The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1880-05-08
Our Washington Letter.

Congress and the Geneva Award-Th
Presidential Question n-Legislators Re
| fnsing to Vote The Cadet Outrage
Abolition Of the Board Of Indian Com
missioners That Epic Poem, Etc.
| WASHINGTON. d. e.. May l, 1880.
EDITOR CHIEF:
The Senate continues the discus
sion Of the question how to dispose Q
what remains Of the Geneva award
about ten millions. There being fou
ways proposed to dispose of th'
money-besides letting it alone-Sen
ators have q wide field for agreemen
and disagreement. The chief inter
est in the debate, 50 far, has cen.eret
in the speeches Of Messrs. Thurman
Blaine, Carpenter and Edmunds. TIL,
speeches Of Carpenter and Blaine wer.
personal to degree not often known
Ill taI0 s0cHNtC' tHsuA tu0 uiUII6J Will
remain in the Treasury, where it ha.
l,een all along. That seemed to be
Senator Edmunds' wish, and be found
no legal obligation on the part of the
government to pay out any of it. His
opinion upon questions of law goes a
great way in the Senate.
Interest here, however, is not SO
much in the proceedings of Congress
as in what is being done in the State
political conventions. Not q delegate
is elected to such body, whether in
New York, Virginia, or in the con-
tinuous woods where rolls the Ore
gon," but the fact is telegraphed here,
the mans presidential preferences
stated, and prophesies INDUCED in as
to the effect of his vote and influence.
1t ia only truth to say that the New
York Democratic Convention gave
the friends of TildeD here renewed
confidence. 1t may be fairly said,
however, that in the past week Han
cocks friends have expressed hope
fulness new to them. So far as the
Republicans are concerned, Grants
supporters are the most confident,
They, however, base their hopes on
promises which the Blaine men de-
clare are not valid. The leading
Sherman men here claim a much
larger vote at Chicago than is con-
ceded by supporters of Grant or
Blaine.
] wonder if il il not possible for 4
legislative body to adopt rules which,
will compel legislators to vote when
ever present. Frequently in the
House of Representatives, u sufficient
number Of members are present to
q quorum, yet, because Of
refnsals to vote, no business can be
transacted. This is nothing new, but
this gross impropriety is almost ex-
confined to the United
States House of Representatives. l
do not recall any instance in which
Senators have thus blocked the trans
action Of business, and the sin is rare
in State Legislatures. | commend to
Messrs. Randall, Garfield, Blackburn,
Frye, Stephens, and others when they
mex: have headquarters for summer
at the principal watering places, an
attempt to produce a remedy for this
crying evil.
The outrage upon Whitaker at
West Point and the proceedings in
the trial are watched with great in-
terest here. District Attorney Towns
End finds his position a very embar-
assing one, but Gen. Schofeld will
discover that his pronunciamentos,"
insulting to the Secretary Of War and
70 the whole country, will not add to
his glory as a patriot or friend of lib
srty. The truth is, among the high
:oned alistoeracy of the army and its
many Of whom were Copper
reads during the war, army officers
who sympathize with the principles
by the recent amendments
% the constitution are about as scarce
Is heD's teeth and when the next re-
,ellion comes, oul West Pointers, as
II the last "onp1easantness," will
many of them be skilled fighters
Igninst the Union. It is high time
hat the old hive at West Point was
ipped over, letting these aristocratic
boarders Of Uncle Sam go
o work and earn their bread by the
weat of their brows, like other
American citizens.
The action of the House in abolish
ng the Board Of Indian Commission
rs is . most unfortunate step, as it
Freaks up all connection between the
Missionary societies and the great
work of Christianizing the Indians,
which was inangurated as the peace
,olicy by Gen. Grant and which was
o successful during his entire admin
stration. The canse has suffered