The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-05-27
Irregular correspondence.
WASHINGTON, ID. g., May I

WASHINGTON, d. e., May 10, 1882
This being the third Monday of the month,
the session of the House was devoted to action
upon motions to suspend the rules for the pas.
sage of bills.
The bill to extend the charters of the Ma.
tional Banks Will be taken up again to.mor.
row, and an effort will be made to reach final
vote. II is not probable, however, that this
bill will be passed before Thursday, owing to
the large number of amendments that will be
presented
The Republican caucus has decided to call
up number of contested election cases dur
ing the week, and the Republican contestants
will probably be seated.
The appropriations committee will soon be
ready to ask consideration for the Pension bill,
and the Legislative, Executive and Judicial
appropriation bill, both of which have been
perfected by the committee and will probably
be reported to the House on Wednesday.
THE SENATE.
The 5 per cent. bill was taken up in the Sen
ate to-day. 1t provides tor the payment to the
various public land states ots per centum of
the value of the lands-reckoned at the Gov.
rnment minimum price-which have been
rants within their respective boundaries
When this bill and the Board of Health bill
shall have been disposed OF, an animated con-
test tor precedence may be looked for among
the respective champions of the Bankruptcy
bill, the Geneva Award bill, the Japanese In
demnity Fund bill and the Eads' Ship Rail
way bill, the claims of all of which have al
ready on several occasions, been argued for
immediate consideration. The prospect for
the passage Of Mr.. Eads' Ship Railway bill
IS not bright. 1t Is difficult, without actual
demonstration, to prove the Feasibility Of trans
porting loaded ships across the Isthmus Dem
onstratlon in this case will be a very eXpen-
sive experiment. Mr.. Eads is opposed by the
gigantic monopoIies that have railroads made
or planned across the continent and also by
the friends of the Lesseps canal. Some very
eminent engineers believe in the feasibility of
the undertaking, while others insist that the
JdIllue huu slahluS W WhlIu sup W'uiu w
subjected through transportation by rail would
make her unseaworthy. The opposers of this
argument urge that the shaking on a railroad
prepared especially for ship transportation
would not be as trying to the strength of YES,
sci as is the rude machinery with which every
ship Is first launched, and they urge, with
much plausiblity, that ship built to endure
the rough treatment of wind and wave will
rest on these cars as in a harbor. Surely this
is a wonderfully progressive age, and it is not
impossible that before Lesseps completes his
Darien canal, or turns central Africa INTO an.
other Mediterranean, we may see ships NOV
ing across the Mexican lsthmus, over track
of immense width, supported on gigantic
trucks and drawn by engines Of stupendous
strength,
There are rumors, which, however, can 10
traced to no authentic source, that MIR. Conk-
ling will be offered the portfolio of the Secre-
tary of State, and that the present secretary,
Mr.. Frelinghuysen, will be made Minister to
England instead Of Mr.. Lowell.
Gulteau's appeal was lengthly argued be-
fore the court in bdnc last week. No decision
will be rendered until the 22d of May, but the
decision of the court below will be affirmed,
and Guiteau will be hanged on Friday, the
Both of June, Just one year, lacking two days,
from the date of his crime.