Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-11-24
Our Washington Letter.


WASHINGTON, d. c., November 90 1890.
hr. Editor:-In two weeks from Monday next
the second session of the forty-sixth congress
begins. One OF the important questions in this
connection is as to the probability Of
AN EXTRA SESSION
OF congress to be convened on the fourth Of
March 1t will be undoubtedly necessary that
the new senate shall be called together at that
time to confirm the appointments made by rres-
ident Garfield, but it is still a question whether
the house will be called in extra session or not
Enough members are not yet upon the ground to
give an intelligent opinion as to what measures Of
Importance will come up in the approaching ses-
sion, the failure Of which would make an extra
session necessary. The Democrats will quite
naturally resist such special session, as in such
an event the control Of the house will at once
pass into the hands of the Republicans In one
point Of view 1t matters but little whether the
Republicans assume control on the fourth Of
March, or wait until December, 1881, except for
the fact that the fourth of March next the pat
ronage OF the house, which includes upwards OF
three hundred offices, great and small, will be at
once in the hands Of the Republicans.
1t Is maintained by many that the forty-sixth
congress cannot finish its work so that a special
session can be avoided. The coming session
must terminate on the fourth of March. 1t will
therefore be in session but eighty-four days, all
told. Take away the Sundays and the usual
holiday recesses, and there will be but about
sixty days to work in, provided every Saturday
Is utilized, which Is always doubtful. In this
time there are twelve regular appropriation bills
to be passed; the electoral vote Is to be counted ;
the apportionment and ratio for the forty-eighth
congress, based on the tenth census, is to be fixed
and last, but not least, the appropriation for the
pay Of deputy United States marshals Of elections
is to be made. The latter measure will provoke
a political contest. The Democrats, maddened
by their recent defeat and recognizing the utter
hopeessness OF their chase for official spoils during
the next four years, will undoubtedly hold out In
their opposition to any and every public measure
brought forward by the Republicans, as they
have done heretofore. They will oppose any bill
giving money for such service, while II an item
to pay the marshals is put upon one of the regular
appropriation bills with a restrictive reservation,
taking away the plenary powers of the president
a veto is sure to follow All this will, Of course
take time, and by this opposition the Democrats
are very likely to defeat the end they have fore
most in view, namely, to prevent an extra session
Again, according to report Secretary Sherman
will recommend the discontinuance OF the coinage
Of the silver dollar, or, il its coinage is to be
continued, to have its weight increased, so as to
bring its value with the gold dollar. This would
also bring protracted discussion, as the silver
dollar has scores of advocates in the present con-
gress who believe in letting it alone. Again, it Is
probable that the senate will be called upon to
| ratify new Chinese treaty, which the cable an
nounces has been agreed upon by the commits
soners For these reasons, them it looks extremely
probable that the forty-seventh congress will be
convened in special session on the fourth of March
next.
Among the other events and festivities prom
ised us at that date is