The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1881-12-20
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington, ID. c., Dec. l6, 1881.

Washington, ID. c., Dec. 16, 1881.
The first week OF Congress has
bech quiet aud uninteres;ing.N do
not remember an opening more SO in
the course Of my six years nj Ulc Cap
ital. In the Senate MI opportunity
for u little excitement over all at
tempt 10 change tho officers or that
body was early shut oil by tho decla-
ration OF Judge Davis that
he should vote to continue the Re-
publicans In possession OF the Com
miltees and the Democrats inlhe ell
ioymcnt OF the other Offices. The
House has done nothing but organ
ize. II il not Il very remarkable
body intellectually, especially on the
Republican side. Tho progress OF
that party in the lower branch OF
Congress- has been gradually toward
medlorracy for some years. In the
+4tl Congress, elected in the year
that tho Democratic landslide dis
placed Ben Butler and many other
prominent Republicans, the party
-til bud left for leaders such men as
Blaine, Garfield, Kss.on, Iiawley,
Hale and Frye. OF all these Kasson
is the only one lett, aud he has been
out of the country so long that he
has apparently lost all grip as lead
rr. Even the Michigan screech owl"
Conger, who usurpei the functions Of
leadership in the last Iloure, Is no
longer present, aud the roiund Robe
son, Of New Jersey alono comes for
ward 10 Ill the gap.
A slender mJority just led, and
made up OF some Half. Dreeds, II few
sialwarls, several Grechbackers and
two Repudiationists. will find itself
OPPOSED by Aolid majority possess
ing such lead,rs as Randall, Hewitt.
Carlisle, Blackburn and dozen 9TH
era, all head aud shoulders abeve the
sirongest men on the other side. This.
taken together with the selection OF n
Speaker who is not pnrlianentari-
an, nor even ready, clcar-hcafed
man, presents an unpromising out
look Tor the majority. The only drs-
matte scene thus far, occurred OH the
opening day when Mr. Moore. the
IreAh young Republican from the
Memphis district oi Tennessee,
bounded up the aisle from his scat,
waving hi, srnis wildly in the air,and
objected 10 swearing in Mr.. Chal-
iners, OF Mississippi, in a stream OF
iurgid rhetoric poured forth in stem
torian tones. His language and he.
havior were SO utterly ridiculous that
the whole house broke out in derfsivc
laughter. When Mr.. Moore's name
was called, Grn. Bragg. OF Wiscon-
.in, rose, and mimicking the rnelo-
dramatic style OF that gentleman, OBJ
jectrd 10 his being sworn in almost
precisely his language when object
ing TO the admission of Mr. Chalmers,
This brought down the House in
rounds OF applause, but Il had no ef.
icci ON Mr.. Moore, who will require
more uue and sad experience to dis.
cover that new members, unless OF
trausccndent ability, must be a little
ditiiden, Or they will be very severe
ly sat down upon.
In the determination Of the speak
srship contest We had another illus
tration Of the magic of the Cameron
lossrh in Pennsylvania politics. The
delegation from that State was sub
.tsaiially solid for Iliscock until
Don, the son oi his illustrious rAlher,
took them in hand and won them
away from thcis posiliye pledges.
What promises he made OF fayors
from the Administration Can only DO
guessed At. Anyhow the Speaker
may be said 10 owe his elevation to
the Cameron influence, whether he
recognizes II or not. According to
all accounts he has an unuanslly diff
ficult and laboriOus task in the ar.
rangemoni of the Committees, and
an intimate confidential friend Of his
-aid recently that tits likely to be two
weeks before they are announced
There never has been more OF u
struggle OH tho part of members to
yet on favoritc and important Com.
miti.-a. and not little ill-fceling
has already been created by the con
flictilig cla ms OF those who want the
san,c places. Old members think
lhr, ought to have the preference
uvsr new mcmbers, which claim new
members arc not always ready TO
concedo. The Indiana Republican
members hsvo been in an uncom,
Portable state of mind for some days.
because they tailed to support Kei.
fer. In sticking to Orth so long they
fenr they have killed the goose, Orth
would not let them leave him as he
let strong hopes upon tho dark
horse hypothesis, and now there il
some doubt whether Indiana will get
single important craftsmanship.
4 One OF the delegations latoly ro-
marked that Indiana would have 10
10 Democratic again to inspire a little
greater rerpcct in Republican coun
ellis.
After President Arthur gets his
Cabinet disposed OF, it Ia understood
that he will take up tho Public Prin.
ter contest and select a successor FOL
Defrees. The old pubic funclionar,
has certainly been in long enough,
and his administration has baer
, acarccly less Objectionable and cor
rupt than that OF his predecessor
Clapp. He is too old for auch po'
. sition and entirely Too cranky. Ever
ifhoncst himself ho has hecn sur
rounded by u bad lot, whose contro
+. appears to have been absolute. While
' he has few friends, either amons
: Democrats or Half-breeds. the stal
y warts or Grant men are making
/. hot war upon him and one Of the 10
cal organs lately reproduced the fol
lowing extract from letter writer
by Defrees In 1872: "This Ia III
most extravagant and corrupt Gov
ernment that ever existed in thi
Q country. Grant himself Is so full @
J. whiskey that he is stupid and bloatoi
q and tho men who manage him are q
ia the same sort. But the whole rook
II cry OF unclean birds that infest tn
g White House will be driven out ne,
:, march and an honest man take the