Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-04-09
From Our Regular Correspondent
Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON. D. c.. April 8. 1870.

~ the OapltOli Sucn 4 Wrltnlng, Wrie
CLING mass Of politicians, or statesmen,
you will, cannot avoid saying or doin
something that is of interest to the grea
country they represent What they sa
and how they vote must always be n mai
Ter of great moment to the American Cit
zen, whose government is n part of himsel
something that he has inherited an
something that he will transmit. 1t
difficult for US TO see the history that i
made under our own eyes, for the visio
OF the most iudcious of us is defectiv
from notes, and beams, and cataracts O
prejudice. The reporters OF the two
Houses of congress and the very printer!
whom we pay TO tell us what our repre-
sentativeS say, are compelled to falsify the
record, and the speeches that read so wei
when reported, were far from flultes.
when delivered. The animus of tn
speeches. the manner in which arguments
are opposed or invectives and retort
hurled and returned, is still less tangible
subject, but ii is not without its sgnficanc,
and bearing on events. The questions
that made an extra session necessary are
peculiarly calculated to elicit the intellec
tual and forensic us well as the numerical
strength OF the two nearly equal great
parties. and before these questions are de
cided tie country will know something
about the ability of its new and, AS yet
nntried forty-sixth congress. SO far the
republicans have not. in the House, devel-
oped any new men Of ability, and have
relied on their former leaders, Garfield
and Frye. The loss of Hale and Foster is
severely felt, for two men, no matter how
able, are not strong enough to endure the
brunt of democratic attack. The demo.
Gratis, although their majority is too small
to be relied upon with much confidence,
are, to all appearances, better organized
and led than in the preceding congress.
They have in Hurd, of Ohio, and Carlisle
OF kentucky, a powerful accession Of
forensic strength, while such parliament.
arlans rs they hal in the former congress
remain in this. Mr.. Conger, of Michigan.
is always alert, and appears in the reports,
perhaps, more frequently than any other
republican, but he seldom appears with
strength and never with dignity; he acts
as an irritant to the majority; his role is
what that of S. S. Cox was formerly on
the other side, but, like Mr. Cox, he is but
little feared. 1t is quite probable that the
republicans have undeveloped siren 9th,
men in their ranks who are quietly looking
on, biding their time, but the Philistines
are upon them, and it cannot be denied
that they have, in the ranks of the OPPOSE
ton, snch foremen as have not been found
on that side of The house for years. In
noting the words and the manner of the
speeches on Tuesday it was apparent
that those on the republican side were A
little bombastic and sensational, while
those on the other side were terse and mr..
gumentatve. Those of Mr. Mudrow, of
Mississippi, Senator Llmar's successor,
and MIR. liurd were particularly able.
Gen. Chalmers, of Mississippi, made a
very eloquent speech, and it was impossi-
bic not to admire it, but it would have
answered better for fiery campaign ora
ton than for the deliberate argument of a
statesman in a legislative body. While
the childish personalities between Mr..
Conger and Mr.. Chalmers will make the
"groundings laugh, they cannot but make
the judicious grieve.' When n repre-
sentative of Mississippi says that repre-.
sentative of Michigan reminds him of Il
court fool with II black swallow tail sub.
stitute for cap and bells, and when the
representative from Michigan replies that
the Mississippian reminds him of a mon.
key chattcring and grinnng on hand
organ, the country is reminded of the very
loose manners of Il boys debating society.
or oil fish market. But both the crili.
clsm and rctort were received with rounds
OF applause, not only from the galleries,
but from the floor of the House.
Speaker Randall has almost completed
his arrangement of committees, and will
them TO the House on Monday,
the 9TH instant, if congress shall be in
session on that day. 1t has been the
policy of the majority to adjourn over
Monday in order to prevent the green
hackers from introducing financial bills,
Monday being the only day, according 10
The Jules, on which such measures can he
introduced. The greenbackers do not. of
course approve of this sharp practice, and
1t Is said they have threatened to 90 over
en- masse to the republicans if they are TO
be snubbed in this way by the majority.
The democratic majority is such Il small
and uncertain quantity that they can i'll
afford to make enemies of neutraIs. Three
IL four democrats are sick, and Mr.
stephens of Georgia, although he keeps
lis wheels better than in the previous
congress, cannot, on account of his feeble
health, always be relied upon to vote.