Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1882-06-07
From our regular correspondent
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington, June 0, isN2,

Washington, June 0, is's'
by the most arbitrary proceeding
ever known to u legislative body the
republican majority In the House OF
Representatives have succeeded IN cut
ting OF all obstacles to the consumma'
ton of their scheme to steal few seats
in Congress, and the work has already
begun, There are number OF cases
to come up, aud partisan reports are
already prepared to most OF them The
programme was cut aud dried by re-
publican managers long before Congress
assembled, and mon who had no earth
" claim to seats prepared to make con-
tests upon the advice and promised sup
port of republican leaders after it was
found that the party would have con-
troll of the House. Under the rules rs
they have existed always heretofore il
was in the power Of the minorily-a
minority comprising almost half the
Housc-to defeat by dilatory tactics the
scheme Of partisan robbery and so
the republicans, who never hesitate at
any measure no matter how wrong or
arl itrary, to carry out their purposes,
prepared in caucus decision for the
creature who occupies the Speakers
chair to pronounce, and all power OF
the minority to assert its rights is taken
away.
They can now proceed in order and
turn out every democrat whose seat is
contested, in defiance of precedent. Or
gument, law or right. More than this
they are possessed of the absolute pow
err to begin tomorrow and Dust from
their seats every democratic men,
her in the House, against whom con-
test can be trumpcd up. To commit
any outrage, which can be shown to
have the remotest connection 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
refusing to entertain an appeal from the
Speakers decision, that in considering
q proposition to dcfraud the minority Of
its rights it is no longer necessary to
suspend the rules by u two-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 lat
ter vote with the republicans, in consid-
Grafton on an Alabama Grecnbacker
being seated, is scarcely less disgrace
full than that made last spring between
the republicans and one Malone. But
it ought to teach Democrats the folly
of triAing Or coquetting with handful
of unprincipled office beggars.
After the majority carry out their
purpose to seat a lot of claimants from
the South who have no right to seats.
we shall probably see some lively work
in rushing through the much delayed
appropriations, with numerous jobs
tackled on to them. Nobody but Robe
son, the Speaker and few others of
the most INSCRIPTIONS Republican lead
ers knows why certain appropriation
bills like the Naval bill and two or
three others have been so held back.
The new fiscal year, which all these
appropriations are to cover, begins on
the LIST of July. The law absolutely
prohibits any purchases being made or
money expended before it is appropri-
ated. The Appropriations Committee,
the Speaker and the majority who con-
troll the House know this perfectly we'll,
and know that all the appropriation
bills must be passed before the 3Oth OF
June. But they knew more, for they
know that by law purchases for the
Army, Navy and different departments
of the Government can be made only
after previous advertisement, and that,
therefore these bills should be passed a
month beforehand, so as to give heads
of departments opportunity to tabulate
the items, see what they have to spend
and issue advertisements for their pur-
chase. Of course the remainder Of the
necessary business of Congress, the
greater and most important part OF all
its necessary business-has now to be
done in haste. But all experience
proves that in the matter Of passing
appropriation bills in haste, means job
bling, means corruption, means swind-
ling of the taxpayers, robbery of the
treasury, and especially when huge
surplus revenue of $3.50, 100000 has
drawn hither numerous lobby and
when a person of the character and