Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1881-02-11
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
NOTES Avn rHE cApIroL.

such crowd of people at the Capitol-a
perfect jam-men and women of all classes
and conditions, representing every profess
sion, trade and occupation, and from every
portion of this broad land have congregated
around the halls of the National Legisla-
ture, and from appearances the most of them
seem to be interested either in general or
special legislation. The third House, backed
by the "Gold Bugs" of the East and the
various railroad monopolies, by their agents,
are here in force and have almost the entire
entree to the Hobbies of the respective Houses.
Most all of the general necessary legislative
bills have passed the House and all have
been reported by the respective Committees.
So there is but little prospect at this time of
anextra session, indeed we have just heard it
asserted by leading and influential Repub-
lican Senator that Gen. Garfield does not
want the new Congress around him at this
time.
The bill to make the Agricultural Bureau
an Executive Branch OF the Government
failed for the want of two-thirds vote in
the House-thus it is, we have legislation
looking to the dignity and advancement of
every institution in the country save that of
the substantial elevation of the farmer. Of
fcers of the Army, Navy, Judges of the
United States Courts, ex Presidents Of the
United States, all in the bloom of life we
may say, and at that age when they are less
liable to be swayed by temptation, are pen
stoned against the spirit of our institutions,
whilst the poor farmer, who is the solid and
substantial foundation of the country, is ig-
nored. 1t is eminently fit and proper that
the Agricultural Bureau shou Id be an Ex-
ecutive Branch of the Government and have
voice in the councils of the Cabinet, and
that legislation which seeks to ostracize it is
unwise and unjust
The speculations for the last three months
in regard to the Cabinet have tended to IL
lustrate in a striking manner the vivid inn
aginations of American political writers.
TITS seldom that pure fiction has ever been
SO successfully clothed in the garb of truth,
and it is even more than rare that the aims
and purposes of a new administration have
been SO wretchedly distorted under the covci
of pretended authority. Until the names Of
the Presidents constitutional advisers are
sent TO the Senate for confirmation it /!
folly to speculate, with the exception Of Mr.
Blaine, who as Secretary of State, has beer
determined upon.
twill beag reatreliefto the country to know
and feel that the way to the White House
is now free from all obstruction. The House
has passed the Senate resolution looking tc
the count of the electoral bill, and all that
now remains to give the President-elect a
complete and happily undisputed title is to
count the vote The only features of the
debate preliminary 10 the adoption of the
resolution was the declaration of FELTON,
the Georgia Independent, who said, 'thai
the people of his State hailed the supremacy
of the Federal over the State law For the
ignorance or violation Of the Federal law by
the State officers, he trusted that its electora
vote you'd not bs counted"
It is now said that If the Democrats ar
able to maintain the organization of the mex
Senate, Senator Davis, of Illinois, will b,
given the craftsmanship of the Commute,
on the Judiciary-there are three Senator
who have prior claims to this exalted posi-
tion-Messrs Bayard, Lamar and Garland
but all three have chairmanships, and they
haveexpressed their desire that Senator Davis
shall have this craftsmanship Senator Davis
of West Virginia, will retain the chairman
ship of the Committee on Appropriations
the duties of which he has welded with
such distinguished ability and with sucl
eminent success to the great and accumulat
ing interests of the country during the pas
six years.
Among the many Democratic members
who will retire to private life with the close
of this Congress are Representatives Henkle
:, Kipable and Henry, of Maryland. DIR. Henklt
is a clever and accommodating man and at
tentive to all matters placed in his hands as
far as his ability goes. Representative Ur
ner, of Maryland, will be chairman of tive
committees, and ALSO it is said. that he viii
have great influence with the new admins
tration
The re-apportionment bill was up agair
in the House Monday. The bill is now DO
fore the House in four distinct forms, Mr.
Cox's bill for 30l members, the Census Com
mittee's bill for 81, the minority for $40 ant
the Cox compromise for 307. The opinion
af both sides Of the House is very much di
So vided on the question of fixing the number
of representatives-the Democrats strongly
inclining to $40 members, while the Re
publicans prefer a less number The popu
lar error that the Fourteenth Amendment
gives Congress the right to regulate ibs
qualification of voters in the States is alsC
entering to certain extent into the debate.
We called to see Hon. Fernando Wood
chairman of the Committee on Ways and
Means, and was surprised to learn that in
all probability he had served out his public
service. His life has been remarkable ant
dangerous one lie was born in 1872, com
menced life as newspaper boy, arriving
at manhood entered the lottery business il
partnership with his brother, Hon. Ret
Wood, was elected To Congress before b,
was thirty years OF age. was Mayor of New
York at iorty-two, and has now been serv
ing for several consecutive terms in Congress,
and is member-eleet TO the next Congress
lie is now at the Hot Springs, where he i
undergoing treatment for the rheumatism.
Gen. Grants friends in New York ant
Philadelphia have raised $4,000 for him
and propose to put il in United States bonds
SO that he shall have an income of $4,000
Now II Gen. Logan's bill TO pension him goes
through. the General will be able To live
comfortably at Galena. Would il not b.
wise for our lhi.anthropic Congress TO amend
this bill and provide for ex-United States
senators-ccrtainly The Senators of lSoer.
esga Sfates, whose time has expired, should
be pensioncd.
Ex-senator LeTis, OF Virginia, who witt