Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1881-02-11
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER
wAsu1NeroN. D. c., Feb. 7, 's1.

WASHINGTON. ID. c., Feb. Z, '81.
Senator Pendletons bill providing that
the heads of the Executive departments oil
the Government may occupy seats in Con-
gress, has received the nearly unanimous
endorsement and approval OF the select
committee to which it was referred. For
year or more past this committee have
been carefully studying the subject, and
the report they have submitted, recommend
ing tile passage OF the measure, is signed
by Senators Pendleton, Voorhees,, Butler,
Ingalls,, Blaine, Farley, Plat and Allison
-four Democrats and four Republicans.
The report maintains that Congress has
the constitutional power to pass the bill
that the head OF Department reporting in
person or orally to Congress upon matters
relating to his Department becomes no
more Member of Congress ethan does
the chaplain, or contestent or his.counsel,
or a delegate" This is not new question
rs the committee show that in 1889 the
Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Mr.. Jefferson,
attended lin Congress) agreeably TO order
and made the necessary explanations ="
that III tiC bahiO yCal thC tSslucHk VI Tie
United States, attended by Gen. Knox,
Secretary of War, entered the Senate while
in executive session and laid before the
Senate statement of facts that upon two
other occasions in 1889 the Secretary of
War entered the house during it's sessions
and delivered certain papers, Together
with statements OF troops in SERVICE" etc.
The committee state that instances of this
kind could be indefinitely multiplied.
The report contains an able argument in
support OF the bill. This measure will be
called up this week for action, and il is un-
derstOod that, besides Senator Pendleton,
Mr.. Blaine and other Senators will speak
in It's behalf.
In the Senate, Saturday, Mr.. Logan Sc :
verely criticised the sixiy-surgeon clause
of the pension bill. He opposed il as af-
fording no convenience to the pension mp
plicnnt nor protection to the Government
not secured by existing law. The appli-
cant would be required, at his own expense,
to bring his witnesses to the place Of meet
ing OF the court, whereas, under existing
law, he could have his application signed
by the witness at his home. lie would not
be subjected to the humiliation of being
examined by tribunal which had been
constituted upon the assumption that he
was fraud. Then the surgeon and the
lawyer appointed in each district were to
act under the authority OF the Commission.
er, which was rather indefinite as to the
exact scope Of their functions. Mr.. Logan
said he would submit proposition to in.
crease the clerical force Of the Commission,
er, and would be willing to augment the
number Of examiners il that should be
called for, but lie could not countenunce the
Introduction of tha ciiu "a, Itaran,na ,n
indicated by the amendment, and went on
10 criticise its alleged expensiveness.
The question OF the fate Of. the llindin.
bill has been the general topic of converse
tion among statesmen since the action O
the Senate Finance Committee last Salur
day. The impression that generally pre-
vailed when the announcement OF the III
nance Committees action was frat made
known, that the House would never agree
10 compromise on the rate OF interest, hai
visibIy weakened, and IL is now genernll,
conceded that some sort OF bill will bt
passed, and that the House will reced,
from its position in order 10 render such s
result possible. Speaker Randall, IL il
conceded on all hands, is now The nuiocra
OF the situation, and can, by the exercise o
his power IN The appointment OF tbe Hous,
members OF the inevitable committee o
conference, M constitute IL ~ to compel lh,
Senate 10 come TO the Houses terms O
ihrow upon that branch the responsibility
for The failure by the Forty .Sixll, Congress
10 pass relunding bill. Whether he vii
exercise that power or not is new the qlies
lion, and those persons who know him Jes
predict that he willnot; that is TO say, h,
will, in his Usual way. shift the response.
bility 10 other slolldefs in the end, by a
ihe proper lime appointing committee
which will yield the point, TOY.