The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1881-02-04
WAsnINeToN, Jan. 30, 1881

WASHINGTON, Jan. 80, 1881.
There has been no legislation Of spe-
cial interest in Congress the past week.
The appropriation bills, which are in
dispensable to keep the wheels of gov
eminent in motion, are making but
little progress. There is no lack of
talking; but few speeches Of consider
able length have been made in the
Senate or House until Friday last. On
that day Senator Beck, of Kentucky,
delivered his long promised speech On
free ships. He had evidently bestowed
much study on the subject, and spoke
from a carefully prepared manuscript.
On the conclusion of Senator Beck'S
speech. Senator Blaine, who is re-
garded as the champion of American
shipping interests, delivered one Of his
most mastery speeches in reply. He
showed himself familiar with our COM
mercial interests, having an mex
haustible supply of facts and statistics
at his command. These two speeches
have been the most marked of the
session of national character. The
Senate galleries were crowded during
their delivery.
Ex-Gov. Pound, member from the
eighth Wisconsin district, introduced
bill some time ago to amend the U.
S. constitution, fixing the Presidential
term six years, and declaring him in
eligible for the Office a. the end of that
term. The bill was referred to the
judiciary Committee, who, upon its
consideration, failed to discover its
merits, and reported adversely to its
passage. 1t is understood Ex-Gov.
Pound is candidate for the position
of Secretary Of the Interior in the
Cabinet of President Garfield. The
endorsement of Mr. Reyes, late candi-
date for U. s. Senator, by a caucus Of
the republican members of thefegisla-
ture at Madison for the Office of Post
master General, complexities the pros
poets of both Mr.. Pound and Mr..
Reyes. Two cabinet officers from
Wisconsin is at least one more than
the state can reasonably hope for.
Ex-Governor Pound has obtained a
favorable report on his bill recon-
mending appropriation for building
reservoirs on the Fox, Wisconsin, st.
Croix, Chippewa and Rock rivers.
These reservoirs are designed to render
the rivers navigable in seasons when
the water is too low for the floating Of
lumber, RATS aud other freights.
Senator Carpenter is reported serl-
ously i'll at his residence in this city,
No. 1922 Connecticut Avenue. His
health has not permitted him to be
regularly in his seat for several weeks,
Gen. Bragg, from the fifth Wisconsin
district, has had another opportunity
| for making a demonstration on rebel
claims. The claim in this case Is based
on the following fact: Capt. Page, OF
the u. S. Navy, on the breaking out OF
the war of the rebellion, resigned his
Office in the Union service, went to
Virginia with the intention $50 his
friends admit Of entering the rebel
army, but was prevented by failing
health. 1t appears at the time Of his
resignation, there was due him from
the government $tss. He being dead
his widow now asks Congress to pay
| the arrearage. Gen. Bragg opened his
batteries on this claim with one of his
characteristic speeches, much to the
dismay of some of his democratic
brethren. An exciting and lengthy
debate followed, participated in by re-
Ipublicans and democrats. Gen. Bragg
stood his ground manfully, amidst as
saults from the democratic side. What
ever may be thought Of the equity OF
such q claim, it is enough to say its
allowance would be dangerous pre-
cedent, opening the door to thousands
of claims of like character.
A spirited contest is now being waged
in this city between the temperance
people and the liquor dealers. In order
to the understanding Of the situation
it must be mentioned the District of
Columbia is governed by three Com
missioners appointed by the President
ore a resident in, and two from out
side the District. These officers have
a salary of $4,000 each per annum.
There is no election Of civil officers of
any kind in the District; all from the
highest to the lowest hold their Office
by appointment from the President or
Commissioners. Congress enaets gen.
eral laws for the District of nbia,
and the Commissioners are empowered
to make local laws to carry out the
enactments Of Congress, including the
licensing and sale Of intoxicating
liquors.
In September last the fact became
apparent that Intoxicating liquors were
sold in all parts of the city without
license, and that the Commissioners
neglected to enforce the laws of their
own making. The pastors Of the vaTis
Gus evangelical churches of the B
organized Pastors Union" for the
purpose of securing the enforcement
of the liquor laws. They furnished
the Commissioners with proof that the
rules Of their own enacting were openly
disregarded and violated, The Com
missioners replied, declaring themselves
to be the friends Of temperance, and in
sympathy with the pastors. But they
continued to disregard the law In the
granting of licenses, or to punish vio-
lators thereof. They went so far in
some instances as to pardon liquor sell
lOAo WIZ LStO pICs VVANAetCN w - uNSO
SHELLS court.
The Pastors Union, finding 1t useless
to seek the enforcement of laws from
the Commissioners, have taken new
departure. An association has been
formed Of pastors and people, who win
make application to Congress for pro-
hibitory law. Public meetings for the
furtherance of this object have been
held, and just now there appears to be
general uprising of the friends of
temperance. Whether this Congress
is in mood to grant a prohibitory law
remains to be seen.
In the meantime the liquor dealers
have organized a powerful league to
defend their business. They have in
their ranks men Of wealth, and do not
want for money. In recent mani
festo put forth, they charge the Pastors
Union of the city with Sabbath-break-
ing, for having held a public meeting
in Lincoln Hall on Sunday afternoon,
in which license laws were discussed.
They profess to be aggrieved that the
time-honored Sabbath has been
Iozna~okoI IN shat This Ae