Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-03-22
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

(From Our Regular correspondent.
On two days this week the Sem
ate put aside its regular order of
business, and devoted the time to
that perennial theme, the relief of
Fitz John Porter. So far as Con-
gress is concerned he has been al
most relieved. The bill as passed
by the Senate has yet to 60 back to
the House for concurrence in an
for which no doubt,
President Arthur is thankful. The
delay may keep the bill away from
the White House until the pending
is over. The Presidents
intimate friends and political adj
visers were opposed to the passage
of the bill and more than three
fourths of his party in Congress vo-
ted against it. It will require a
good deal of courage on his part to
sign the bill, as he has nothing to
gain by letting it become a law.
During the argument in the case
the Senate galleries were crowded
and everybody who could get upon
the floor of the. chamber was there.
The orators were Senator Sewell, in
support, and Senators Wilson,
Henderson, and Logan against the
bill Though Senator Logan's vo-
cabulary is proverbially meagre,
vociferous ability made up for all
deficiencies of diction, and would
have shamel the vocal triumphs
of the bulls of Bashan. When he
made some allusion to an alleged
military march of Demosthenes.
one Senator remarked to another,
soto voce. "I thought Demosthen-
es fought only with his tongue"
But the most ludicrous feature of
Logan's style is his misplaced en-
phasis. When he screams the
loudest, ten chances to one his
is not one of his strong
points, but triviality. When he
charged that Porter was the cause
of the loss of the first, as we'll as
the second battle of Bull Run,
there was vigorous applause from
his friends in the galleries, although
it was difficult to see the relevancy
of merriment and the loss of two
battles.
The friends of Senator Logan's
Presidential movement pointed to
the throngs of people in the corri-
doris during his speech, and to the
procession filing down the stair
ways, disappointed in their efforts
to get admission tothe Senate cham
Der, and said "See how popular
our candidate is" But those who
have watched Porters long quest
for vindicatiOn knew that interest
i'm his case, drew the crowds to the
Capitol.
During the week the Senate in
secret session ratified the Mexican
treaty. 1t also discussed the bill for
a Labor Statistics Blu
reau, talked about an apprOpria-
ton for eradicating the foot and
mouth disease prevalent among the
Kansas cattle, and the now pend
ing question, which has already
been debated at some length, and
which has met with vigorous OPP
position in that end of the Capitol
is the pleuro-pneumonia bill. The
Senate as is its habit of late, adj
journed from Friday until Monday.
Business continues to accumu-
late in the House of Representa-
tives. At present on the calendar
of the committee of the whole
there are ninety-four bills, on the
regular calendar eighty, on the
private calendar three hundred.
There are one hundred Senate bills
on the Speakers table and eight
special orders. With this formida-
BILE mass before it the appropriation
bills are just coming forward, and
the tariff question is ready to de-
mand attention, the Morrison bill
having reached the House early in
the week in shape for action. I'm
less rapid, steady work follows
Turing the remainder of the ses-
,ion, at the adjournment of this
Congress the gavel is likely to
come down like the stroke of fate
IN several thousand plans and hopes
Is it did In the case of its predeces-
ior. The House gave most of its
ime during the week to the con-
of the Post Office Appro-
1riation bill which has not yet been
disposed of. The House also refus-
I'd to recognize a civil pensioner in
he granddaughter of Thomas JEFF
ersOn, taking the ground that the
alters services were civil instead
If military, and that Congress had |
10 authority to vote money for |
,harity Mr., Robinson, the Father |
If the bill, thought there would be |
inconsistency in members voting |
many thousands OF dollars to the !
Widows of Presidents, and refusing
he small pension of s., 900, to AN
ndigent descendant of Jefferson.
lie did not see how the minority
ould strain at this knat after |
having swallowed so many cam
is.
Ex-Sentor Mcdonald arrived in
last night and has
ooms at Willards hotel. He is
aid to have come for the purpose
# taking a hand In politics at the
;apital. The ex-senator has a
God deal of influence with his
'srty. He has been closely engag-
d all day comforting with Demo-
ratio Senators and members.
here will be an effort to secure
aucus action on the Morrison tariff
ill at an early day and the appear