The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-04-08
Washin gtOn, Letter.
frrom our REGULAR corresnondent.l

The House is in sad pickle. 1t es-
tablished new code of rules, after
weeks of wrestling and effort, only to
find itself pretty much in the predica-
mcnt of the frogs who, getting weary
of King Log, got king StorS, in answer
to their prayers, for new ruler. The
revised rules are so provocative of con-
fusion and interminable wrangling:
which consumes so much precious time
that it is not at all unlikely that the
House will abolish them by unanimous
consent, and return to the old. Just
on the same principle that a negro
farm, hand or raw Irish laborer cannot
be taught to use an improved imple-
ment but must rather be left the heavy
.club-hoe or pick, simply becacse he is
incapable of the mental effort involved
in learning something new, the aver
age Congressman finds himself strand
ed on the new rules. He has a knowl-
edge Of the old, and the direst necessi-
| ties of the nation could not force the
| new into his thick head. But this
opacity of understanding does not, of
| course, disturb the balance of his
tongue, for it will wag on every Occa-
sion as glibly as if he knew all about
the subject matter. One member sent
up a bill, with request to have it en-
tered on the Calendar. To the inquiry
Which Calendars" he said, indig-
nantly, "The House Calendar, of
course" He stupidity presumed that
the new rules put all bills on the Cal
endar, and dispensed with the usual
reference to the proper committee. AS
the shortest method of securing relief
from the muddle, we look for a return
to the old code, much as such an un-
wise course is to be deprecated. 1t con-
tains SO much that is obsolete and
Objectionable, that a new order of
things can not but prove beneficial if
persistently followed up and improved
under the ordeal of debate
| The Senate has been discussing the
bin permitting the National Centen-
NAL Exhibition at New York City, in
1888. The great Constitutional stick
Ter, Mr.. Edmunds, of course interpOsed
with his amendments upon all sections
of the bill and at times, had the whole
Senate after him in an endeavor to re-
move his objections to certain provi-
siOns. Senator Edmunds takes moth
ing for granted, and accepts few state
ments for fact. He acts upon bill
precisely as he would in a petty trial
in the courts, by demanding evidence
in support of every statement, and in
requiring the record or clause which
seems imperfect to him to be amended
and perfected in the minutest particu-
lar, hence he is great thorn in every
ones side. Mr.. Voorhees, gave him a
good scolding, and characterized him
as an obstructionist, but the lecture did
not ruflle the equanimity of the OBJ
jector in the slightest. He is absolute
~ imperviOus TO any such attack, for
no cucumber equals him in GOODNESS
on all occasions in debate. AT one
time, when raising an objection, Mr..
Kernan asked him to write the amend
ment himself, but he declined, saying
it was not his place to write anything.
No one doubts the propriety of having
every interest of the Government per-
fectly protected in all measures acted
upon by Congress but Senators natur-
ally regard their individual pet scheme
as already perfected, hence they get
greatly disturbed and ruffled whenever
| Mr.. Edmunds sticks one or more pins
I'M cn,nn uital .,pint nf tho hill lrndar
consideration. In one of the discuss
ions, Senator Thurman became sud-
denly i'll and was unable to proceed
with his remarks. There are few per-
sons here who would not regret the
permanent absence of Mr.. Thurman
from the Senate, for he has the esteem
and affection of all who know his in
teIectual power and great personal
worth, and the wish is general that his
convalesence may have no relapse.
There is one popularity in Mr.. Thur
mans speeches which should attract
attention, and that is the purity of his
English, or rather choice of Saxon in
preference to words of other languages.
so much is he inclined to our mother
tongue, that often he will use COM
mon colloquial phrase to express some
desired shade of meaning in a deep,
logical legal argument. Instead of a
high sounding latin quotation, which
several of his brother Senators interject
into their speeches, it matters little
whether apt or not, he calls a spade a
I, + licfo
er or reader cannot mistake his mean
ing.
The deficiency appropriation bill,
! with the House rider, which vests in
the United States Courts, instead of the
marshals, the appointment of deputy
marshals, has been passed by the SEN
ate, and will, of course, provoke veto
from the President. Mr.. Edmunds
made an adverse argument, to which
Mr.. Eaton responded in a three min
utes' speech, and these were the only
remarks which preceded final vote,
which was taken by yeas and nays.
We have a pleasant custom here
which devotes Easter Monday to the
children, who spend the day in rolling
eggs with each other. In former years
the Capitol grounds were given up to
them, and thousands would gather on
the terraces which slope down from
the base of the Capitol building, using
these as the inclines on which to roll
their colOred eggs. But finally, so
great became the numbers as to de-
stroy the sodding with their shoes .and
require the whole of the succeeding
year to restore the grass. This led to
II sweeping prohibition from the
grounds, under which the children
sought the "White House Lot" and
this year it's beautiful knobs were COW