South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1881-12-23
Letter from Washington.
90 on R.s.I..r go
WAsaiNsrox. ID. c. Dec 60

mere has never been Il greater
scramble Tor Office than that inaugn-
rated with the opening of this Con-
! gress. II beats everything. The eli.
! ~ is full OF strangers and they are
nearly oil after something. Six years
ago whom the Democrats came in
control OF the House of Represents
lives II WAS the first sight they had
caught OF the 'spoils' for many years
and naturally there were numerous
/! applicants Tor the two hundred small
offices TO be filled. We all rernem.
Der the terrible howl that went up
| from TIE Republican press about the
hungry Democratic mob But there
has been right here in Washington
during the last two weeks larger
and more ravenous mob of Office
| grabbers than was seen in December
i 1878. This great republican party
which has had 100000 offices under
its control for twenty years scrambles
harder for the few small places under
the House than did the whole Demo-
cratic party when these few loaves
were all it had to dispense. 1t is a
party OF flesh-pots and spoils. But
for these 1T would have been beaten
in every election for the past ten
years. Take them away now aud
the party would never control another
Congress or carry another general Q.
lection. Clerk Mcpherson has had
hard time satisfying the different
State delegations whose demands ex.
ceed his resources. Then in addition
to this the old crowd who held Office
under him before have all como back
except those who are dead. And
the overflow from the House cast co.
ger gIances toward the Senate, where
the corpulent form Of Judge Davis a.
lone stands between them and the
Seventy or eighty positions now held
by Democrats under that body. T..
ven ex. Members of Congress are can.
didates for the privilege Of opening
the doors which were once opened
for them.
Aside from the avalanche of bills
dumped into the two Louses there
is little worth talking about in Con.
Sress as yet. Perhaps every conceiv-
able matter upon which Congress
has authority to lcgislate has been
thrown into the hopper already, aud
the performance has but just begun.
| notice plenty of Congressman going
around with pockets bullying out,
waiting theirturn. Among the mass
already offered there are.bills to repeal
taxes and TO impose taxes, to erect
public buildings, improve harbors
and dig out the beds of rivers, erect
interoceahic canals, provide against
epidemics. create additional executive
departments, to amend the Constitu-
ton in several particulars, grant pen
sions, and to or undo every possible
thing that the ingenuity or cupidity
OF men could suggest. A large num-
Der are old acquaintances that have
made their appearance in Congress
with regularity for years past, aud
many OF them were presented in tho
last Congress g. failed for lack of merit
or lack OF time to reach them. The adj
Ejournment Of the present Congress will
find these bills suspended in the same
manner and for the same reasons, but
| their familiar faces will doubtless be
found on the calendars of the succeed
ing Congress. New members always
introduce the greatest number ofmeas-
urs because they ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
their future Importance is determined
by the ingenuity displayed in this di.
rcction at tic start.
Senator Logan's bill to place the
great American beggar, Grant, OH the
retired list of the Army will probably
pass the Senate, but l doubt if it gets
through the House. Senator Ed.
munds' 100000 bill providing for
the payment OF the expenses attend-
ing the illness and funeral of Presi.
dent Garfield will pass both houses.
1t was generally believed that this a.
mount would not be sufficient to co,
yer all demands, but doubtless the
Senator has made a correct estimate.
based upon information. The bill of.
tered by Representative Hewitt of
Alabama, in the House, to amend
the arrears Of pension act, ought TO
1 pass Il llC tlitNl VI IL WOlllu DC 10
cut OFF the arrearages for the time in.
tcrvening between tho date of dis.
charge and the time of filing the
claims in the thousan ds of cases now
| pending President Arthur states i'm
his message that il will take 1886.
100000 to settle the 10000 pending
claims, and 1t is estimated that Mr.,
IIcwitt's bill would save 100000. 900
of this One Of the novelties comes
from Mr.. Phelps, of Connecticut who
wants authority given the President
TO appoint a commission of three
coloTed persons TO inquire into the
intellectual condition of the colored
people Of the Southern States, their
reeds and what, if anything, can be
done by the Federal Government for
their relief.
No arc f,rorofsaI oopoo noe, I...aI