Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1884-03-21
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular correspondent.
MARCH Is, 1884.

MARCH Is, 1884.
The upper House of Congress
talked less than usual during the
week, but acted more. Quite a mum
Der of bills were passed, most Of
which, however, were rather unlm'
portant in character. The House OF
Representatives talked diffusely and
reached but few conclusions. II
passed but two notable bills-one to
pension the Mexican veterans and
the other providing an ordnance fol
the completion of the four steel
cruisers ordered by Congress in
1883. The latter measure occasion
ed the longest debate of the week.
Hon. S. S. Cox criticised the con-
struction of these vessels, and said
the Democrats we're opposed to the
ideas of prodigality prevailing on the
other side of the House. They did
not want to keep up naval estab-
lishment, only one-half of which was
at sea-though sometimes the whole
thing seemed to be sat sea-" He
represented the navy as an amphibi-
Gus arrangement, one-half of the
officers on land, some at sea and 9TH
ers between the two waiting orders.
He did not like to be asked to keep
up the payroll of such navy, and
build vessels for it, which could not
protect our ports and harbors. Mr..
Caldwell SAID that navy-yards were
not used now to equip men-of-war to
defend the national honor, but to
employ voters to maintain the Re-
publican party IN power. Another
member wanted such guns made for
the new cruisers as those used re-
Gently by the British vessels when
they succeeded in demolishing the
Egyptian city of Alexandria at dis
tance of eight miles. Mr.. Dorshei-
mer also favored the use of the most
efficient guns, and hoped no more
"mute and inglorious" frigates would
be produced to go to sea.
A well worn subject has been re-
vived in Mr.. Springer's committee,
and some CHASTITY secrets are being
revealed. The star-route inNestiga-
tion, through all its various stages,
has been rolific of surprises, but the
stock is not yet exhausted. Ex-
Attorney General MacVeagh, ex-
Postmaster General James and eX-
Senator Spencer have each been ask
ed to testify as to what they knew
about the star-routes, and it has
come to light that the late President
Garfield, while a member of the
House of Representatives, knew all
about the star-route frauds and used
the money of the arch star-route con-
spirator Dorsey for campaign pur-
poses, knowing well whence it come.
Speneer's testimony overturns all
theories that had been previously
formed touching his relations with
the defendants, and puts him in
position din ectly opposed to the one
to which common rumor has assign
ed hum. He says he helped Post
master James to get into Garfield's
cabinet; and gave him advice and in
formation about star-routes. How q
man who had it in his power to bring
the malefactors to confusion should
have remained silent so long is a
mystery. Messrs. Brewster and
Bliss told the public they wanted to
convict Brady and Dorsey, but hav-
ing to choose in what case against
them trial should be had, they Sc
lected case in which conviction was
and improbable when
there were other cases in which con-
viction wat inevitable.
The Morrison tariff bill was re-
ported to the House on Monday, and
it is probable it will be called up fer
very soon, as it will
stand at the head of all revenue bills
On the Honse calendar, and will take
precedence in committee of the whole
over all measures, except appropria-
ton bills. At lesst one hundred
have prepared speeches for
shs coming debate, which will pre-
sent the great question from every
possible stand point. The visitors
N the galleries viii hear tariff to
heir utter bewilderment. The s'local
industry" of louisiana is best on
every side. The Senate threatens
sugar by the Mexican treaty, and the
House threatens it by the tariff bill.