The Rugby gazette and east Tennessee news. (Rugby, Morgan Co., Tenn.) 1884-188?, 1884-12-20
Washington Letter.
(From our regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON. Dec. 8, 'S4.

thirteen of the Congressional session
has passed and it is difficult to find
enough proceedings to base an obit-
uary on. An immense number of
bills have been introduced and a
boundless lot of talk INDUCED in, but
when that is said, there is not
much to tell. The committees, how
ever, are hard at work, and some of
them promise to submit some bills
before the holidays.
The House committee on post
Offices and post roads have a number
of important bills on their list, to
which they intend to ask the early
attention of Congress. Among these
are the postal telegraph bill, another
which regulates the mail contract
system more carefully, a third
which changes the basis of compen-
saticn to railroads for carrying the
mails, and a fourth which deals
with the letter rate of postage. All
these are matters of Importance and
should get hearing. 1t is to be
doubted, however, if the committee
is wise in putting the postal tele-
graph at the head of their list, as
this subject is one of great difficulty
and sure to excite protracted de-
bate. They would do better to
follow the example of the shipping
and public lands committee and
present first to the House those
measures on which there will be no
little or no controversy.
The contest over the New York
senatorship excites much interest
here, and the progress of the fight
is eagerly watched. Hon. Frank
Hiscock has left his place in the
House and gone to New York in Or
der to put himself in good position
for the Senatorial lightning to strike
him. | saw Hon. .aaStephen French,
of the Empire State, a day or two
ago when he was in Washington
with a committee of republicans to
confer with President Arthur in re-
gard to the Senatorship. At first
he refused to be interviewed, but
after a moment he reconsidered and
said 81 don't mind saying that the
President is willing to accept the
Senatorship if it shall come to him
in the right way--as the practically
unanimous offer of the republicans.
But he will not enter into any scram-
BILE, and as ior any Of his friends
steering him in the race of making
a contest, he will not permit any
thing Of that kind. l will say
further that believe when the re-
publicans-the members of the leg
islature, | mean-come to consider
the matter, they see that the right
thing, the proper thing to do is to
elect President Arthur. L think any
man who studies the politics of New
York at present can see that. In my
opinion, it will become so apparent
in the interest Of the republican
party that the President is the man
for the place, that his election will
be practically unanimous. In that
case he will accept. You can say
that.
Leaving Mr.. Arthur's personality
out of the question, there are many
considerations of a public character
that make the election to the senate
of man who has served in presi-
dental Office desirable. No mau
acquires so extensive and thorough
a knowledge of public affairs
as the President. He is brought
in contact with represen-
tative men from every part of the
country, and is made to understand
the merits Of every matter of public
concern. Through his Cabinet he
acquaints himself with the essential
principles and incidents of our for
eign and domestic policy, and by
personal and confidential inter
course with diplomatists, politicians,
and business men of every type he