Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1884-01-30
Tn Washington.

Generally things get pretty interesting
a, the national capitol uring the session
ri congress that precedes presidential
election. The noise has not been quite rs
loud This winter as usual. nevertheles'
matters are getting to be rather INTEREST
ing.
Senator Anthony was entitled by court
.sv to be president pro tempore oil Inc
s.na,e but his health was too poor 10
W ,rrr.t his acceptance, so be declined
and s.nator Edmunds was again chosen
The ,snior Vermont senator is said to
take greater part in regulating party
action than heretofore. But he keeps his
hand busy about important business leg
i.la,ion as does his colleague Senator
Morrill,. Both Of them by the way voted
against the late action of the senate to
give every senator a private secretary,
C,airmen of committees only have been
heretofore favored in the use of q secretary
But the two Vermont senators were not
suffering just now as each hold az impor.
,,nt Craftsmanship. They got along how.
ever when they were not chairmen.
There were some sharp remarks a few
days ago in executive session over the
confirmation Of Emory Speer as district
attorney for Georgia in which Elmunds,
Lamar and Butler of South Carolina are
said to have discussed southern violence.
Senator Sherman last week introduced
resolution for investigating the DAnville
and Copiah murders and the resolution
was passed yesterday 80 to 20. Sherman
spoke briefly and Malone made an cner-
getic speech 10 favor of the resolution.
So they have learned something; they
know better than TO argue and sit back
and kick by their votes. 1t is to be hoped
that they will. stir around and ge! 10 have
the courage Of their convictions if they
have any convictions. Their votes against
the resolution would indicate that they
don't want the investigation and their
silence looks rs though they don't dare to
say why they don't. Well, a party in
opposition usually fnds it best to be bold,
but the democrats know best OF course
about their course.
The democratic house is also investigat.
ing. Aud it is looking into Ex Speaker
Kcifer's appointing his nephew to pho
nogrApher's place, that be wasn't lit to
fill. Tue ex speaker isn't shining sue
cess as a statesman and rather founders |
abount. Then, too. they are inqulring |
into the way the department of justice is
managed, and trying to find out why such
enormous fees were paid for assistance, in
the star route cases, to lawyers who did
not do very brilliant work after all. Any
decent reason for paying such prices for
that quality of work, is past finding out.
The two wings of the democracy in the
house are in the way of each other about
the tariff and revenue reform questions
Such leadership rs the democrats have had
in congress this term has excited the New
York Sun. which Is the braiuiest paper in
the party. if not GU. OF it. TO some very
plain language. The Sun to country
re ,der, seems to be OF the opinion that the
fool actions OF would.be democratic lead.
ers are fixing things for democratic de.
feat next fall.
But as yet neither tariff nor appropra
lion bills have been repor ted SO that the
real music OF the session has not begun.
Il ny begin when Frank Hurd of Ohio,
who is bold free trader, and wants 10
have the democrats 60 ahead and win on
that principle. makes his promised speech
in which he is TO insist that an open dec.
laration for free trade is true democratic
principle and policy.
There is something of figuring for
various presidential candidates. But Gen.
Logan on the one side and New York
money bag by the name OF Roswell P.
Flower. on the other. are the only persons
whose booms are just now being actively
worked. President Arthurs candidacy Is
said by OHIO politicians to be one that
would insure the vote of that state to the
democrats. And there is great deal oil
valueless talk about candidates. Gen.
Sherman says be will not run anyway and
that folks may believe him or not. Ed.
munds and Lincoln is a ticket the posi-
Lllties of which rather worries the oppo-
nents of the republican party.