The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1882-06-21
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent
w AsurncrnN d q lime II 1850

Congress with great rapidity to noun
tain and sea side resort, and it will
no doubt diminish to a considerable
extent the length Of the COMPRESSION,
al session. Members and Senators
are very anxious to get to their
homes, and to their long neglected
private business.
The President has made no pro.
gramme for the summer. He has
not engaged a cottage at Long Branch
as has been reported. He will not
leave the capitol until after the ad-
journment of Congress except to at
tend theencampment Of the Grand
Army of the Republic in Baltimore
next week.
The President has approved the
sentence of court martial in the case
of the colored lieutenant Flipper,
and he will be dismissed from the
Army in a few days.
Another special meeting Of the
cabinet was held to-day TO finally de.
termine who shall be selected to gil
the two existing vacancies in the tar.
if commission. The appointments
to the Utah commission were also
briefly considered. 1t is the iu.cn.
ton of the President to dispose Of
the question of who shall cpmrose
the tariff, Utah, and Alabama claims
commissions, if possible, before any
other business is taken up.
Two weeks ago the Secretary of the
Treasury issued IN order prohibiting
smoking during office hours, but the
order bore so hard on several thous-
and users Of the weed that the Sec
rotary has issued second order Civ.
ing recess of half an hour at noon
to all Treasury employees. At this
hour the clerks form in groups out
side the Department and make the
air dense with smoke.
In the United States Senate ycster-
day, the joint resolution to reappro.
pirate $4,000 to pay mail contract.
ors for service in Southern States be-
fore the war was further discussed
Mr.. Maxey spoke earnestly in favor
of the resolution, after which it went
over. The House took up the river
and harbor bill, and Mr.. Page, ex-
planned its provisions. Mr.. Horr de-
Tended the bill and denounced the
published charge that there was Job
in it. Mr.. Cox favored appropria-
tions for works of general interest,
but argued against the constitutions
allty OF making appropriations for
.he iiiiPf"'o"'~--. ''f streams OF p..a-
~ local Importance. Mr.. McLane
made II constilional argument upon
the power of Congress to improve
the navigation of rivers. Messrs.
Townsend and Reagan advocated the
bill, after which general debate on
the bill was closed.
The Bonded Spirits bill which
lately passed the House and has since
been the theme of several protracted
debates in the Senate, giving rise in
the mean time to u committee of in.
vestigation, was disposed of yester.
day, by an indefinite postponement,
the main opposition to the measure
being based upon the possible hazard
to the revenues of the Government
involved in an extension of the bond.
ed period. Mr.. Window has been
the leading spirit of the opposition
and the investigation which he
adroitly instigated, though barren Of
any other result, no doubt had its
! effect in disinclining many members
to the support of bill which, wheth.
or justly or unjustly was thus put
under a cloud.
The bill retiring all army officers
ut the age of sixty-four has been
passed. An unsuccessful effort was
made toexcept Generals Sherman and
Sheridan. The bill is generally ap.
proved. Most men at ixty.four have
passed the period of their best ener.
gy ana are unfit for active field ser.
vice. The victories of Van Moltke
twelve years ago, would seem to re.
flute this idea but the real work OF
the great Prussian's campaigns was
done years before in the organization
of the Prussian army and General
staff-the most complete and accu.
ratelv effectiye enrinery ever known