St. Landry democrat., 1884-06-28
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent.
June 18th, 1884.

If Congress should adjourn on the
last day of this month, as the House OF
REPRESENTATIVES has signified a desire
TO do. only eleven more working days
would remain of the present session
But the record of the past week does
not indicate an early adjournment. In
view of the immense amount OF business
that remains to be transacted, the
thought Of an early departure is out OF
the question. Importantmeasures were
advanced very little in either House.
The Senate cannot get along with the
Mexican Pension Bill. After spending
bhree days debate upon it in open ses-
sion, and two days in secret sessions
the Republican side of the chamber
making campaign speeches on amend
ments which they proposed, they then
went into caucus, and tried to get a
Dlank or two of the Chicago platform
into it. OF course their aim is to defeat
she bill, but they would have it appear
shat they are so very friendly to the
soldiers of the late war that they cannot
support it unless it is so amended as to
include all ex-union soldiers in its ben
Efficient provisions. Senator Salisbury
does not approve of the measure as a
whole, but from far different stand
point. One objection urged by him was
that it proposes to pension men who are
holding seats in the two Houses OF Con-
gress with the money wrung from the
poor toiIer as taxes. The Senator
from Delaware does not speak often,
but he talks very plainly when once in
cited. He informed his associates that
they f1attered themselves that they were
great men, Senators of the United States
who made laws for the people; but be-
hind them was another power greater
shan themselves that controlled their
action # not their Judgment. He allud-
ed TO the pension agents who sit around
5he Capitol and issue their circulars and
DEGREES and send up petitions for pen
sIons. The great and mighty statesmen
bowed to these behests for fear of los
ing political status at home. he
thought if Senators were not human
beings, controlled by motives OF self in
4erest, and if the soldiers had no votes,
there would be no such bills pending
before tile National legislature. He
respected as much as any man the claims
of the war marked veteran, but did not
approve of squandering money, which
people who were suffering for the ne
eessaries of life paid into the public
Treasury, to pension able bodied men,.
He said he knew the man who ventures
to any bill that proposes to
pension anybody, takes the risk of being
censured and denounced by it. He was
willing to take each mans censure and
reserve his Judgment. He wanted a
consistent record and would vote ifor
the reduction Of taxation whenever he
could, but would not vote to increase
sfe expenses Of the Government and
thereby keep up taxes.
The Senate added $8O0,000 to the
House Consular and Diplomatic bill,
thus protracting the session with anoth-
sr deadlock contest. 1t has also de-
5ated claim of Georgia for money ex-
pended by that State for the common
defense 1777, but the Republican Sena-
tors are not willing to do justice of any
zind to a Southern State. Senator
Morgan in advocating the claim said,
hey ought to be able to consider this
question aside from all "reminiscences of
he war, and as lawyers, as construers
Ind expounders Of the Constitution, say
hat this debt is, or is not legal. "Can
he Senate of the United States" asked
le twenty years after the war, permit
tself to be influenced by acrimonious
ceiling SO as to blind its judgment upon
pure, dry question of law ~ Il
After four days argument the House
assed the River and Harbor bill, the i
Eennepin canal scheme being stricken
ut, and then discussed the Senate's :
mendment to the Postoffce appropria- !
ion. {
The necessity for dislodging from ]
over party WHICH, according to no !
,ss an authority than the late Chair. j
Tan of the Republican National Com
littee, has long outlived and abused it's
lission, is imperative. And the Demo- 4
.atic party seems to be in the face of I
a opportunity, which it cannot be
OHbted it will use wisely. Il
Now that Mr.. Tilden's noble docu-