The Daily Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Or.) 1876-1883, 1882-05-18
Washington Letter.
From our Regular Correspondent.l
WASHINGTON, D. c., May 9, 1882

dom from exciting political dis
cussions. 1t has really been a
period of peace, SO to speak. A
leading Senator remarked to-day
in conversation that there had
scarcely been ripple of political
antagonism stirred up on the floor
of the Senate, and ascribed thisre-
suit to the absence Of three Sena-
tors who have heretofore been emi-
nently conspicuous in fomenting
discord. One of these. Mr.. Conk-
ling, is no longer a member OF the
Senate, and the other two, Sena-
tors Edmunds and Hill, have been
absent most Of the time on account
of sickness of themselves or their
families. Speaking OF Senator
Hill, the latest reports as to his
condition have been very unfav-
orable. He is now at Eureka
Springs, and his condition is re-
ported so critical that his friends
may anticipate the worst at any
moment. His wound is still un
healed, and be can eat no solid
food. He is very much depressed,
and will scarcely take the liquid
food that his attendants prepare
for him. It is stated that his phy-
sicians have said there is no hope
for his recovery beyond the mi
raculous cures that are said to
have been effected at Eureka
Springs. While very much de.
pressed, Mr.. Hill is represented
as being perfectly resigned to the
worst. Senator Hill is o man of
distinguished ability, aud one of
the leading debaters in the Sem
ate, and will be sadly missed not
withstanding the peculiarity re-
ferred to above, which is due TO
constitutional cxcitabiIity.
There has never been more
unanimous raid, SO to speak, in the
direction Of appropriations for pub
lie buildings than is being made
this session. Bills for the erection
of eight Of these structures were
passed under a suspension of the
rules on Monday last. The amoun;
appropriated by these bills is
about a million and a half, repre-.
senting, according to the scale
usually applicable to such cases
an ultimate expenditure of some
six millions of dollars. And these
are but eight out of the hundred
and twenty or whereabouts which
await recognition. One or TIVE
feeble protests were made agains
the summary method in whicl
these bills are put through, but a
nearly every member of the Hous
has, or expects to have, Il bill for
public building in his pocket, tn
desire to oblise those who are for
tunate enough to he recognized b
the Speaker rose superior to a
considerations OF party or Of pub
lie duty. Mr.. Holman was ahou
the oaly member who stood boldl
up in opposition 70 all Of the ar
preparations, and he said it wa
not SO much against the bill
themselves as against the iog-rol
ing method Of putting thel
through. He thought there ougf
to be some demand for the builc
ings indorsed by committee an
the Secretary Of the Treasur,
The buildings voted are: One i
Detroit, 100000; one in Denve
100000; one in Jackson, Tenn
$4,000; onein Council Bluff, 500
900; one in Peoria, Ills, 100000
and Others in Lynchburg, Va
Galveston, Texas, and Greensbor
n. c., the first costing $4,000
and the other two $4,000 eac
The point Of the thing is that ther
is very little use for Govcrnmen
buildings in most Of these place
The second postponement {
the Star-route trials to await th
appearance of John w. Dorse
is another evidence of the desir
of the defendants to delay tt
prosecution as much as possible
When they were first charge
with fraud, it will be remembers
they clamored loudly for tris
urging that it was working them
great Injustice for the Goyerpme,