St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-07-26
WASHINGTON LETTER
From our Regular Correspondent.

july 22d, 1884.

attendants are going the rounds, clear
ing the desks of members of their rub
bish and piles of bills speeches, re-
ports and crumbled manuscripts are
scatterd about the floors, awaiting con-
signment to the junk shops. The JAM
f0rs are putting double locks on the
doors, and nearly all the rooms are de-
serted. The Presidents room has been
stripped of its rich draperies, which
have been packed away securely from
moths. The enrolling clerks, journal,
clerks, and the clerk Of the House APP
preparations committee, with his assist
ants, have been the hardest worked
clerks of the session, and are now ar
ranging papers, which will detain them
several weeks yet.
The general public does notregret the
close of a session of Congress but the
residents Of the District Columbia have
never known too long a session. The
departing statesmen are always sure of
d cordial welcome on their return to
the Capital city;
But little enthusiasm or excitement
marked the closing hours Of Congress,
although the Senate and House in a de-
terminea struggle, locked horns for
thirty-six hours session. before an
agreement Oh the Naval bin was reach
ed. And then Representative Cox aud
Reed ran against each other and had
some unkind words Of parting, an eEi-
sode which the gentlemen from New
York, and Maine, at least, will remem-
Der the remainder of their lives.
Congress has created quite anumber
Of new officials. Besides the commits
sion to secure more intimate relations
between this country and Central and
South America. 1araau of animal in-
dustry, another of labor sta
tistics and d bureau of navigation
and commission to inquire into the
signal service and coast survey, have
been established. The latter is the on
NJ body To consist uf congressman. The
new legislative bin provides for three
additional watchmen in the State, War
and Navy Department building, and
seven hundred applications have al
ready been filed for the positions. Du-
srfng the past session of Congress the
President approved three hundred and
seventy bills, and vetoed one, the Fitz
John Porter bill. Five other measures
past during the last ten days of the ses-
sion, failed to become laws by reason
of the Withholding of executive APPROX
al They were all private relief bills.
Those who have watched Congress
have noticed the Importance into which
con ference committees have grown.
The fashion now is for each house to
disagree to all amendments to bill
coming from the other and refer tie
points in dispute to a committee COM
posed of three members OF
either House. These six congressman
can change the bill as they choose fol
the most part, and their work is gener-
ally ratified without much objection
The custom has grown popular because
of the difficulty of getting the Houses
in free and open debate to agree to
anything. The device greatly increases
the responsibilities of the President OF
the Senate and Speaker, as they have
to select all the conference committees,
Uhe latest Governmental fraud that
has come to light here, is the stamp
theft of the Postofice department. An
official was charged with having stolen
25,OOO postage stamps which were found
in his house. The Republicans have
determihedif possible to prevent dis
closures of frauds during the canvass
Since Senator Hale's committee got to
work in secret, and Secretary Chambers
Court Of inquiry began it's sessions in
closed doors, nothing has been heard Of
the frauds which filed the air a few
weeks ago. The Senator from Maine
has created the impression that he
moved to the front as an investigator
in order to prevent exposures which
might be hurtful to Mr.. Blaine.
Among the statesmen still lingering
III Washington the chief topic of com.
ment Of course is the Democratic Pres
idential ticket. 1t is pronounced emf
nently acceptable and wise by such mer
as S. S. Cox, of n. T., Holman Of In
diana. Senators Vest and Cockrell o
No., and Garland Of Ark. The platform
they say is one Of the finest upon which
the party ever entered on a campaign
n -