The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1885-01-31
Things At The Capital.



WAsHINGTuN, Jan. Goth, 1885.
At the Capital ON Saturday, the Lon
don explosion formed the chief topic of
comment When the news first reached
the House Of Representatives, members
were disposed to doubt its authenticity.
When il was confined they eagerly
sought information, and agreed that the
matter should have such attention and
acliun rs its seriousness deserved. The
Irish Journalistic Representative from
Chicago, Mr.. Finnerty, said, when the
announcement was made to him "0f
course it would be laid to the Irish, but
there may be Nihilists in London as well
as in Russia" A timid member said
"What if an attempt be made to blow up
the House of Representatives where
would we be?" Senators received the
news while in secret session and were
also incredulous at first. Senator Ed
munds Immediately introduced bill to
prevent and punish dynamite conspira-
cies in the United States The effect of
this will be- to turn aside the bitterness
of feeling against America. engendered
by the explosion.
During the week both Houses of Con-
gress gave some time to memorial culo-
gies upon the deceased associates, and
both discussed the Indian question,
sprung by the Oklohoma lands invasion.
The Senate wasted time again on the
Interstate Commerce bill, without being
interesting even to itself, and continued
its talk about the Nicaragnan treaty
within barred doors. The House passed
some appropriations and fifty private
pension bills.
Congressman lIurd, of Ohio, made
notable speech against the Educational
bill lie argued that Il bill appropriating
money was bill for raising revenue.
That as the measure originated. in the
Senate, that branch of Congress which
has no authority to originate money bills
privilege Of the House had been vio-
lated Therefore the bill was uncOnsti-
tutional 4 less courageous legislator
would not have identified the abstract
principle Of the rights of the House with
the fortunes of a pending bill in which
So many members are deeply interested.
Instead of lisassociatng the principle of
Senate aggression from any particular
measure, he selected a very important
bill recently passed by the Senate and
now before the House as the text for his
attack Mr.. Willis thought less worthy
bill might have been chozen than the
one he has been advocating so long Mr..
Hurd asserted that when the Senate
passes bill, which takes one hundred
million dollars out of the Treasury, it is
time to enforce the principle that the
power of originating money bills belongs
to the house of Representatives 1t is the
habit of our constitutional Congress to
construe that elastic instrument, the CON
stition, to square with their desires on
any particular bill that may be under
consideration, and Mr.. Hurd's policy
created no little surprise. The bill barely
escaped reference to the Judiciary COM
mittee in other words, defeat The
House does not favor Senate aggression
but it does favor the Blair Educational
bill.
During the week, the leading advo-
Gates of female suffrage came to the Cap
itol, as usual, to talk about their wrongs.
This was their sixteenth annual conven-
ton in Washington. They rehearscd the
old story of oppression, and dwelt with
indignation on the usurpation of "cruel
domineering man" They are undaunted
by discouragement,a and will come to try
again next year, and the year after that,
and then again the next. One of the
orators was disguised with the wives of
certain senators, who did not know how
their husbands were going to vote on so
vital question as the Equal Rights bill,
which is approaching the top of the Sen.
ate calendar. The meetings of the asso.
citation were well attended, and Mrs
Stanton and Mrs. Susan b. Anthony are
always entertaining, whatever may be
said Of other members of the sisterhood
The celebrated journalist, Geo. Augustus
Sala, who lectures here during the week
and was rendered all the social honors
he could accept, expressed himself as de-
lighted with the glimpses he had of the
social life ofthe Capital. He attended a
reception at Secretary Frelinghuysen's
called at the White House, went to ar
afternoon concert at the British minis
tiers, and attended two breakfasts giver
in his honor Noting the improved ap
pearance of Washington since he wa
here five years ago, he said it would b.
the most beautiful city in the world, be
: cause there would be no manufactures
no business to disfgure and soil it.
Attantion gal1ara