The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-01-07
QUE wAsHINGros LETTER.
WAsuINarnN Dec. %.

The Military Academy bill was
passed with q merely nominal reduc.
tion from last years appropriation.
Notwithstanding the fact that the
rank Of our miniature army is out of
all proportion to its file, there is TO
be no surcesso of the gorge with
which West Point has for years over
stocked its official corps. Few peo-
pie appreciate the peculiar political
influence of West Point The Eng
lish taunt our Repubicanism with the
remsrk that we, too, have peerege
of judges and Honorables But the
most potent and sristocratic peersge
is thar which traces its ancestry 10
West Point and the Naval Academy
TIE cadets, appointed by members Of
Congress, sslaried from the day Of
their ma;riculalion to the day Of their
death, eginee their gratitude and
wise providence by marrying Con
g.essmen's sisters, cousins and aunts,
thus securing influence which means
securer bold on the pnblie rreasu-
ry. Washington is the paradise OF
the Army add Navy officer They
masquerade 10 citizens clothes and
few realize what hosts of them are
here Their rank, their education,
their accomplishments IN Gll arts
except those Of war and navigation
endear them TO society aud facilitate
those martial relations which have
burdened the country with sinecures
and robbed Congress Of its independ.
ence.
Ia the Senate yesterday there was
lively debate on the resolution of
Mr.. Voorhees, calling for the appoint
ment of committee 70 investigate
the cause of the Exodus of negroes
from North Carolina to Indiana and
Mr.. Windows proposed amendment
instructing the committee, in case
they should fad the cause to be cruel
and unjust treatment of the negroes
by their white fellow-citizens, to re-
port to Congress what steps should
be taken to secure them in the free
exercise of their political rights, and
whether territory should not be set
apart for their exclusive use The
debate, though animated from first to
last, was moderate in tore, and char
acterized by becoming courtesy and
dignity on both sides.
Congress adjourns to-day for the
holidays, having accomplished much
in the way of appropriations. On
Friday last, the House passed the
Fortilications and Pensions Appro-
priation Bills, the latter calling for
$32, ,404,00 During the week Mr.
Warner has asked for information as
to what came of the bi-metallic mis-
sion to the governments of Europe,
for which $4,000 was appropriated !;
aud Mr.. Morrill, for the effect on the
revenue of the repeal of the duties on
tea and coffee. Resolutions have
been introduced expressing sympathy
with the Irish Nstionalists in their
efforts for equal laws and seIf-govern-
ment, and the hope that they may
soon become owners Of the soil they
cultivate; and speeches have been
made over petitions for enriching the
soldiers and sailors of the civil war
by the difference between the gold
value of the greenbacks in which
they were paid aud their nominal
value.
The President has decided to ap-
point an equal number of Democratic
and Republican supervisors of the
census of each State This decision
gives some dissatisfaction in Repub
lican circles, and the President has
been urged to make all such appoint
ments from his own political party
He, however, declines to do so, on
the ground that the law, as it now
stands, would not be fairly admins
tered if be appointed only the Re-
publieans.
C. 4 3