Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1884-04-11
WASHINGTON LETTER,
from Our Regular oorrespondent.l
WASHINGTON, April z, 1884


The unequivocal refusal of Mr. Sargent
to accept the Russian mission, with the
left-handed compliments extended with
the portfolio by Mr.. Frelinghuyzen, is not
on account of ill-heallh at all, as the State
Department would like 10 have 1t, but sole
ly on account OF the weak kneed diplomacy
at Washington that found no other super
serviceable mode of condescending TO the
maa who has so mercilessly snubbed the
House of Representatives. and the United
States Government by sending back the
Lasker resolution. The transferring of
Mr.. Sargent instead OF being promotion,
was a covert process of manifesting disap-
probation that Mr.. Frelnghuysen has
male a custom in his department, and Mr..
Sargent has shown true manllness in re-
iecting position which, to him at least,
would have been the price of his humilia-
tion, if not disgrace. The outcome Of the
whole business will he the ultimate dlscom-
fitnre OF the American Government, in
cluding the swine, by the contemplate
diplomatic litlleness of the present State
Department. Well might Mr.. Mcpherson
pray for a week of Marcy or Webster in the
Premier's office.
have been exam lining the history of
past Congresses, so far ms the number OF
bills introduced is concerned, and j find
that the most prolific session anterior. to
the war yielded just about one-tenth Of the
number of bills already introduced IN the
House which is little rising Of 1000.
Thougl, the session of the House which be-
gan in 1859, in December, did not transact
any business, owing to the failure TO elect
It Speaker, until the following February
the sequel shows that the members kept
themselves busy in preparing bulls for in
troductien, for the record exhibits more oil
them than were ever presented in any two
Congresses preceding. OF course OF the
| files of this session, vast majority are
private bills-biIls calling for pensions
and bills for the relief of everybody who
is impecuniously inclined and it is these
that have the effect Of roslponirg until the
very last end of the session the great and
important measures in which the public
generally is most vitality concerned. Eacl
of these private bills has its friends and
promoters, and until action is taken upon
them by the committee having II in charge
that committee has no respite from its la
bors, no opportunity to consider important
public measures. no exemption from the
opportunities OF the claimants. The anti
dole for this mischeviOus business, which
turns Congress into genera! collecting
agency, is TO be found in the wiping on
OF nll special legislation and the establish
ment OF some tribunal like the Court o
Claims 10 take care OF these trivial mat
ters, whose consideration by Congress cost
the country ten fold more than their ag
gregate amount in the neglect OF The
greater interests Of the people.
Contrary 10 all prescribed notions o
the ability OF the American people TO write
letters, the Post Office authorities are com.
pelled 10 admit that the revenue from tht
Two cent letter postage for the first year
ending October lhirty-6rst, will equal i
not exceed that of any preceding year un
der the three-eent system. II this be so
and there Is scarcely any doubt that tn,
prospective report will demonstrate il there
il good ground for the assumption that 9
snll further reduction of postage on letter.
10 one cent, without regard 10 weight
would result In an increased correspon-
dence that would yield II still handsoniei
revenue. Meantime Congress should max,
some uniform law regulating the rate, oI
postage on newspapers and printed mat
ter, that somebody besides the Post Office
officials and philadelphia lawyer can
comprehend. For instance, one Of the
lsws In force to-day, yrescribes that the
rate OF postage on newspaper exceeding
$50 sqnare inches in size, shall he two
cents The absurdily of employing a
| tape measure To ascertain the dimensions oI
the newspaper seeking To go through the
mail, Ia no greater Than that OF subircting
il to the scales to a,certan II il weighs one
! 0iice or two ounces
| After all IL MAY moi he bad ilea Ia
secure uniformity Ia the law pertaining "a
marriage nnd divorce throughout The Uni.
ted Sta cs. The prohibitions OF marriage
on account Of conrnnuuiniiy aud Other
causes, are M diverse IN several States NJ
are The laws which prescribe the causes for
which divorces may he granted. An Mp,
illustration of this condition Of our laws il
afforded by the iacl that hundreds of men
and women TOO, are guilty Of p.lpal'le big
amy, under Tho presumption of having
been freed from u lormer wife or husband
by the decree Of divorce obtained IN an
Indiana or Illinois court, aud whicl, are
now held to be invalid in most Of the States
of the Union. A movement to secure this
informiiy in the law has already been in
augnrated. Don PEDRO.