The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1882-06-08
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent.
WAsHINGToN, D. C.,
June, 5, 1882.

June, D, 1882.
BY the most arbitrary proceeding
ever known in a legislative body the
Republican majority in the House of
Representatives have succeeded in
cutting off all obstacles to the con-
summation of their scheme to steal
a few seats in Congress-, and the work
has already begun. There are a num-
Der of cases to ONE 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 to make contests o
the advice and promised support
of Republican leaders after it was
found that the party would have con-
troll of the House. Under the rules
as they have existed always hereto
fore it was in the power of the mi
nority-a minority comprising al
most half the House-to defeat by
diliatory tactics this scheme of par
tisan robbery and so the Republicans,
who neve hesitate at any measure
no matter how wrong or arbitrary,
TO carry outtheir purposes, prepared
in caucus a decision for the creature
who occupies the Speakers chair to
pronounce, and all power of the mi
nority to assert its rights is-taken
away.
They a now proceed in order and
turn out every Democrat whose seat
is contested, in defiance of precedent,
argument, law or right. More than
this; they are possessed of the ALSO
lutte power to begin tomorrow and
GUST from their seats every Demo
cratic member in the House, against
whom a contest can be trumped up.
To commit any outrage, which can be
shown TO have the remotest connec-
ton with an election case, therefore
coming under the rule, ali-the major
ity need is a little patience and a
quorum. They have established the
novel proposition, in refusing even to
entertain an appeal from the Spea-
kers decision, that in considering a
proposition to defraud the minority
of it's rights it is no longer necessary
to suspend the rules bv a twosthirds
vote, of the House; it is only areauir-
ed that the Speaker shall suspend
the rules himself. The bargain made
with the Greenback members by
which the latter vote with the ReEub-
licans, in consideration of an Alaba-
ma Greenbacker being seated, is
scarcely less ~disgraceful than that
made last spring between the Repub.
licans and one Malone. But it ought
to teach Democrats the folly of tri-
fling or c%oquetting with a handful Of
unrrincipled Office beggars.
After the majority carry out theil
purpose tolseat a lot of claimants
from the South who have no right te
seats, we shall probably e some
lively work in rushing through the
much delayed appropriations, will
numerous jobs tackled on TO them
Nobody but Robson, the Speaker
and q few others of the most unscru
pulous Republican leaders knows
. why certain appropriation bills like
the Naval bill and two or three other:
have been so held back. The new
fiscal year, which all these appropri
atoms are to cover, begins on the Is
of July. The law absolutely prohib
its any purchases being made o.
fmoney expended before it is appro
priated. The Appropriations Commit
tee, the Speaker and the majorit,
who control the House know thi'
perfectly well, and know that all the
appropriation bills must be passec
before the Both Of June. But the,
know more, for they know that b.
law purchases for the Army, Nav,
and different departments ofthe Gov
, eminent can be made only after pre-
vious advertisement, and that, there
fore these bills, should be passed
month beforehand, so IS to Civ
heads of departments opportunity tt
tabulate the items, see what the,
have to spend and issue advertise
ments for their purchase. Ofcours'
the remainder Of the necessary bust
ness of Congress-, the greater ant
, most important part of alk-its nee
, essary business-has now 10 be don
in haste But all experience prove
: that in the matter of passing appro
/ priation bills in haste means jobbing
, means corruption, means lsWindlin!
! of the taxpayers, robbery of tn
, Treasury, and especially when a hug
!, surplus revenue of $4,000, 600 ha
drawn hither a numerous lobby ant
when a person of the character ant
: anteeedents of Mr.. Robson control
i the business of the House and con
. trolls to a great extent also the con
illusions of the Appropriations Com
mittee. ~ -. .sa-rz
; Mr.. Robson has from the begin
Y ming of the session controlled til
: Speaker, and through him CONTROL
ed, as far as he was able, the bust
1 ness of the House. AS a leader Q
e the House, in the usual sense, he ha
e been a conspicuous failure. Still b
:, has, as everybody here sees, eNercis
f ed very great influence over the bus
ness of the House. As second o
the Appropriations Committee an
s chairman of the subcommittee o
o Naval Appropriations he has exerci'
Ii ed a large influence over the apprt
IS priation bills, and the condition {
the business before the committe
l. shows to what that influence hs
tended. But to complete his contr'
over the business of the House
got the Republican caucus, of whic
he is chairman, to put him on wh'
= is called the "Steering Committee,
a body ofseven Republicans appoin
ed to arrange and prescribe the ord
Dr. in which business shall come befol
y the House. This committee was a
pointed about six weeks ago, al
Mr.. Robson been its chairman ais
. He. more than any other man,