Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-12-05
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
TIE COMING CONGRESS-.

WASHINGTON ID. c., Dec. 18th.
Many members OF Congress have ar
lived in the city within the last twenty
four hours, and il is believed that
ma iority Of the members will be here
by tomorrow night. Yet it is doubt
ed whether the caucus, if we'll
attended. will amount TO more
thsn mere conferences that is, that
aside from the nominations for offices,
no action binding upon those who at
tend will be taken in respect TO change
Of rules or upon any subject of legisla-
ton or party policy. Here and there
member is found who desires to have
the party map out a general line Of
policy for the direction OF legislation,
and to determine whether the Appro-
pration Committee shall be shorn Of its
mower. But those who favor this are
not, as a rule, the men who have much
influence upon party counsels, and the
preyalent opinion appears to be that it
would be better TO postpone such mat
tiers TO a later date.
1t appears from inquiries among
members who have had long experience
in the House that most Of them are de-
cidedly opposed to the proposition to
give the control Of several Of the gen.
eral appropriation bills to committees
which now have the right to control
legislation in relation 10 the army, the
navy. and special branches Of the civic
Establishment. Their reasons are strong
and are supported by practical knowl-
edge Of the ways Of congressional COM
mittees that seems 70 justify their
opinion that the experiment would be
attended with considerable danger to
the interests Of the Democratic party,
and scarcely less to the public interests.
Ii may be true that the movement to
distribute the appropriation bills has
not for its prime or only object the
Gripping Of the power Of Mr.. Randall
a chairman Of the Appropriation Com
mittee, but II is a significant fact that
the men who press most zealouSly for
the change are those who have been sc-
tive opponents Of Mr.. Randall on the
tariff question. The facts do not war
rant the assertion that Mr.. Randall
used the appropriation bills to defeat
action upon tho tariff. The delay in re-
porting appropriation bills in the Forty
eighth Congress was due to other causes
relating to the composition Of the COM
mittce. and could not be prevented by
him.
There is a good deal Of talk amC0g
congressman about the absurdity of
the ciyil-selyice regulations ard exami-
nations as prac,iced by those who have
had control of the alleged reform for
the last lev years. Privately the Adj
mnistrahor's policy in relation to this
question Is severely criticised, and
many Democratic members assert that
the sentiment OF the party in the dis
triots represented by them Is strongly
against cisil-aryice reform as under
stood by President Cleveland. Few Of
them are willing TO be quoted publicly,
but it Is predicted that the question
will be agitated until after a while
some wears hence there will DC re-
form in ciyil-seryice reform.
Mr.. Knby, Of the New York Joraat
of Commerce, has been making an in
yestigation of the paternity Of the idea
Of clyil-ser ice reform, as far as Con-
prcss is concerned. and finds by the
records that the honor is due TO the
venerable ex-senator K. NJ. T. Hunter,
of Virginia. lie has received letter
from Mr.. Hunter. written by an aman-
ucnsis, in answer 10 an inquiry whether
he was the father Of ciyil-seryice re-
form in the United States. Mr.. Hunter
replied as follows:
"LLoYD'S ESSEX COUNTY. VA, ,
November %, 1855. !
- received your card, and although
at my age | cannot expect TO live long,
/ hope we shall have chance to i'm
prove our acquaintance. You ask if
YOU are correct do not know
whether you are correct or not, but |
have always thought so. cannot
speak with certainty ON the subject, but
| introduced the measure classify
ing the clerks, aud also introduced, |
think, the enactment requiring their
examination. was anxious, |
know, TO prevent the superior
from removing the inferior, except
for want Of efficiency. | now think
this power necessary for efficiency and
fidelity IN the discharge Of duty by the
inferior. did what could to get up
a public sentiment against removal for
sDything but a want Of fidelity and eff
fciency in the Office. To countenance
removal from the Office itself for gene
raj politics and not for faults in the
Office. think, would be mischievous,
and believe / did something to get up
such public sentiment. Very respect
fully, K. NJ. T. HUNTER"
The resolution referred to was intro
duced in the Senate of the thirty-second
Congress, March :, 1851, by Mr.. Hun
ter.
Great interest is manifested here in
the senatorial contest in Virginia. All
OF the Virginia Congressman are here
and have selected their winter-quarters.
They held a conference to-day in Mr..
fuckers committee room at the cap
itol.
Rev. James L. Lodge. d. D., Bap-
fist minister, is the latest candidate for
chaplain of the House. The other can
didates are DR.. Lindsay (EpiscopaD
and Mr.. Pitzer Ia Presbyterian. DR..
Lodge says it has been forty-two years
since a Baptist was chaplain of the
House, and, as there are 2, 507, 703 Bap-
lists in the United States, he thinks they
have the right to claim the honor now.
His chief hacker in Congress is Mr.. Hol-
man, Of Indiana.
The result Of the conference Of the
Virginia delegation was failure to
unite in support of the candidacy of
Tyler, Of Virginia, for Doorkeeper of
the House. Some Of them favored Don
elson, Of Tennessee, and it is probable
that all Of them will vote that way in