Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-03-08
wAsHINGroN LETTER.
(From Our Regular Correspondent,

(From Our Regular Correspondent.)
Congress spent the greater part of
the week debating two important
bills, the outcome of which was that
thei Senate voted to improve the
Navy by ordering seven new yes
sells, and the House discharged its
duty tocattle by passing the pleuro-
pneumonia bill. The Senate also
snubbed the Southern cyclone VIC
TINS who had asked for Federal aid
and passed the House bill repeating
the test oath, with the stipulation
that no person who had first served
in the United States Army, and af-
forwards in the Confederate could
bring claims against the Govern
ment. The House passed a num-
Der of private Pension bills, pro-
nounced eulogies on the late Rep
resentative Haskell of Kansas, and
DEVOTED day to debate on the ma
val appropriation bill. Before pass
ing the latter bill the Senate had
much rambling talk and some good
speeches on the Navy. The dis
cussion wandered through all the
Navies of the globe, through all
our Government Navy yards, and
even invaded the privateship yards
on the Delaware, especially the no.
torious establishment of Mr.. Roach,
who is building the four steel cruis-
ers ordered by Congress in 1872,
namely; the, Atlanta, Chi
cago, Boston, Dolphin. Senator
Beck to see if these vessels would
be able to swim before ordering
more similar to them. In answer
to the allegation that money has
been mis-applied in the Govern
ment Navy-yards, Senator Miller
made the startling announcement
that somebody would have to be
trusted. He deplored the condition
of the American Navy, and said it
was not worth the name except in
its personnel. Another Senator did
not expect these vessels to attack
great iron clads that could defend
themselves against thousand pound
shot, but from such, thought the
cruisers could easily run away.
Others opposed the bill on the gen.
eral ground that the United States
was not anxious to fight anybody
and nobody desired to fight her.
Senator Bayard in an able speech
said: after waiting eighteen years,
and spending 1885, 900, 900, for that
purpose the country was without a
Navy. He thought there had been
fearful amount of incapacity and
maladministration within the term
mentioned. He regretted to say
what was unpleasant, and made
no charge of his own, but said the
fact could not be ignored that
throughout the country there was
a great deal of distrust in the head
of the Navy Department. He was
glad of the fierce light of public
opinion that heats on executive
business, and thought public criti-
cism could not be too sharp or Sc
we're upon questions of corruption
in public transactions. He wanted
every official in the land to feel
that he was closely scanned by an
intelligent people. While favoring
the bill he wanted the money to be.
expended subject to every wise
guard that legislation could decree.
Congressional funerals have FORM
ed the material for an interesting
investigation upon which the House
committee on Accounts have just
been engaged. The city underta-
kers have doubled their regular
prices for Congressional subjects.
For instance embalming is lncreas-
ed from $25 to $75 when the dece-
dent is a Member or Senator. The
conventionalsa sash for the door knob,
the casket and all items of expense
attending irlterment have been in
creased in like proportion. The
bills under consideration will be in
every case cut down to common
prices for first class funerals.
The Womans suffrage conven-
ton has already come and will open
on TUESDAY morning at Lincoln
Hall. All the shining lights of the
sisterhood are here, ready to tell
again the old, old story OF thral-
dom and freedom, wrongs, and
rights.
The long delayed debate on the
wool tariff will take place in the
House to-day, and there will be an
effort made to have the Senate bill
for the erection of a Congressional
library added to the list of special
orders, also the bill providing an
appropriation for ten years
to aid common school education.
The special orders already made
give precedence, first to the Mexi-
can Veterans Pension bill second
ly to that removing burdens on the
merchant marine, and thirdly, to
the Interstate Commerce bill. The
Naval bill will bedisposed of to-day
and notice has been given that the
Post office Appropriation bill will
then be brought forward, but it is
not expected to go through during
the week. An evening session
will be held on Friday to consider
pension bills. The Senate will take
up and dispose of the Military
bill first, and spend the
of the week upon the
taking measures in their
order. The Senate Committees
nave finished the. greater part of
heir important work, though the
public lands committee is still busy
ng itself with the Land Grant
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