The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1880-01-20
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, Jan. l6, 1880.


bled, yet think we shall get some
thing lively before very long. The
House agreed before the recess to take
up the report of the Committee on
Rules when 1t re-c0nvcned, and to
continue the consideration OF the SUBJ
ject from day to day until disposed
of,but the absence Of Mr.. Frye, who
is III Maine, and Mr.. Garfield, who
was looking after Ohio, delayed the
work, so that little has been done at
it this week. 1t was the understand
ing that all members Of the COM
mittee shonld be present while the
rules were under consideration, but
these two had their hands pretty full
ut home-especially the gentleman
from Maine. Con. Garfield had an
easier time of il, and comes back the
choice of his Slatelor Senatorship.
Probably he comes nearer, in point of
ability to filling the seat vacated by
Senator Thurman than any of the
other candidates, yet there is vast
difference in the two men. Even
Garfield can rattle around good
deal in the place filled by his prede-
cessor. And the loss will be not
alone Ohio's, but the nations as well.
The action of the Supreme Court in
refusing to advance the legal tender
case OH the calendar is something OF a
disappointment, to Congressman es-
pecially, yet it is notan unreasonable
result. While members of Congress
are anxious TO have q decision of the
Court that would relieve them of re-
sponsibility, it is not unnatural that
the court should decline to 90 out of
its way to grapple with the trouble
some questions involved. The Court
has once parsed upon the legal tender
qualities Of the greenback, and the re-
mainiug question as to the duration
of their necessary existence will per-
haps settle itself if let alone. Any
how, Congress must answer to the
people for its course in the premises,
without any assistance from the
Court. Considering the uncomfort-
ably mixed condition of the Con-
gressional mind OIL the subject, this
may be a misfortune in which the
business interests of the country will
have 10 share. The reference made
by the Court to the fact that there
was moi full bench corroborates the
opinion here that every effort is max
ing to force Justice Hunt to resign.
All reports of his intended resigna-.
tion have come from members OF the
Court. A very strong pressure has
been brought to bear upon him TO
make vacancy for the Administra-
ton to fiji. This is not the first time
that constitutional questions have
gone over owing to his illness, and
the Court has before made the same
announcement as that made in the
legal tender case. But Justice Hunt
will not resign unless Congress re-
tires him on full pay, and Demo-
cratic Congress will hardly do that
for the sake of getting another radi-
ical partisan on the bench
The census bureau is another place
where the Republicans are working
hard to secure some partisan advant-
age, but the present indications are
that they will substantially fail. Su-
perintendent Walker is honestly dis
posed to take the matter entirely out
of politics, and has referred the ap-
pointment of supervisors 10 the Con-
gressional delegations from each
State. Great pressure. has been
brought to bear upon Mr.. Hayes to
Interfere and appoint Republicans ex-
clusiyely, but | understand he is not
disposed to do so. This obstinacy
has given rise to curses loud and deep,
for the radicals see that if the work
is done impartialiy, il will probably
cause decided shrinkage of the i'm
mense gains In Congressional repre-.
sentation that thew have so loudly
boosted the census would give them.
IL certainly would be great public
wrong and a positive injury to have
anv partisan manipulation of the
census statistics. and Superintendent
Walker saws that If any supervisor is
found 10 be engaged in political man
apement he will be dismissed from
the seryicc. whether he is a Republi-
can or n Democrat. Nobody doubts
that Gen. Walker means all this, and
IF he can strictly enforce IL the next
census will be an honest and valuable
exhibit. 1t is pretty hard, however.
for A marty that resorts TO 80 MANY
desperate exped tents to retain its
hold on mower to forego such on op-
portunity as tho census would afford.
In my haste last week | overlooked
one of the White House scenes on
New Years day, which is worth re-
oording. Over a year ago l wrote
something about the case of Col.
Henry DeAbna. who was appointed
collector of Alaska at the beginning
of Mr.. HAYES administration. and
then recalled under very trying cir
cumstances. Col. DeAhna Is a Ger
man.American, and served with dis
tinction in our late war, and came out
poor. When given the appointment
TO Alaska he had to borrow money to
nav the heavy expenses of himself
and family TO lis most Of duty. After
his arrival there he discovered some
of the crookedness OF the Alaska Fur
Company, which has exclusive privi-
leges from the Government, and pro-
ceeded to report them to headQnart-
ers. But this was not what John
Sherman wanted. 1t is said the Sec-
rotary of the Treasury, who controls
the matter, has an interest in this