The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1883-12-29
Washington Gossip.


Congress during the week; a number of
bills were introduced in the Senate. The
Republican majority elected and installed
new secretary, chief clerk, executive
clerk, chaplain, and sergeant-at-arms,
amid interpretations of Civil Service reform
cant by Democratic Senators. The new
rules were discussed for while each day.
and III executive session were confirmed
the nominations of one hundred and
eighty of the two hundred made for post
masters, five for Indian agents, eleven for
customs collectors; and large batch of
promotions in the Revenue service were
disposed of.
The House met Monday only to adjourn
in respect to Mr.. Haskell, deceased,
who was the leading Representative from
Kansas. On Wednesday and Thursday
were introduced resolutions from the
committee on rules, in regard to the APP
pointment of long line of select COM
mittees, through the division of old ones,
which gave rise to several lengthy and
amusing debates in which Messrs. Horr
Reagan and Bedford were conspicuous
participants. Woman suffragists were
snubbed again by the failure of resolu-
ton to appoint Woman Suffrage com
mittee.
A proposition to give discharged House
employees months extra pay was oppos-
ed by Mr. Reagan of Texas, on the ground
that the House had no right to be chart
table with other peoples money. A mo-
ton to remove the desks Of the Hall on
account of its crammed condition fell
through. The House adjourned Thurs
day, and re-convened to day to hear
Speaker Carlise's committee lists, and
witness another demonstration of the
impossibility of satisfying every body in
the complicated political machinery of
committees. Prophecies as to the be-
stowment principle chairmanshipswere
for the most part verified, but in some
instances, the make up of the member
ships occasioned surprise. As the recog-
nized leader of the minority in the House,
Speaker Carlisle is said to have consulted
ex-speaker Keifer in regard to the assign
ment of the Republicans to committees.
There was great rejoicing in the Dem
ocratic camp Tuesday over what they
alleged to be the death of Mr. Keifer.
If a member is killed when he makes
motion that fails to meet the concurrence
of majority of his brethren, the House
is full of corpses.
The whisky lobby now in Washington
has exerted exceptional influence to pro-
cure relief for the owners of bonded
whisky by an extension of two years
beyond the three years limitation fixed by
law. Dealers are applying to the Demo-
cratic House of Representatives with a
confidence that steady consumers will at
once appreciate the advantage of cheaper
ing the article that takes the chief place |
in their bill of personal expenses. They |
asked for two years interest on the stocks |
in the warehouses which would have mt
several millions in the pockets of the |
ring. For days committee of Congress
men waited for Secretary Folger's pres
ence in the.Department to pray him to
suspend the collection of the tax while
the question was before Congress. Fail
ing to meet him and convinced he would
not dare to take such action, they decided
to introduce bill merely asking for the
extension of the bonded period for two |
years.
The executive committee Of the Nation
al Colored Convention which met here
during the week, will ask Congressional |
aid for the education of the illiterate |
masses of the South, and the protection
Of colored voters from bourbon bullets. |
Resolutions were also adopted de-
an investigation of the Danville |
massacre.
Congress adjourned to day for vaca- |
tion of two weeks. The respite is espec-
tally needful to Speaker Carlisle, who has |
been working day and night over the
committees. He shows plainly the strain
'f the last few weeks, and looks physi-
'ally unequal to his laborous duties. His
alarmed at his continued palor
nervousness and emaciation, and predict
ie will not live through the session if the
high pressure demand upon his strength
If the first month of Congress is con-
inued.
Ex-senator Conkling comes to Wash
ngton every now and then. He has been
lere during the week as counsel for Edi-
on in an interference case at the Patent
Office. He is said to be growing rapidly
ich through his profession. He refrains
rom the discussion of political topics
when here, and has never been in the
'enate or House of Representatives since
lis retirement from office. Nor has Mr..
Blaine been in the Capitol except ON the
ay he delivered the eulogy on Garfield in
he House. Mr.. Blaine is said to he
working steadily on his book ''From Lin
DIN to Garfield which will be published
re long,
Morality Ey+roord;na.