Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-04-07
WASHINGTON LETTER.
SPECIAL ,oRREsPoNDENcR oFTHE MONITOR
WdshinqtOn, April Ist.

No sooner had the debate on the
bonded extension measure ended in
its defeat than struggle began in
the house of representative as to
which bill should be next considered.
The friends of the rival special Or
ders, all pushed forward their pet
measures. The trade dollar retire
ment trlumphed finally and is now
the pending question. From this time
forth there will be a continuous. fight
for precedence among the five hun
dred bills that are reported favorably
and are awaiting the attention of the
house. There are now seven over
due special orders, two pending con-
tested election cases, and ten appro-
priation bills, not to speak of the tar
iff bill that is lowering SO near. All
of these have the parliamentary right
of way, and are likely to be called up
at any moment. Hence, even IA
vored bill has poor chance for at
tention. In face of this clamoring
mass of work a concurrent resolution
for the final adjournment of congress
on the second of June, has been in
troduced, and referred to the commit
tee on ways and means.
The house of representatives dis
posed of some private measures on
Friday and passed twenty-four pen
sion bills at its usual Friday nights
session. Among them was one to
Mrs. Seelye, who served as a soldier
for three years under an assumed
name, and when sick and about to be
sent to the hospital deserted to es-
cape detection of her sex.
During the week the senate has
given serious consideration, daily, to
the Blair bill, advocating national aid
to common schools. This is still the
question before that body and sena-
tors Lamar and Butler are among the
last orators who have contributed
forcibly to the discussion. The SEN
ate also found time to discuss the
war tax of the southern states, to
pass the district Judges bin which
fixes their salaries at $4,000 year,
and the reward bill offering $4,000,
to any ship or person not in the SER
vice of the United States who shall
discover, rescue or satisfactorily as
certain the fate of the Greedy Arctic
expedition. The admission to the
Union of the proposed new state of
Dakota was briefly discussed, and
both houses voted relief for the Mis-
sissippi flood sufferers. The presi-
dent approved at once of the action,
and committee for distributing sup
plies, designated by the secretary of
war, is already at work, at New
Orleans and St. Louis.
The most remarkable feature OF
the democratic tariff caucus was the
decision, that, though the Morrison
bill was supported by a vote of ia
to 81 no individual member is to be
bound by the action of the majority
The tariff debate will begin in about
ten days.
The river and harbor bill which
will soon be reported considers only
such objects as are really of nationa
. Importance. The principal appro
" priations being for the Mississippi
i Missouri, and Ohio rivers, and th
Il great harbors on the Atlantic, Pacific
. Lake and Gulf coasts. Members o
the house are being invited befor
10 the committee to make statement
concerning improvements in their re
~ spective districts and states.
II The sixteenth amendment has com
~ boldly to the front once more. Th
% joint resolution proposing an amend
/ ment to the constitution eXtendin
40 the right of suffrage to women, ha
y just been favorably reported to th
:. senate from the committee on woma
. suffrage, by senator Palmer. Itpre
u vides that the legislatures of th
;" states be asked to ratify an article
- to the effect, that the rights of citizen
of the United States to vote Sha
- not be denied on account of sex, an
Z. that congress shall have power, |
" appropriative legislation to enfor'
y the provisions of this article.
,le Ex-senator Dorsey has written
NJ letter to chairman Springer in Whit
90. he says he wants to testify at an ca
cir ly day before Mr.. Springers COMM
Tee. ne CUdIdCItllLCO tlS tCOtiulOi
of ex-postmaster general James as
picturesque falshood' and says
oe wants 'sall the liars to testify b
rer fore he is called. The eX-senat
,ry makes serious charges against M
4 a whose names have heretofore be
ED publicly connected with the St
ed. Route frauds, which will be develo
in ed in his testimony.
a The trial of congressman kellogg
oke indicted for illegally received
got while United States senator to
: a fuence his action in star route M
ner tiers, has been fixed for the 21st
Der April. The trial having once be
for postponed because witness Wa
red could not be found, the Judge sa
'eat impatiently, that it seemed Wa
lis. could go anywhere, and he wanted
heir see if there was power enough III t
and government to find him in the n,
led. three weeks. He thought the defer