Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-02-06
QUE WASHINGTON COR
RESPONDENCE.

RESPONDENCE.
| SLOW PROGRESS OF OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES S. BAR
| BoUR RECOMMENDED BY THE DEMOCRATIC
| EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND VIRGINIA CON-
GREssMEN FOR NJ aENERAL-RI
| AND THE DYNAMITERs.
| Especial Correspondence of Staunton Vindcator.
| WASHINGTON, Feb. 4.-The mills of Con-
gress, like those OF the GODS grind slowly. The
machinery is fairly clogged with unfinished
business More than nine thousand bills that
have been thrown into the hopper during the
| session are in all stages of advancement. Not
one in twenty Of them has the slightest prospect
of getting through. There are on the Speakers
table, duly reported upon and ready for &C.
ton by the House, several hundred measures,
many of which are of great public importance,
but it is impossible to reach them. After an
entire day of debate the House amended Its
rules so as to provide that during the remain
ing four weeks of the session. one hour, at the
beginning of each day, shall be specially set
aside for the calling up of bills for passage,
such bills to be acted on Immediately, provided
| ut more than ten members should object.
| The working of this rule was tested for the
first time this morning. 1t did not seem to
work as well as its advocates desired and ex-
pected, simply because as fast as bills were
called up, more than the requisite ten mem :
bers promptly arose and objected. and each
| aI1r 1,i5 Ho1
man, of Indiana, maintained his national repu-
tation as an objeetor by being almost invari-
ably the first to arise when objections were
called for. During the first half hour no less
than ten bills were taken up but action was
prevented by the objections. Then the large
| number who were anxious to do business and
not fritter away the time lost all patience and
| moved to adjourn, which was lost only by a
tie vote. I was talking with Colonel O'Ferrall
about the prospect of securing action upon
| bills under the new rules.
Il don't believe it is going to work at all -
| he said '"Hhe trouble is that few members
have banded together to prevent any legisla-
ton unless with their consent. Under this
amendment, which we hoped would give us
| some relief, it only requires ten DIRECTORS to
prevent the consideration of bill, and these
gentlemen, very mistakenly, think, interpose
their objections to everything, no matter what
it is. That is the way it has worked this
morning and I can't see how it is going to help
us particle. In fact, it only makes matters
worse. for the time is consumed in this way
and absolutely nothing is accomplished. Now
| feel very deeply interested in the Educa-
| tional Bill, in common with large majority
of the members, and we had some hope that
| this amendment to the rules might help US in
| bringing it forward, but we are constantly
| estopped by the objections. The time is get.
| ting very short, many of the appropriation
bills are yet undisposed of, and I fear there is
| to be confused jam, that will afford little op-
portunity for business that ought to be done
1t does seem to me that system of rules might
be devised that would greatly facilitate the
business of Congress"
HON. JOHN S. BARBOUR IN THE CABINET.
Yesterday meeting was held here of the
Democratic delegation from Virginia in the
49th Congress and the members of the Demo-
cratic Executive Committee of that State, to
devise ways and means to secure the appoint
ment of Hon. John S. Barbour to q position
in the new Cabinet. The meeting was very
fully attended, all but one or two of the gen.
tlemen invited being present. The best pos
sble feeling prevailed, all manifestng most
sincere and earnest desire for the appointment
of Mr.. Barbour, giving expression to their
confidence in him, and their belief that he
would honor his State and the position to
which it was hoped he would be called-that
of Postmaster General. 1t was resolved to
appoint committee consisting of two men,
bers-elect of the next Congress and three of
the State Executive Committee, to visit qsFr
Cleveland and present =, him the claims of
Mr.. Barbour and the wishes of his many
friends. The following gentlemen were des-
ignated to constitute such committee: Hon.
Charles T. OFerrall and Hon. Thomas Crox-
ton, Col Robert Beverley of Fauquier County,
Judge Leigh R. Watts of Portsmouth, and
Col Arch. Anderson of Richmond. The COM
mittee left this afternoon for New York, where
they expect to have an interview tomorrow
with the President elect. Mr.. Barbour is be-
ing strongly urged for the position by many
outside Of Virginia. His appointment would,
it is confidently believed, give entire satisfaee
ton to the people of the country. It is uni
versally admitted that his unquestioned fitness
and his high character for integrity commend
him to consideration, and that he would ably
and faithfully administer the affairs of this
important department of the government.
R1DDLEBERGER ego BRAGH."
Senator Riddleberger is not a little annoyed
by the persistence of the Irish people through.
out the country, of the dynamite" class in
showering congratulations upon him for his
solitary vote against the Bayard resolution
last week Yesterday there was placed upon
his desk magnificent floral harp-the en-
blem of the emerald Isle testimonial
from his Hibernian admirers in Washington.
The work of explaining himself to his friends
gives him about all he attend to. The
fact is that his vote placed him in somewhat
unpleasant predicament. He does not like to
resent the mistaken kindness of the Irish peo-
pie, but at the same time he insists that he Is
not s'dynamiter," in the most remote sense
He was only opposed to the immediate consid
Grafton of the resolution because he wanted
time to get at the real facts. He didn't want
the Senate to go off at half-cock But all the
same, the letters and testimonials continue to
pour in from Celtic sources, and he is getting
o good deal bewildered over the matter Two
or three dispatches came by cable from Dub
lin, Ireland, thanking him for his courage in
standino I'M for the rights of those downtrod-