The Dillon tribune. [volume] (Dillon, Mont.) 1881-1941, 1882-06-17
CoreSpaFdtTrs.
WASHINGTON LETTER
Cprom our sexulas CusssapoaAsne.l
WASHINGTON, 1une nth. I

WAsH1NGroS, June nth, 1854.
The question Of compulsory retirement
Of army officers still occupies the time Of
the Senate. A Southern Senator-Butler, |
Of South Carolina-gracefully proposed the
other day to amend the bill so that General |
Sherm,n, Lieutenant General Sheridan, |
and two or three Major Generals, who have
received the thanks Of Congress, should
not be subject to retirement until the a2e
of seventy. This was It agreed to, but
later an amendment was adopted making
the age at which officers shall be retired at
sixty four instead Of sixty.two. Among
the prominent officers to be retired under
this bill is General Hancock. and in view
ofits probable passage considerable specula
ton has been indulged in here as to whether
he would accept the nomination for Gov.
ernor Of ennsylvania, said 10 be contem-
plated by the Democratic managers Of that
State. The drift Of opinion is that he
would not, and according to the latest gos.
sip Sam Randall isthe slated candidate of
the Keystone Democrats. New York and
Pennsylvania politics attract large share
Of attention here now, and all the indica.
| tions point to hard struggles In those States
this fall. In Pennsylvania, especially, it is
understood that the whole power Of the
Administration and Of the National Re.
publican party will be brought to bear in
behalf Of the Cameron ticket, and that
large sums Of money will be raised. The
contest for those two States and for the
control Of the next House Of Representa-.
tives will he one of the hardest ever known
outside Of the Presidential. struggles. The
Republicans have streng hopes OF making
gains in the South sufficient to offset their
probable losses in the North. and thereby
maintain their majority. This explains il,
part the bitterness Of the late contest and
the desire Of both parties to strengthen
themselves in Southern districts. The
Democrats saw that new crop Of carpet
bagg-rs will now spring up down Soutt
and that the old experience will to some
extent be g"ne over again-at least SO fal
as Congress Is concerned.
ANY one might suppose from the curren
Of speeches made in the House on the re
cent contested election cases that the first
highest and most important duty devolvet
upon that body by the Constitution was th'
review of every election in every Congress
ional district in the Union. The Constitu
Judge Of the election and qualifications @
its members; but that provision by n,
means excludes the idea that, at least as t
cate Of Go, ernor or Secretary OF a Stat
, should be taken as final and conclusiv,
, There may be. and Of course always wi
be, political trickery and unjust partisan
, ship at the polls and In the executive office
e but the courts are always open to the car
! didate who may consider himself dcfraude
: or aggrieved, and surely It Is not 10 he SUI
posed that the courts Of the country are
do Injustice. When the great Nation
question OF the Presidential election in 49,
was brought before the Electoral Con
mission that high court ruled invariblv tn
!. it could not go behind the action and r
i turns Of the State authorities, but WI
bound to give them the fullest credcut
!. and authority, and that every matter Of d
:. tail in the election ITSELF every allegatie
" Of fraud or irrrgularity was aliWnde. Th
Latin word was very much used at tn
n time, in derision by Democrats and IN cor
y mendation by Republicans; but 1t was c
d pressive and did good service to the Repu
lie. 1t should be the motto for the tv
Houses and for their election cnmmitte.
y Everything outside and beyond the ofi1c
~ certificates Of the State authorities as to 4
'e person duly elected to seat in Congre
should he declared ali.sds and bsvond I
70 competency Of either House to go I'M
m The contrary rule Is an insult to the Sta
Is cause Of reproacl, and trouble to I
House and is more than likely to be I
=. foundation of injustice to the district
= voved and to It's chosen Representati'
~ ~ The political hostility engendeeed by
~ late proceedings in the House should h
warning Of the impolicy and evil Of ent'
as tanning and encouraging contested electi
" cases. Mr.. Kasson has brought forwa
In a proposition to refer election cases to I
,e Court Of Claims where evidence could
taken and report made In the interim
tween the election and the assembling
a., az Congress, this report going no further tn
~ . determination Of the tvissa jacir right.
- which the Governor's certificate Is now
eo cepted. The plan has SO many ohjectie
able features that It Is not likely to
ed adopted. DOM PEpRo
10. A Vigorous Growth