South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1883-12-21
Letter from Washington.
E'oa, Oar Regular Correspondent
wAsHrsaros. ID. G.. Dec. II.

\ ihc usuot Ot!AN III Sctiin1 uOWn 10
solid work IN Congress seems ineyi-
table, and "a soon as the complete or
ganization of both Houses is perfect.
cd We shall probably have the usual
holiday recess, ending not much be-
fore the second week OF January. II
cannot be SAID that these delays and
adjournments are needless. The waste
OF time IS only apparent. for il is all
solntcly necessary la The organization
OF new Congress that tue members
should have time to become acquaint-
ell with each other & with the duties
before them,S that ,hc Speaker should
have ample time for de!iberation ia
the formation of his committees. In
Il body of the magnitude and impoit-
ance OF the National House OF Rep
resentativea haste would be worse
than waste. 1t would cause Disaster
1t may, perhaps. be contrary 70 the
spirit Vi orr instructions that Congress
Is growing more and more into the
control at committees, but such is tine
tendency. Originally, the commits
tees were intended To facilitate and
expedite The business OF the house.
AZ matters have drified they monopo-
''ze that business, from the date Of it's
inception to completion. There s far
less freedom OF debate. less expression
OF popnlar opinipn,in The House of Re-
presentatives, to-day, than there is in
the British House OF Commons. De-
| butc IN ip,porin,.t p,ooc,rn, 3, ,,,,. IL
c!slva, out the real work Of legisI Lion
iSpCr! in the secrecy OF the com.
mlttec-room and the rep. TT OF COM
ml'tce II generally conclusive. With
out discussing the question whether
this conlition OF things should be.
there can be no gainsaying the fact
that 1t Ia, ami there il 10 wonder that
the election o. a Speaker becomes o
matter OF national concern, and that
"her chosen he should consider his
gravest responsibility the selection of
the committees.
In addition TO the other business OF
the House when it gets into fair
working order, II is pretty well under
stood that two or three Interesting in
vcstlga,iOns will be undertaken. The
A'torncy-General's Office is quite Ger.
tain II be called upon to explain GER
tain matters, including the methods
relating to some political indictments.
Ia South tarolina, and the settlement
OF the Ottman case. Some very Pc
'collar' instructions appear TO have
been given TO special attorneys APP
pointed TO prosecute the South Caro-
lima cases, and furthermore, the ap
pointment, at Mr. Arthur's request,
Of the Hon. Richard Crowley rs gu, h
counsel was II violation of law, he be-
ing member Of Congress ut the time
and drawing pay in both capacities
Then there is the case OF Mr.. George
Bliss, who, while nc ing us special
counsci in the Star-roItc case, nj ia
bn!ous pay, gave an opinion agains.
the Government in the Ouman case
for which he received from Ottman q
fee Of $ 900. 1t is stated that Ris:
requested TO have the case referred &c
him and then gave the adverse opin-
ion. The only explanation for allow
ing this sort OF iiing is that Bliss Is
an Old 'chum' of'Chet Arthur. One
subject OF inquiry, am. told. will be
the charge that cel tain eminent law
yer was appointed 10 the Supreme
bench in Pursuance Of bargain with
certain capitalists and railroad mag
mates. 1t seems late in the day to in,
vestigatc this charge, bot the last con
gress would not do it and member
from the State most interested sa $
his people demAnllt The reputation
OF the Suprer.o Bench IS at stake 80
long as the charge stands uurefutei.
Bot ore of the subjects OF greatest
general importance likely to be dealt
with by this Congress is the lapsed
land grants Of certain railway corpor
ations. There is some dcabt about the
position of the Secretary of the Int
rior on this question, and Congress
should certainly take the matter in
hand. 1t is not impossible that the
Establishments of these companies
might be too much for the Secretary
1t IL even hinted that they have cap.
tured him already, and the circum
stance that Join J. Ingalls, came TO
his defence in the Senate the other
day, when Senator Till, of Colorado,
offered hi7 resolution .alliny for Ger.
tain information, lid not helm to al.
ny this suspicion, if Mr.. Teller IN
tends TO dojustlce between tie people
AID these graspirg corations, nc will
inspire greater confidence by Keeping
out OF the company OF ingalls,, whose
last election 10 The Senate was pur-
| purchased with JAY Goulds money
! Its not impossible that the companies
who want to gobblc millions of acres
OF land Illegally may even be able to
buy their way through Congress but
What ever they may do in the Senate
| doubt their aoIIi,y h. capture the
I Democratic House. IL is q people,
body tbs time, aud means business.