San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1885-01-29
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Carl SMYTHI
From Our Regular Correspondent
VI " r. 10 1901

During the past week the debates
and acts Of Congress have touched a
variety of subjects. The French Spoil
alton bill, which was first brought up
eighty three years ago, has passed
both houses; and the Nicarauguan
bill, which opens up the widest and
gravest possibilities, has been deba-
ted. Jefferson Davis and Tecumseh
Sherman have both revisited the
glimpses Of the moon, and the Senate
has voted to restore Ulysses s. Grant
TO his rank in the army. There was
considerable surprise expressed at
the fact that Democratic Senators
voted with the Republicans to restore
Gen. Grant, but more surprise will be
expressed if the Democratic House
shall allow the bill to become law.
Human idolatry never reached a
more beastly depth than in its wor-
ship of Grant. The country does
not owe as much to him as it does to
hundreds of others. But because he
has lost his i'll gotten fortune through
stupidity and fraud, and his won
derful health through prolonged dis
sipation, the Senate, a portion of the
press, and herd of millionaires dis
solve in maudlin pity over the exam
pie of spurious greatness to which
history furnishes no parallel.
There are decided objections
against restoring Gen. Grant to his
rank in the army. The last time he
held power DIS president OF the
United States, he used it to dispense
Southern Legislatures and to overawe
opposition to the fraudulent seizure
of the presidency by the conspirators
of 1876, The Edmonds bill pro-
poses to place him only on the retir-
ed list of generals, but the Supreme
Court has decided that the retired
list is as fully part of the Army as
the active lists, and that the former
may at any time be called into ser
vice.
Suppose there should be another
disputed election, as in 1876, or like
that which occurred only last No
vember. How easy and how natural
(had another than Arthur been in the
White House) would it have been for
Blaine to summon Grant, as senior
general, to assume command. And
with his name and prestige, and the
fanaticism of his i6olators, the CRIME
and shame Of 1876 might have been
repeated. History never repeats
itself, but folly and crime are perpet-
ual These dangers may be treated
as trivialties, since they are not i'm
minent, but it will be the part Of folly
to make them even remotely possible
by placing Grant again in the army.
There is a disposition on the Dem
ocratic side here in both houses to do
nothing at this short session except
pass the appropriation bills The
remaining days of the session are so
few and the appropriation bills still
to be considered are so many that
this postponement to another Con-
gress of all Legislation will be easy to
accomplish.
1t is not among the impossibilities
that there may bean extra session,
and, for a number of reasons, it need
not be deprecated. As it is now,
more than year commonly inter
venes between the election of Con-
gressmen and the beginning of their
duties. This fact has frequently been
commented upon as opposed to the
of our laws, AMI Objectionable. The
election and the service should be
brought nearer together, either by
spring elections, or spring sessions.
There is certainly no reason why of
two men elected to coordinate pub
lie trusts at the same time, one
should enter upon Office on the fourth
OF March and the other on the first
Monday of the following December.
But apart from the abstract ques-
tons involved it will scarcely be dis
puted by those at all familiar with
the work now thrust upon Congress
that its ordinary sessions are of in
adequate length to enable it to cope
with its legitimate business 1t is
true that much time is now waI..d.
aud that more would be IL the sessions
were longer, but that does not argue
that Congress should not give itself
q fair chance to do its work
Ths Presidents social duties have
kept him busy during the past week,
and are likely to employ his evenings
for snrao tine to come He has
ahandO1sd al idea Of visiting the