Mexico weekly ledger., 1881-03-10
CONGRESSIONAL
Special Correspondence of the Ledger.

and the public buildings. The hotels
are comparatively abandoned, and
most citizens and store-keepers real
ize that the dull season, that inter-
venes from session to session, has
commenced. The congress just end
ed, like those that Immediately pre-
ceeded it, has made a good record for
tn. democratic party. The country
has prospered since the reaction of
1874, which displaced repuDlicanism
and entrusted its power to the de-
mocracy. At the last elections the
presidential candidate of that party
received a majority of the vote, cast
To-day, although it controls neither
a president nor the lower house, it
represents the honest convictions of
the nation, and under such circum-
stances it seems unnecessary to re-
mind II one that such a party, al
though partially excluded from
power, has no reason TO despair.
The question that now chiefly d.
mands solution S whether Gartieid's
administration will be as prosperous
as was that of Mr.. Hayes under dem
ocratic legislation. Notwithstanding
his in~efficiency and mistakes.
The most prominent events Of the
last days If congress we're the veto
of the funding bill, the failure of the
apportionment bill, and the inaugu-
ration Of the new president.
MIR. HAYES veto was a great mis-
take, and puts an end to all reduc-
ton Of interest for another year.
While conceding the Importance OF
tho in, nuIta t,asSaTn of SII..h a hill
he objected to obtaining money at us
low a rate Of 3 per cent, and fears
that the provision contemplating the
deposit OF bonds at that rate would
cripple the national banks and ill.,
duce them 10 withdraw their notes.
1t was amusing to notice the differ
emf effect of such ii veto upr" CON
gress. Democrats ridi""iDd me np-
n~..~-~-u ieit perfectly willing to
carry their appeal to the people; but
the Republicans saw they We're on
the wrong side OF the record, and
sought too late to remedy the mis-
take that had evidently been matie.
They knew that the question was not
one Of life and death 10 the banks.
but only Of a measure and limit t..
tlltli bItiBCitO "a l'ItlS
and that to avoid diminution of their
gains they had deticd the nation by
an attempt tt create as much PANE
in congress as they evidently ste
ceeded in making i'll the cabinet.
Thy knew. too, that the country had
learned that il the present condition
of the national ami system these III
situations could, i'll the ourse of a
couple OF days, run up interest TO
per cent. per diem, and precipitate a
fall of fir. IN 10 to 10 per cent. in
stocks; and that the Secretary Of the
Treasury could with equal facility
and in as short, aud even shorter
time, by tele.raphic dispatch restore
those securities to their former val
ues, and that the people will c0nsc-
Guently look upon the possession Of
such powers enabling both banks
and secretaries, ii SO disposed, to
enrich themselves as q scandal and
disgrace to the country and party
that seeks to perpetuate them. They
realized also as friends OF national
banks themselves that their conduc,
and Mr.. HayeS's veto of a democratic
designed to reduce the ill.,
terest on the public debt and to re-
strain them hereafter would, not.
outstanding the opposition of Gen.
Weaver and party in congress TO the
funding bill, strengthen the commune
and perhaps lead to an attempt in
the near future to substitute fiat for
bank paper. 1t was natural, there
fore, that the Republican party
should desire to do something t.
avert the storm they were CONSCIOUS
would follow their Presidents veto.
but, as has been said, tire was not
time to mature and introduce meas.
ures of any sort.
The late inauguration of the TWEEN
iteth President of this country was Il
more elaborate affair than any OF
those that proceeded it 1t had more
decorations, 5, idiers and fireworks
than WAS ever before e i'll Wash.
ington mt ID single spectacle. AT l.
p. m., the Senate came to order, and
shortly after President Garfield and
his party made their appearance
Everybody Immediately arose to re-
ceive them, and remained standing
until they were seated. The Vice.
President was first sworn in with
the new senators, and then President
odi llttt oCCup lCu tOu . lid
in which every President since has
been seated at his inauguration.
THE INAUGURAL.
As was to have been expected from
one who writes the ease ot a ready
writer to the graces of Il finished and
effective orator, General Garfield'S
inaugural is easy and comprehensive
oll ,,,pn Z han ,,r,li nriit urn1t -.
ten. 1t presents some strong con-
trasts. and vet fails TO give IL we'll
defined view of the policies to be
pursued by his administration. Like
his cabinet, his address was de-
signed 10 %conciliate all parties, and
it yet remains to be seen how what
has been so rlletoricalIy said is to be
interpreted. If absence of par isan-
ship from his message indicates that
his high Office will not be Frustrated
to party purposes: il his assertion
of the autonomy OF the states meals
that elections ought not to be inter-
fered with BY national officials,
what is said about them will meet
with democratic. if not with repub-
lican acquiescence. The new Presi-
dent also announces himself as a BIZ
metalist. If this signifies the main
tenance of the silver dollar and the
enforcement ofits circulation against
the banks, his promise that the ii
nances of the country shall not suffer
during his administration will prob
ably be fulfilled.
The new cabinet consists of the
following persons:
Secretary of State-James G..
Blaine, of Maine.
Secretary of the Treasury-Will-
lam Window, of Minnesota.
Attorney-General - Wayne Nc
Veagh, of Pennsylvania.
Postmaster-General - Thomas L..
James, of New York.
Secretary of Interior-Samuel j.
Kirkwood, of Iowa.
Secretary of War-Robert L. Lin
coin, of Illinois.
Secretary of the ~Navy-William IL.
Hunt, of Louisiana.
The cabinet may be said to be
more geographical than partisan,
with a preponderance of favor 20
the northwest. 1t is difficult to see
how such a selection can become a
homeogenius body unless those that
compose il shall be content to reyoive
like satellites around Mr.. Blame as a
head centre, and in that event all