Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1880-12-08
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THB SPIRIT OF AGR.
Wednesday, Dec, Q, 1850
From our regular correspondent
WASHINGTON LETTER.
wAsHissfos, d, O., Dec, I, 1850

bVtple NN' sSssS' " Wv
final session OF the Forty,slxth Con-
gress will have convened and the last
message Of tho first fraudulent Presl'
dent will have been given 10 tho eoun'
try. Little ID known 10 advance con
corning tho message. but 1t Ia not
likely to 10 a very startllng or I'M
portant document. None OF MI
Hayes messages have been especially
marked. as state papers, and the most
conspicuous thing about them, usually,
ID the signature Of q man whom God
Almighty never intended should sub
scribe himself President Of the United
States. II Ingersoll, "Royal Bob" as
Garfield calls HIM, were called upon
to explain the circumstance be would
doubtless classify 1t as ono OF the
"Alistakcs OF Moses'-.or Joe Bradley.
But tho things which so constantly
remind us of this disgraceful episode
In our history will soon have passed
away and whatever may be thought
Of, or come from, the next occupant
OF tho White House II will DO worth
something to him aud TO his admins
tration TO have IL said that no was
elected.
The short session OF Congress is
generally an active one. The limit OF
its duration Is known aud there is not
80 much time for taking things oasy.
Among the members with whom l
have talked the impression prevails
that very little miscellaneous leg'sla
ton will be accomplished the present
session. The appropriation bills and
such other routine business as may be
necessary will at best occupy large
share Eof the time. which, dGducting
the usual holiday recess will be but
about seventy working days The
calendars of tho two houses already
embrace very large. number OF meas
ures Of more or less Importance
great many more than can possibly be
disposed Of, even If no other business
was to DO brought forward. There are
pending in Committee Of the Whole,
10 the House, over two hundred bills,
all involving to greater or less degree
tho expenditure Of money or the do
nation Of public property. Grouping
them into classes they may be partially
described as follows: bills to provide
for the payment OF the public debt
and to facilitate the retunding there
of bills affecting the revenue ; bills
affecting the coinage; bills relating
to pensions bills relating 10 the post
al service bills relating to the public
printing bills relating to the District
of Columbia, and miscellaneous bills.
Then on the regular calendar are one
hundred and fifty ether bills, among
which is one to restrict Chinese i'm
migration. one in relation to national
banks, one providing for the transfer
Of the Indian Bureau TO the War De-
part:nent, and one tor the relief Of
Fitz John Porter. All of these, and
others too numerous to mention, must
cause much discussion when taken up
for action.
The extra session talk has IN a
measure eubsided. Those Republicans
who are especially anxious to got
possession of the House Offices hope
to see matters 80 shaped that an extra
session can be secured, but the more
50 gacious and respectable members Of
the party do not favor it. unless there
shouldlprove to be a genuine reason
for il. The Senate will Of course be
convened after March 18th for action
upon Gen. Garield's Cabinet appoint
ments, and there is a possibility that
complications in connection with onr
Chinese relations may also demand
attention at the hands of that body
But with tn. Senate in the hands OF
the Democrats, as 1t is almost certain
to be, ia special session for political
ends would be worse than useless
The stalwart wing of the Republicans
declare purpose to prevent the new
apportionment for members of Con-
gress being made this winter, with a
view Of reducing the representation OF
certain Southern States after they get
control of Congress. But if their
party does not have majority in the
Senate the scheme would fail, aud the
attempt would not do its projectors
any good.
Speaking just now Of Garfeld's
fCabinet reminds me Of Dea. Richard
Smiths report that he found general
feeling :in Washington in favor Of
making Gen. Grant Secretory Of State.
That -. shout the best Joke of the