spoke with his wonted point
lessness and impressiveness, insisting that
the measure was unconstitutional, confer
ring upon the committees unwarranted
powers to search, compel and imprison.
His remarks were IN opportunity for the
legal pedant of the House, Mr.. Tucker of
| Virginia. who was once attorney general
for his state, and also professor of law in
Washington and Lee University. He quite
overwhelmed Gen. Banks, and the House,
and almost staggered himself with his
knowledge of the constitution. Mr.. Con-
ger of Michigan made, rs usual, n funny
speech, the point of which seemed to be
that this century could not endure repe-
ttion of the Theatre farce of Mr.. Clymer' S
exposure of the supposed Belknap crook
etlness-that the new democratic members
were painting to emulate Mr.. Clymer. but
that they mistook their age, rs well as the
endurance of human nature, since such
gigantic iiascos must be distributed equita-
bly, through history, and not mouopolized
by one generation.
Mr.. Wood is bitterly reproached by his
party for his management of this resolu-
ton; he, as chairman Of the ways and
means committee and leader of the demo-
Gratis on the floor, allowed the question to
come to vote when he knew the members
of his party present were in minority.
1t is charged that he secretly desired the
defeat of the resolution, but he can, nj
least plead that he is not answerable for
absenteeism in his party, and that if every
democrat had been in his place, and had
voted rs he did, the motion would not have
been lost. Mr.. Hale of Maine is credited
by his friends with having foreseen that
there would be but Il small attendance oil
democrats, and with quietly advising the
republicans TO be present. ready to take
advantage Of any weakness. Both parties
made Strenuous effort to rally every man
for the struggle on the following day; tel
egrams were sent to old absentees, and ar.
rivals were anXiously watched and count.
ed. The result on the following day
proved that the democrats had prolited by
the delay, and the resolution to investigate
was passed by very small majority.
The lobby has been called the thirC
House, and, unless the Womans' Rights
convention is II branch Of the lobby, it may
be called the fourth House. At any rate
the women suffrage agtators were in Con-
venti)n in the lobby of the Senate on
Thursday, ard such convention! 1t was
chiefly II mob of men and boys and few
women of discordant views trying to con
duct debating society, prayer meeting
and political campaign in one breath
their efforts here during the last weel
have been tarcical in the extreme. What
ever of good or right their may be in fe
male suffrage us an abstraction, the whole
subject is turned into derision and puerili
ty, whenever its weak illogical advocate.
get IN opportunity to make themselve.
heard. | would not have believed that J.;
convention of women could do and say Sc
many fantastic things, without the true
avouch OF my own eyes and ears. One
session of their convention, in Lincoln
Hall, was occupied by oratorical doctresses
in II protest against maternity or rather il
urging the right of women to control the
conception and progeny business, so thai
only such numbers and such characters o
babes sucklings might be born into the
world as they desired. These and Other
vageries of quaek, chronological, sprtu
alistic and SPURIOUS, non-science were APP
| plauded TO the echo by some unwholsome
looking women on the stage and in the
audience. | don't think there can be &
doubt that every womans suffrage conven
ton makes more enemies than friends fol-
the cause, and materially postpones the
attainment of the ballot by the sex
Thoughtful and philanthropic men con
cede that woman's lot, like mans, is hard
and the tendency of public sentiment Il.
we'll as Of Legislation is to give her the
fairest possibis chance in life. But there
are disabilities primarily sexual and con
scquently physical and mental, from
which no law OF sentiment can absolvt
her. Moreover, thoughtful men have no
unlimited faith in the ballot ms panacea
for human ills. They have been trying il
right extensively for the last hundred
years, and they have found that, in spite
Of it, the depravity of human nature will
crop out in legislation and government
pretty much us it has always done in what
we call the " etfete despotisms.
Mile. Roze. the latest prima donna