Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-11-26
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
tFrem our regular Correspondent.

(Frcm our regular Correspondent)
In two weeks, the regular session
will be upon us. The question of
questions is, who will be speaker of
the House, for, upon this question
depends a host of other questions
relating to the formation of COM
mittees, whose influence, increasing
yearly, as the Republic grows, are
not of inferior importance to a Cab
met office. There is not shadow
of a doubt that the Republicans will
control the organization of the
House. The independent political
element, as has been proved more
than once this year, has an inclina-
ton toward the strong side, so that
it may be set down that the Repub-
licans will have a small working
majority. The candidates for speak
er now here are, in the order of their
supposed strength, Mr.. Kasson, of
Iowa, Mr.. Hiscock, of New York,
Mr.. Keifer,, of Ohio, Mr.. Burrows,
of Michigan and Mr.. Dunnell, of
Minnesota. Mr.. Keller is making
his headquarters at the Ebbitt
House. He is popular gentleman
of fair ability, but, it is said, he
lacks parliamentary experience,
having been a member of the House
for only two terms.
Mr.. HiscOck is an accomplished
gentleman, and comes as near being
what Chesterfield would call "a
man of the world" as, it may be
hoped, will ever be attained by an
American. His fitness as a parlia-
mentarian cannot be questioned,
but, it is urged against him that he
is from New York, the State that
has the Presidency and Secretary of
the Treasury. Mr.. Hiscock is
pronounced protectionist, and he
will, doubtless have a strong East
ern support.
Mr.. Kasson, though not old, is a
veteran politician, a superb parlia-
mentarian, and decidedly able
man, having been distinguished as
a leader in the House, even when
he had to contend, in friendly rival
~, with such men as Blaine, Gar
field, Butler, Hale, Frye and Con-
ger. Mr.. Kasson has served four
terms, or eight years in the House,
and for most of the time, was on
important committees. Since the
time of Mr.. Blaine's occupancy, it
is doubtful if there has been more
thoroughly accomplished and capa-
BILE man for the office. He is in ia
vOr of limited protection, hard mon
ey, the Monroe Doctrine, and of
building up the Navy through the
commercial marine.
Outside the warming canvass for
the speakership there is very little
interest in National affairs NANTES
ted here. President Arthur's de-
termination to hasten slowly in the
matter of forming his Cabinet, and
his successful reticence in the mat
ter of its personnel has brought
many a slate maker to confusion.
A large number of Southern poll
ticians, who profess to represent the
Republican party south, and who
spend most of their time around the
saloons of Washington, recently
held meeting and waited on the
President asking that he make a
Southern man Postmaster General.
1t is refreshing to know that they
were in no way encouraged as to the
object of their mission. The Presi-
dent snubbed them by saying he
did not wish to consult with them
to the formation of his Cab
met.
/ was present at the Guiteau trial
last week, and heard Mr.. Blaine tes-
tify. The trial is certainly not
wanting in interesting episodes.
The despicable wretch was again
shot at on Friday. His detest,tble
anatomy is becoming as popular a
target as that of the late Gar of
Russia. No woman has yet attempt
cd his life, but, from the number
that crowd the court room every
day and from their well-known
feeling on the subject, I think such |
an attempt is far from improbable. |
WASHINGTON, d. G. Nov. %, 'S1.
WE had the first killing frost on