Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1884-06-26
Washington Letter.

ORION OUR REGULAR CoRKESfoNDENl.)
June, Oath, 1884.
The past week was charact by
wild commotion in the usually digni-
fed United States Senate. Discord was
prevalent, not only on questions of i'm
portance, but personal offences were
paraded before the world, and allowed
to consume valuable time. Two Senat-
ors enacted scene that lifted them
ints ephemeral distinction. Senator
Ingalls, charged in freezing manner
that few can assume more thoroughly
than he that the Senator from Georgia,
had interpolated in a speech, which was
printed in the record, sentence which
had not been uttel ed on the floor Of the
Senate. There were six words In this
sentence, and they were prediction
that Mr. Ingalls,, who had not made a
certain statement in reply to Mr. Brown
in debate, would not make it at any
future time. The words looked lnno-
cent enough in print, but Mr. ingalls,
thought they contained a mine of de-
pravity. He was willing to summit to
the fortunes of open debate, but want
ed to be secured from Par thian arrows,
which flying enemy might discharge
from the safe ambush of the printing
Office. Before closing he compared
Senator Brown to "Thug stabbing a
sleeping enemy"
The Mexican Pension bill has caus-
ed no end of disturbance, for the end
has not yet come. Senator Ingalls, fur
ther distinguished himself by leading
the Senate Republican caucus into ad-
opting his amendment to this bill, Civ
ing the Union soldiers arrearages of
pension. This will cost the country at
least 1915 100000; and the Democrats
call it demagogue legislation. But the
anxiety of both parties to catch the
soldier vote is 50 great that little OPP
position is likely to be developed in
either House. Its bitterest opponents,
so far, have been Senators Morgan, and
Williams, The Alabama Senator said
it was distinctly a Republican meas
urc, which the party felt instructed by
their Chicago platform, to carry out
but that it made no claim upon him.
The Kentucky Senator insisted that
the bill could never get through the
House in such shape, and implored the
Senators to withdraw the amendment,
and give the Mexican soldiers "a little
boat all to themselves. why swamp
and sink their vessel" said he, "by put
ting half a million men in it ?" He
claimed that if political capital was
their object, they would not gain vote
The Union soldiers had not asked for it
They were powerful enough to go
through on their own merits when their
time come. They did not want to be
hitched on to the superannuated band
of Mexican heroes.
Senator Van Wyck raised a gale in
the Senate the other day in a fit of in
snbordination. He had alluded in de-
bate to the action of the other House.
Such references are prohibited on the
principle that each House should be left
to act independently for itself and not
be influenced by such statements. The
manner and bearing of the Nebraska
Senator have been irreverently com
pared to that of prairie colt, and for
a time he did seem to forget, or to fancy
himself upon his native health. The
Chair compelled hun to sit down, but
he refused to stay down. He arose and
made speech rarely equalled for bit
terness Of invective, and lung power.
lie stroQe up ana down tne aisle, ges-
ticulated wildly, and raised his voice to
register that would have excited the
envy of town crier. His victims were
the senate Judiciary committee, which
he satrized, and the Union Pacific
road, which he argued was agreat Grim
inal.
The exposure of several embezzlers
in Department service, last week. is still
a general topic Of conversation about
town, which has grown in interest since
it became known that some leading
business men were concerned in the
Navy Department Development. 1t is
believed that somebody with epaulet-
ties will be hurt before the matter is
ended, for the navy frauds have only
been probed on the surface.