, 1879-03-08
0nr Washington Lcttc-.

WAsTINGrox, D. C.. February -, lSia
Congress has made in the past week I'M
mense progress in its work. Both house and
senate have been busy. In the former, the
bill to pay arrears of pensions, the river and
harbor bill, and the deficiency bill have
been passed, and much consideration gwen
to the legislative executive and Judicial
bill. There has been considerable discussion
of tie house census bill. and disposition
shown to pass it, The only point IN serious
dispute is that which allows governors OF
states tn name the officers to perform the
work There iS almost en;Ire unanimity III
support of the provisions ~ make this much
mare thorough than any previous census. -.
The senate has cnncurred in the action OF
the house reiucing the tax on tobacco from
u to I6 cents. By practically unanimous
vote, it has also refused to pu. = duty upon
tea and coffee. Senator Matthews had pro-
posed this duty, and three other senators
voted with him for it.
It is not yet certain whether or not Mr..
HAYES viii approve TIE bill restricting Chl-
nese immigration. The pressure upon him
to veto it is principally from sections inter-
ested III Chinese trade, and - enormous.
There was mos: interesting testimony
riven before the Potter committee yeSter-
dav. General Francis 7. Barlow. of New
York, one of the republican visiting states
men, gave his version of the presidential
contest in Florida in 1876. He was con-
WINGED that the state gave ia vote for Til
den. aad that unfair means hal to be used
to transfer il TO Hayes. lie went there
early, and stayed natil the struggle was
IL tl,
Cowgirl, one of the state canvass.ng board,
who agreed with him, and with Governor
Stearrs, anothe. member, who neither
anrerd nor disagreed. He believes now, rs
rs in 1876, that tie vote of Florida should
have been counted for 'rilden. MIR. John l.
Coyle, who testified before the committee 4
few days since, gave an interesting account
of his own experience as a democratic visl-
tor to the same state. He had been called
with = view of connecting Mr.. Tilden with
irrecularities in Florida This ett0It was As
significant a failure as was that tn do the
same thing through Weed, Marble and Pei
ton in New York. If any dependence he
placed Iii the cencurring testimony of all the
parties to the alleged attempts at fraud, Mr..
Ti!,len musi be considered q thoroughly
vindicated man
As | have repeatedly stated, there Is no
possibility O: the arriy reorganization scheme,
whici, passed the house IS part Of the army
appropriation bill, being favorahly eonsisi-
cred in the senate IL will get few votes,
democratic or republican, in that body, Ii 1t
comes to vote at all.
Zaol, Chandler refuses to accept public
welcome upon his return to Washington.
Great preparations had been made: but
probably Logan, who comes Friday, wiil set
the benefit of Chandlers modesty.
Mr.. Hayes has done better than was
hoped for in nominating Rev. Joseph Z.
Thompson as minister to Germany. IN the
place of Bayard Taylor, deceased. Mr..
Thompson is a scholar of reputation, and Is
well known in Germany from a long resi-
dence in that cnrutry. Most Of those who
had been named for the place had Ii" repn-
tatian except as politicians and it is certlln
Mr.. Thompson's qualifications are better, at
least. than theirs. KEN.