The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-12-13
Washington Letter.
special Corresp ondence to Tho Bullej in.

The first week Of the possible thirteen
of the congressional session has passed. and
it is difficult to find enough proceedings TO
base an obituary on. An immense amour,
of talk INDUCED in, but when that is said
there IS no, much to tell. The committees
however are hard at work, and some ol
them promise to submit some bills before
the holidays.
The house committee on pustoffices and
post roads have 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, and third which changes
the basis of compensation to railroads for
carrying the mails, and fourth which
deals with the letter rates of postage. All
these are matters of importance and should
get hearing. II is to be doubted, how
ever, if the committee is wise 10 putting
the postal telegraph ut the head OF their
list, IS this subject IS one of great difficult
ty and sure to excite protrscted debate.
They would do better to follow the exam
pie of the shipping and public lands com
mittee, and present first to the house those
measures on which there will be little or
no controversy.
The contest over the New York senator
ship excites much interest here, and the
progress of the fight is eagerly watched
Hon. Frank Hiscock has left his place ip
the house and gone to New York in order
to put himself In good position for the Sem
atoria lightning to strike him. I saw
Hon. Stephen French, of the Empire state,
few days ago when he WAS in Washing
ton with committee of republicans to con-
fer with President Arthur in regard to the
senatorship. AT first he refused to be in.
terviewed, but after moment he recons |.
cred and said, ~ don't mind saying that
the president is willing to accept the cen.
atorship fit shall come to him In the right
way-as the practically unanimous Offer of
the republicans. But he will not euter in.
to any scramble, and as for any of his
friends steering him in the race or making
u contest he will not permit anything of
the kind. I will say further that believe
when the republlcans--the members of the
legislature, / mean--come to consider the
matter, they will see that the right thing,
the proper thing to do is to elect President
Arthur. think any man who studies the
politics of New YORK at present can see
that. In my opinion it will become so ap-
parent 10 the interest Of the republican
party that the president is the man for the
place, that his election will be practically
unanimous. 10 that case he will accept.
You can say that"
Leaving Mr.. Arthur's personality cut of
the question, there are many considerations
OF public character that make the election
to the senate Of man who has served 10
the presidential Office desirable. No man
acquires so extensive and thorough
knowledge of public affairs as the pres.
dent. He is brought in contact with rep
resentative men from every part Of the
country, and is made to under tand the
merits of every matter of public concern.
Through his cabinet he acquains himself
with the essential principles and ,rci"ents
of our foreign and domestic policy, and by
personal and confidential intercourse with
diplomists, politicians and business men of
every type he acquires fund of informa.
ton and familiarity with the detail of
government which prominently qualify
him for legislative functions. It has been
proposed on this account to admit our ex.
presidents to a seat in congress-. Such
step might, perhaps, be too radical de-
parture from the principles of the govern.
ment, but 1t is pity to lose the services of
men so peculiarly fitted for share in the
councils Of the nation, and on that account
it is a matter Of congrstulation when cir
cumstauces permit their retention in public
life.
The capstone OF the Washington monu-
ment was set on Saturday 1T 2 O'Clock in
the presence of small number of invited
guests. Although the obelisk is now com.
pleted, there is much more work still to
be done. Pr badly the most important
matter remaining is the design for the base
Of the monument, which has not been &c.
lected yet. Much finishing work remains
to be attended 10 on the interior. The me.
mortal stones are placed in the interior
wall, and those il, charge are exercising a
6ne taste 10 drawing the line between those
that are to be excluded on account of sery.
ipg no advertisements of the donors, and
those which can properly be used. The
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