Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-05-20
WASHINGTON LETTER.

HANGED.
(From our regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, u. c., May Is, 1882.
This being the third Monday of
the month, the session of the House
was devoted to action upon mo-
tions to suspend the rules for the
passage of bills.
The bill to extend the charters of
the National banks will be taken
up again tomorrow, and an effort
will be made to reach final vote.
1t is not probable, however, that
this bill will be passed before Thurs
day, owing to the large number of
amendments that will be presented.
The Republican caucus has deci-
ded to call up n number of contested
election cases during the week, and
the Republican contestants will no
doubt beseated.
The appropriations committee
will soon be ready to ask consider
alton for the Pension bill, and the
Legislative, Executive, and Judi
cial appropriation bill, both of
which have been perfected by the
committee and will probably be re-
ported to the House on Wednesday.
THE SENATE.
The five per cent. bill was taken
up in the Senate to-day. Itprovides
for the payment of the various pub
lie land states of five per centum of
the value of the lands-reckoned at
the Government minimum price
which have been located by soldiers
scrip or bounty land warranted
within their respective boundaries.
When this bill and the Board OF
Health bill shall have been disposed
of, an animated contest for prece-
dence may be looked for among the
respective champions of the Bank
ruptcy bill, the Geneva Award bill,
the japanese Indemnity Fund bill,
and the Eads Ship Railway bill, the
claims of all of which have already,
on several occasions, been urged for
immediate consideration. The
prospect for the passage of Mr..
Eads' Ship Railway bill is not
bright. 1t is difficult without actu-
al demonstration, to prove the fea-
sibility of transporting loaded ships
across the Isthmus. Demonstration
in this case will be very expensive
experiment. Mr.. Eads is opposed
by the gigantic mOnopolies that
have railroads made or planned
across the continent, and also by
the friends of the Lesseps canal.
Some very eminent engineers be-
lieve in the feasibility of the under
taking. While others insist that
the Earring and shaking 10 which a
ship would be subjected through
transportation by rail would make
her unseawOrthy. The Opposers OF
this argument urge that the shak-
ing on a railroad prepared especial
ly for ship transportation would not
be as trying to the strength of a
vessel as is the rude machinery with
which every ship is first launched,
and they urge, with much plausi-
bility, that a ship built to endure
the rough treatment of wind and
wave will rest on these cars as in a
harbor. Surely this is wonderfully
progressive age, and it is not i'm
possible that before LesSeps COM
pletes' his -Darien canal, or turns
Central Africa into another Medit-
erranean, we may see ships moving
across the Mexican isthmus, over a
track of immense width, supported
on gigantic trucks, and drawn by
engines OF stupcndOus strength.
There are rumorS, which, Eowev-
er, can be traced to no authentic
source, that Mr.. Conkiing will be
offered the portfolio of the Secretary
of State, and that the present Secre-
tary, Mr.. Frelinghuysen, will be
made Minister to England instead
of Mr.. Lowell.
Guiteau's appeal was lengthily
argued before the Court in 6dnc last
week. No decision will be render
ed until the 22d of May, but the de-
cision of the court below will be
affirmed, and Guiteau will be hang
ed on Friday the Both of June, just
one year, lacking two days, from
the date of his crime.