The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-04-12
WASHINGTON LETTER.

WASHINGTON, April $, 1879,
The debate in the senate upon the army bill
is not expected to commence until tomorrow,
meanwhile there are rumor> OF q compromise
It is confdcnJially asserted in democratic
quarters that the President will sign the army
appropriation bill as soon as II passes the sen
ate, provided It'll not materially changed from
the condition 1t is now in rs adopted by the
house. The democrats agree that the only OBJ
IEoXious provision i now contains is the rider
which provides for repeal or modification OF
the so-cailed bayonct act, which they claim is
only obnoxious TO the President because he
believes it Is out of place on an appropriation
bill. As tins provision is construed 10y them
it does not interfere with the constitutional
prcrogatyc or duty of the Executive to re
spond to u legitimate "Cal for troops" for the
Suppression of domestic yiolencc;' nor does
it restrict HIM, as the COmander-in-chiet of the
army and navy, from any proper use or distri-
button Of the army on the frontier. Under
this construction he is simply required to pro
hbit the presence OF troops at the polls on
election davs-aprohibitio that he has volun-
tarily enforced ever since he has been Fresl-
dent 1t Is for this reason that the rider in
Question is not rcpurnant to his ideas of pub
lie nolicv--tnev brlicyc he may approve the
bill
The question of the admission OF Nr. Bel
Of New Hampshire, TO seat, was discussed
by the senate yesterday during almost the en-
tire session. The speeches were all made by
democrats and among them difference OF
opinion was manifested. Mcssrs. Bailey ana
Hill, GA both members Of the committee on
elections, made arguments against the admls-
sion of Bel. They reviewed ali the cases o,
contest over the admission Of senators upon ap-
pointmcnt~ from governors ina, had eyer arts
en-. and ciaimci that ior more than fifty years
there was an unbrokcn line of practice against
the admission Of appointed senators, except 70
fill out terms that had been already begun
Senators Bailey and Hill both presented argu-
mcnts of force and power NIr BayarI differ
ed with the majority of the committee, and
taking the view that the intention of the Con-
stitutiOn in Concrrlng the power OF appoint
ment upon an executive OF a state was to keep
the senate mll-ru maintain the legal rcpresen-
taton OF each >tae-he favored giving the
benefit of all doubt to that side of this question.
The progrcs, of the debate thus far has shown
that the final vote on the admission OF Bel
Will not be partisan. Among the democrats,
Senators Bayard and Gordon, and il Is said
several others will vote for the minority re
mort. while Senator Carpenter and several 9th
or republicans will sustain the views Of the
majority of the committee
The army appropriation bill will be report
ed back to the senate from the committee to-
dav. The subcommittee meets at 10 \. NJ, ana
the full committee at II, and all the action
necessary will be to vote down motion OF the
republcans to strike out the "politcal' legs
lation The bill will be reported as soon a.
the morning business shall have been disposed
of. but it IS not likely its discussion will be
formally entered upon before tomorrow. The
Bell case Will be disposed Of to-day, and that
will leave everything clear for the army appro
prlation bill.
In the house today the report of the COM