The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1880-04-17
Our Washington Letter.

Our washington Letter.
An Appropriation Bill Passed The Pres
idential Canvass An Avalanche Of
Bills-The New Motor, Etc.
| WAsH1NaToN. b. G. April ~, 1880
Ep1roR CH1EF:
The Consular and Diplomatic APP
preparation bill was passed on the
30th ult., just as it came from the
Committee. The only debate OF in-
terest was on a proposition of Mr..
Blackburn to dispense with the SER
vices of Foreign Ministers, to compel
[ them to remain at their posts, Sc,
all Of which were talked over in .
lively manner. Probably there will
be greater activity in Congress- dur
| ing the next few weeks than at any
time since the first ten days Of the
session.
It will be remembered that the
House somo days since agreed to q
"rider" on deficiency appropriation
bill by which the special deputy cleo
ton Marshals should be selected from
the various political parties. This
"ridern the Republican Senators will
oppose to the bitter end. Without
expressing an opinion as to the desir-
ability of dividing up these on any
other officers among the parties, l
can not help expressing q hope that
the subject will be fully discussed,
and in that case the rider will be de-
| fsated. My reason for this is that
political affairs have no proper place
in thess or any other bills. We ought
not, under any circumstances, to leg
islate for party advantages.
In purely Presidential matters
there seems in the last week to have
been q rise in the Grant stock in the
South, and Of the Blaine stock iu the
East and West. The Grant men are
making great endeavors to capture
Iowa and Kansas, but the Blaine
nen seem to be in the majority. An
immense silent strength is claimed
for Grant, but fear it will never
make itself felt or heard. Hancock
stoek has taken rise, especially in
the South, and his friends hope that
before the convention meets in June,
TildeD himself will be Hancock
man.
Nearly 60OO bills have been intro.
ducsd, printed and put on the caltn-
dar Of the present Congress. 1t would
take $50 years to dispose of them at
the rate the business was done at the
extra session, or has been by the
present session, which has now been
together over four months. Thou
sands Of bills are introduced with the
understanding that they are to sleep
tho sleep that knows no waking. A
ward politician has some scheme. He
was very useful in securing the nomi-
nation Of Hon. Moreover Smith as the
distinguished member from the Dis
trict Of Hardscrabble. The Hon.
Moreover introduces bis bill, it is
printed by thousands Of copies, and
that is the end Of the bill. The
printed matter Of this and the other
thousands Of it's kind are paid for out
Of uncle Sans strong box, and the
aggregate Of all this material, tons
upon tons, finds it way at last into
the hands Of the junk dealers.
At last ray of good sense has
seemed to fall across the vision Of the
committee Of ways and means In re-
lation to the duty on paper material.
For o time it looked as If tue voice Of
the united press was to have no in
ffueDce upon these men, but they
began to discover that they were call
ing upon their own heads tl,e trum-
pet-tongued denunciations Of the en-.
tire press of the commonwealth.
There should be no cessation Of this
struggle until the press are secured
against the combination Of the paper
dealers, who under the present tariff
can make a corner on this article at
any time they may choose.
The udding.springtime has come,
and the note of preparation is seen
every where in parks and reserva-
tioDs, and around private residences.
Men in great numbers arc putting
lawns, gardens, public and private
walks in order. In few days We
shall
See our jeweled silver naples
And our lawns in robes Of green,
Smiling under golden sunshine,
Gaily decked by natures Queen"
The throDg Of visitors in the city is
unusually large. Hundreds have left
the sunny South, who yearly go thith-
er to escape the rigors of northern
winters. and they are DOW enjoying
springtime ut the Capital, and tLrongs
are daily visiting Arlington, Soldiers
Home, Mt. Vernon, and other objects
of interest. The Halls Of legislation
are filled daily BY visitors who rarely