Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1884-03-05
Washington Letter.
Iron our Regular Correspondent

of Representatives has grown to be a
cum bers ONE and unweildlv body, con-
sistiug in great part of arpiring Ounces
and exhaustless win d bags. The young
representatives come up from the rural
districts big with the impression that
the eyes Of Europe and Rhode Island
are upon them, and that they must not
fail to answer the expectations Of their
maiden sunts. They make speeches 10
season and out of season. The real
business of the country lags and Ian
cuisines 10 order that these impudent
statesmen may have an opportunity to
dra~l speeches in which neither the
country nor humanity have the Sigh.
te.t interest, and which from literary
stand point, are bad examples Of bad
school OF oratory.
The Senate is now celebrating over
the proposed new naval vessels, and
the House is talking about the cattle
Industry, and pledrO-pneumonia. There
was a lively sk;rmish on the question
of having the proposed steel cruisers
made in the the Government navy
yards, or put out on contract to the
lowest bidder, in which Senators Vest,
Hale, Butler and Beck participated.
The Senators tried 10 be digni6ed with
thsir severity, however, and no harD
was done. Senator Vest opposed the
provisions OF he bill which, be said.
permitted the secretary Of The Navy
either to have the work done in the
navy yards, and use it for political rur.
poses If be choose 70 do so, or to give
It 10 the lowest bidder, which meant
John Roach, the contractor for the four
vessels ordered by the last Congress,
a. sobody else uuder the terms of the
~ could compete for these vessels.
This dispersion aroused Senator Hale
who arose TO defend bis friend Secretary
CD andler. Luckily, he said, be had
not lived long enough 10 suspect every
s ne toljipg an important place in the
execu tive braI Oh Of the Government
of being conupt. He promised il there
was Democratic administration for
the next four years that lie would con-
tinue TO DE- 6cate himself 10 building up
the An erican navy, and would not be
found iakiDg amODg the muck heaps #
th past insinuatlng that everybody Is
CORFU pt wLo holds high place. The
n issouri orator was again on bis feet
saying: Il think aD about as amiable
as the average Senator. but when gen.
tie man. by my permission, interrupts
me and then interiects 40 entire speech
into my argument,I think i. is stretch
of courtesy. The Senator from Maine
has paraded epllhets like meteors from
no rlbern skies, muck heaps" and
o Their elegant names" Later be said
the allegation Of fraud in the navy
ards Was first made by Senator But
Ter 10 whom he alluded as the assistant
adj utant general of Mr. Hale. The
South Carolina Senator replied that be
was the ally or no one on this question,
that be was loyal to bis party, but
would discharge public duty whether
th e justice accrued 10 opponents or ad-
herents. Senator Vest tod that per-
8. opal friend of bis, an Cfficer OF the
Navy lad appealed TO him for Gods
. axe 10 vote for this bill, but be had
replied you are mistaken, it ia for John
RoecL's sake, God has nothing to do
with it. Senator Butler then said
something about the Missouri Senator's
allowing himself 10 be corruptly ap-
yioacltd which remark tie latter said
VAS not fair, manly, just or generous.
The former next accused Senator Vest
OF Undue stnsitiveness. and as it vas
time for the Senate to adjourn the little
tilt was brought 10 40 end.
The report of the Civil Service Com.
mission is on lis way to Congress. 1t
is at present detained at the White
House by the President wno desires to
submit some accompanying remarks.
1t i, thought he is 10 favor of contnu
ing the cOromissiOn with such modI6-
cations Of its powers as results thus
far seem 10 warrast. The Senate de |
mus 10 the action of the House 10 its
absolute repeal Of the iron clad oath |
and insists on enCun beriOg the bill
with u provi 0. There ale few Yen-
cradle gentlemen living who belonged |
TO the wards went into the confederate |
service. Tie Senate is fearful they will |
be asking for quarters on The retired
list after avn liz, and wants to bar hem
out Of the Treasury by statute. The !
" hutcI ~ otskiNs phe SlNot CbO"e" 'Oi |
p retext u Which 10 JOIN issue with a
ID emocratic House.
Representative Springer has proposed
10 repair the Constitution, BY making
the Pr esidenlisl term six years. rem
dering the President Ineligible to re-
elecli on for the next succeeding tern.
providing for direct vote in each state
and aiollshlng the electoral college.
His bill also requires Congress TO meet
every year on the first Wednes day IN
January, and fixes the term oil Repre-
seniatlves at three years.
Frank Corbetf, one Of Shermsn's
Witnesses, went to Washington ; was
met at the depot by Hense Lawson
was no, examined was spotted and
followed by several men and had al
last 10 knock four Of them down TO get
away; was 6ned s2G. 80; met with