The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1880-04-15
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
LFRoM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT.


The House has been the scene Of con-
siderable excitement over the bill pro-
posing to amend the tariff. It drew the
lines between the protectionists and the
free traders without regard to party, and
caused the first real fiibustering Of the
session. Mr.. Townsend, of Illinois, in
trodueed the bill on Monday, but merely
indorsed il to amend certain enumerated
sections Of the Revised Statutes, upon
which the Chairman referred it to the
Committee on Revision of the Laws,
instead of TO the Committee on Ways
and Means, its proper place, and where
it would have gone had any protection
ist suspicioned its real intent and pur-
port. On Tuesday, Mr.. Garfield accused
Mr.. Townsend Of deception, which ellie
tied warm rejoinder. Mr.. Garfield
peTsisting in his charges Of bad faith,
Mr. townsend grew terribly indignant,
aud asserted that Mr. c., or anybody
else who charged him with deceit, was
certainly not n saint, either ia actions
or in words. Mr.. T. had just stated that
be dared not write tariff on his bill, be-
cause he knew that would suffice to kill
it, aud lie took the plan pursued in order
to get the tariff bill where it would be
acted on. Such inconsistent statements
enabled Mt Townsend's opponents to
puncture him on every turn, and it is
no wonder he lost his temper and in
dulged in his Saxon epithets He evil
deutly felt bad. Upon the question Of
sending the bill to the Committee OF
Ways and Means, filibustering ensued,
for the free-traders were determined il
should remain with its friends; but they
failed, after several days struggle, and
went to their quarters beaten men. Pro-
lection has the sympathy Of the House,
as the recent wranale aud deadlock in
disputaJly prove. On one side was Mr..
Cohroth, Of Pennsylvania, and on the
other, Mr.. Blackburn. The latter de-
nounced sam Randall as a traitor to his
party, to which Mr. CoGroth replied
that "if Mr.. Randall was a traitor to
his party, he was no traitor to his coun-
try" This little episode was the only
Incident OF serious nature occurring
during the last hours OF the final dis
cussion, sud but for the interposition oi
friends IL would have ended in blows.
Aside from this, much Of the proceed
ings were Of a most farcical nature. a
call Of the House was made. aud the
Sergeaut-at-Arms brought in a score or
more of members under arrest, whose
excuses for being absent were often OF
most laughable nature. One recited
Tam O'Shanter, and insisted that he
was not in Tam's "fou' condition-yet
he declined TO have the contents OF the
glass from which he drank analy zed.
Another excused himself in Dutch.
Another appeared in full dress, with
white kids, etc, aud said he arrayed
himself in festal attire, aud was happy
in having his first opportunity of catch
ing the Speakers eye. These eomicali-
ties were the only pleasant variations in
the dry and mouotonOUs chapter Of the
dead lock, with its screed Of calling the
yeas and nays. As usual, there was
much TO indicate that our good temper
auce friends had need 20 convert Con-
gressmen as we'll as plebeiaus, as there
were some members evidently greatly
wearied by the immense fatigue in
volved M going TO and from the floor o
the hall 10 some adjacent committee
room. Il is almost 81 ange how tire,
some great statesman becomes uudei
such effort, and yet no one dares insiu
uate that such grand orator and legis
lator was ever guilty uf Noah's weak
ness for wine.
The Senate has been pursuing th
even tenor of it's dignifi. Cd way since IN.
last letter, and cannot ow that a rippl
has disturbed ils placid surface, asid
from Senator Kellogg's fiery speec
made in his own defense, in opposition
to the report Of the Elections Commit
4 tee, which declared him uuseated an
Spodord the legally elected Senator.
The President has approved the bi
allowing one hundred additional per
sion clerks. Now there is a prospect {
some relief from the great delays Of Ii
Pension Office, aud hope that the bu
iness Of the Office, which il fully OF
year behiudhand, will be brought up
a point where a pension claim has son
show Of being adjudicated. As matte
now go in that important bureau, whiC
is so unfortunate as to have the poore
Of executive heads, a claimant has lit
assurance that five years will see Il
end Of his case. One hundred mo
clerks will, OF course, expedite to son
extent.
A singular petition, signed by man
prominent women, has been present,
to the Senate. II prays that the pu
ishmeut Of rape may be followed by Il
i, emasculation Of the ravisher, because
, the difficulty involved in securing Il
sentence of death. The petitioners vi
find it far easier to have man bang'
than MANNED. Since torture was abe
ished as a punishment for crime, Il
! world seems to have grown averse
Disagreement Of any kind.
DON PEDRO.