Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-02-17

between A and & streets. From Capl~
tol Hill to Washington Monument
vast lake was visible, the Botanical
Gardens and all west of them south CT
Pennsylvania avenue being flood, d.
The river is said to be two feet higher
than it was ever known before,
and the flood of 1881 will long
be remembered. Il is caused mainly
by an ice-gorge at The Long Bridge
and the Aoueducs Bridge. The former
structure is certain to be completely
wrecked as soon as the ics begins to
move. In the mean time Southern
mail and travel is very much dis
turbed.
AN EXTRA SESSION.
One full. inch appears to be added
to the length OF the House employees
visages each da~, for each day in
cresses the chances OF an extra session,
and if this is called their heads will
drop into the official va to baskets
about nine months earlier than they
would other wise. It will be almost
impossible 10 avoid an extra session
now. The river aud harbor bill has
been killed by little Sat set Cox, but it
dies hard. The witty New Yorker
showed that the States that were rep
resented on the commi tee Jared
sumI tuously. about half of the whole
amount b, ing given TO them, but that
| those 2nfortunat, in this respect were
given five stones and two small ser
| penis. This brought to the front a
host of opponents. and it is doomed
Several large appropriation bills have
not yet been reported. The funding
bill has been materially changed by
the Senate COMMITTEES, the rate of in
terest being increased one-hslf per
GEN.. This amendment will, when
it is referred back to the House,
be the fruitful source Of much discus
sion. The amount saved in the inter,
est fund by thi, bill when it is finally
passed will pay the cost of the extra
session three or four times over, and
this will be some consolation to the
couttry under that sff1 ction.
THE "BLAWSTED BRITISHER's' STYLE
A select committee of the Senat
having the ma ter in charge have de-
cided to recommend radical change
in our parliamentary procee dings.
This is none otter than giving mem-
5ers of the Cabinet seats Ia the Sen IL to
and House, and the right to debate in
matters concerning their respective
departments. This, of course, is taken
from the English practice, although
the cases are net strictly analogous.
For instance, in that country if any
measure supported by the government
Is lost 1t is considered necessarythst the
ministry resign 80 that another cabi-
net can be chosen that will reflect the
sentiments of the majority. 1t is
needless to remark that such will not
be done with US.
This, at first blush, would seem
an innovation, but perusal OF old Con-
gressional Records will show
at it Is not without precedent. In
1889, Hamilton, Knox and Jefferson
members of Washington's Cabinet,
appeared in Congress and gave their
views upon certain subjects. [ believe
that the great George did the same
thing once. There is no doubt that if
the committees report should be en-
bodied In law it would greatly facili.
tate the public business.
A NATIONAL AND OTHER LIBRARIES
For once the representatives Of the
people have turned from matters o.
craftsmanship to consideration of 6
measure that should have engaged
their attention long since-I mear
> provisions for national library. A.
result, we are to have erected OF
Judiciary square magnificent build
ing at a total cost of $4,000 900, ant
means to collect library such as viii
3 do cred TO even our great country.
, With even the little attention thi
matter has received in the past, on
L
4 Congressional library will rank de
] Gently with those Of the old country
8 There are only eight or nine that ar
lerger. The largest one in the Worl
is the French library ct Paris, which
y contiins 100000 books and 500
: pamphlets. The Imperial library, q
= st Petersburg,and the British Museum
crowd each Cther closely for the secon
place, each Que IF them possessin
e about l lilo $50 books. Then come
If the Royal at Munich,' with 900 90
3 voiume,; the Royal at Berlin, wit
y 700 900; the Royal at Copenhagen, wit
g 100000, sn1 three others containin
j. more than 800 900
q At the present time the Congress
4 sional library, which will really be
O. national one hereafter and open
1t the public when the report becomes
o law. as it undoubtedly will, has 800 OF
: booke, aud is increasing at an averas
:. of 10000 solumes per year. The publ
e library at B ,ston is next t. the Cor
y gressional in America, wi b 500 OF
a books, and next is that a. Haryar;
L. with 2O5, 900. The Yale library hs
It ia 500
AN En- PRESIDENT'S SON