Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1882-06-08
WASHINGTON LETTER.


z WAsHE0ToN, ID. O.. June 8. 1882.
by the most arbitrary proceeding ever
known IN legislative body the Republi-
can majority in the House OF Representa-
tives have succeeded in cutting, off all
obstacles to the contamination OF their
scheme to steal few seats in Congress.
and the work has already begun. There
are number OF cases TO come up, and
partisan reports are already prepared in
most OF them. The programme WAS cut
and dried by Republican managers long
before Congress assembled, and men who
had no earthly claim to seats prepared 10
make contests upon the advice and PROM
ised support of Republican leaders after
it was found that the party have control
of the house. Under the rules as they
have existed always heretofore it was IN
the power Of the minority-a minority
comprising almost half the House-to
defeat by diliatory tactics this scheme OF
partizan robbery and so the Republicans,
who never hesitate at any measure NO mat
ter how wrong or arbitrary, to carry out
their purposes, prepared in caucus a de-
cision for the creature who occupies the
Speakers chair to pronounce, and all
power of the minority to assert its rights
is taken away. w@ &A#
They can now proceed in order and
turn out every Democrat whose seat is
contested, in defiance of precedent, ar
gument, law orright. More than this, they
are possessed of the absolute power Co be.
gin tomorrow and oust from their seat
every Democratic member in the House,
against whom a contest can be trumped
up. To commit any outrage, which can
Il. A<.E faof ORfInn
with an election case. therefore coming
under the rule, all the majority need is
little patience and quorum. They have
established the novel proposition, in re-
fusing even to entertain an appeal from
the Speakers decision, that In considering
proposition to defraud the minority OF
| its rights it is no longer necessary to sus-
pend the rules by thirds vote OF
the House; it is only required that the
Speaker shall suspend the rules himself.
The bargain made with the Greenback
members by which the latter vote with
the Republicans, in consideration OF an
! Alabama Green backer being seated, is
scarcely less disgraceful than that made
last spring between the Republicans and
one Mahore. But it ought to teach Dem.
ocrats. the folly of trifiing or coquetting
with handful of unprincipled office
beggars. Ns
i After the majority carry out their pur,
pose to seat lot of claimants from the
South who hare no right to seats, We
shall probably see some lively work il
rushing through the much delayed appro
priations, with numerous jobs tackled or
to them. Nobody but Robeson, thu
! Speaker and few others of the unscrup
4 ulous Republican leaders knows why
certain appropriation bills like the Nava
. bill and two or three Others have beer
so held back. The new fiscal year, which
all these appropriations are to cover, be
gins on the 1st of July. The law ahso
lutely prohibits any purchases beinl
| made or money expended before 1t is ap
propriated. The appropriations Commit
tee, the Speaker and the majority VIII
!, control che House know this perfectl
| well, and know that all the appropriate
| bills must be passed before the a0th o
, June. Rut they know more, for they know
!, that by law purchases for the Army
Navy and different departments of tn
, Government can be made only afte
: previous advertisement, and that, there
fore these bills should be passed mont
. beforehand, so as to give heads of dt
partments opportunity to tabulate tn
items, see what they have to spend an
issue advertisements for their purehas'
' OF course the remainder of the necessar
!. business Of Congress, the greater and mo'
: important part of aAl-its necessary bus
!. ness, has now to be done in haste. But a
y experience proves that in the matter 0
T passing appropriation bills in hast
U means iobhinp means corruption, mean
!. swindling of the taxpayers, robbery {
i the Treasury, especially when hug
surplus revenue of $150,0OO,0O0 hs
e drawn hither numerous lobby an
9 when q person OF the character an
s antecedents Of Mr.. Robson controls II
4 business of the House and controls to
great extent also the conclusions OF Il
7 Appropriations COMMITTEES. PHoNo.