Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1880-03-27
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Mar. 25, ISIS

adjournment of Congress can not
take place. Speaker Randall has up
to within few days held to the opin-
ion that an end of the session could
| be reached before the time of either
OF the National Conventions, or as
early as the Goth of May, but / think
he, with every one else, has now
abandoned the idea. The chances
for it have grown beautifully less
with each passing day. 1t is now
almost the 1st of April, and as yet
none of the more important appro-
priation bills such as the legislative
and sundry civil bills, have not even
been considered by the Appropria-
ton Committee. 1t would puzzle a
student of the proceedings of legisla-
tive bodies to tell just what the For
ty-Sixth Congress has done during
the four months, nearly, that it has
been in session. While talking about
adjournment it may be interesting
| to look back over the record of Pres
idential years in the past, from
which it will be seen that the LIST of
August is about an average, though
it is to be hoped we shall not be stuck
that bad this year. The following
are the dates: 1882, July Is; 1895,
July 4; 1910, July 81; 1914, June II !;
1S4S, August IA; 1852, August 81 :;
1856, Augustus; 1850, June 25 1854
July 4; 1858, July q 1872, June 10 !;
1876, August Is.
The rather sudden turn taken in
the proceedings relative to the Fed
eral election laws may possibly result
in letting the Democrats down cas-
lily in that matter. A debate similar
to that of the extra session was
threatened, and in view of the deci-
sion of the Supreme Court touching
the Constitutionality of these laws,
the position of the Democrats in
their efforts to annull them was
little uncomfortable, but the SPRING
er.Garfield Amendment, making the
execution of these laws strictly non
partisan, by placing the appointment
of Marshals with the courts and di-
viding them equally between the
parties, is accepted as an unexpect-
ed and happy issue out of these diff
ficultieS. There is feeling among
Republicans that General Garfield
made mistake in advocating this
proposition and thus throwing away
the great advantage held by his par
ty. l am not sure that he does not
himself so regard it now, as he voted
no on the final adoption of the
amendment. 1t was rather curious
circumstances to see a member vot-
ing against his own proposition, but
that is what General Garfield did.
1t is generally believed that the
President will sign the bill as passed.
1t is drawing near to the time for
the Census takers to commence op-
erations-June 1st-yet the appoint
ment of Supervisors is not complet-
ed. There seems to be a good deal
of difficulty in fixing them up to suit
both the President and the Senate.
Much curiosity and speculation as
to our population is being INDUCED,
and private statisticians are at work
to see how near they can come by
calculation and estimate to the actu-
al figures. One of these puts the
present population in round numbers
at 43, 273 900, which would make the
gain since 1870 less than 5000, 900.
In work, published good while
ago, 8 per cent of population was
added to the total number each year,
and the estimates were found to cor
respond very closely to the figures of
the census. The estimate for 1870
was 40,6l7 ,604; the census was only
3S,55S,371; but the destruction of
life by the civil war had not, of
course, been anticipated. The esti-
mate for 1880 was 54,5S9,79 The
gain from 1910 to 1850 was G, 122 900 ;
from 1850 to 1860, 9,250,000; from
1860 to 1870, 7,115,000. During the
10 years from 1860 to 1870, Massa-
chusetts gained 100000, and New
York $4,000. These figures show
rapid increase of gain over the previ-
Gus decade, and it is claimed and
acknowledged that the Southern and
Western States have gained more
rapidly in the past 8 than in the pre-
yious 10 years. Therefore, the esti-
mate of the statistician above quot
ed seems to be far too low. Accord
| ing to the best information procura-
BILE, and the most careful calcula-
tions, the census will show the popu-
lation in 1880 to be fully AZ 900 900,
or gain of nealy 100000 over the
population 10 years before. The gen.
eral estimate has been between Az
100000 ana 4S,000,0 600, and there is
small doubt that this will prove to
be correct. 1t might be gratifying
| 70 tla.a in,,nl ,AriAn u. t.r.., 20 900 y