Huntsville gazette., 1885-01-03
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
Tho spanish Treaty and The Nicaragua
Canal Project-Another Land Forfeiture
Case-The River and Harbor Committee
Have . Big Job on Hand.

1AC op0AASn Aro8Cy ana Inc Nicaragua
Canal Project-Another Land Forfeiture
Case-The River and Harbor Committee
Have . Big Job on Hand.
WASHINGTON, D. c., December 90
The Senate Committee on Foreign Rela.
dons is understood to be nearly equally
divided on the Van Wyck resolution to
discuss the Spanish treaty in open ses-
sion. The Chairman Of the Committee,
(Mr. Miller, of California;, and Sena-
tors Sherman and Lapham favor open ses-
sions, whilst Vice-President Ldmunds
strongly opposes any deviation from the
old plan of discussing treaties with
closed doors, and Senators Morgan and
Pendleton are said to side with him. Of
the other members of the Committee,
Senator Vance is absent, and Senators
Brown and Wilson are non-committal.
The workingman of the committee is
Senator Morgan, of Alabama, and he, it is
believed,s favors letting the Spanish treaty
wait, and giving precedence to the Mica
raugua canal project. A leading idea
with Mr.. Morgan is to make American
diplomacy felt in the councils of Europe.
1t was he Cncited thereto by ex-Belgian
Minister Sanford, the American member
of the African International Association,
presided over by the King of the Bel
gians) who put through the Senate last
session the resolution recognizing the
sovereignty of the African Association
over the Congo region. That action was
q wide divergence from past traditions of
the Government. Its immediate effect
tn 6afaat the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
treaty, dividing the control of
the Congo region between England
and Portugal, and it was the direct
cause of the present Berlin Conference.
Mr.. Morgan, it is stated, desires to adopt
q similarly bold line of policy with regard
to Nicaragua, and the annulment of the
Clayton-Bulwer treaty with England, and
it is possible he may carry the Committee
on Foreign Affairs with him. If so, there
will be lively times in the Senate, and a
discussion too important to be smothered
behind the closed doors of an executive
session. Meanwhile Mr.. Vests resolu-
ton, ordering suspension of Secretary
ChandleI's proposed survey of the canal
route, sleeps in the pigeon-holes of the
Foreign Committees room, and the sur
veying party is on its way to its destina.
tion.
Another land forfeiture has been added
to the list of those put down for discus
sion by the Senate under special orders.
This time it is the New Orleans Baton
Rouge & Vicksburg (better known as the
sBackbone'') Railroad, whose land grant
it is proposed to forfeit Twelve or fifteen
years ago principality, valuable enough
to build the road twice over, was granted
to the company out of the public domain,
but the time in which the road was to
have been built has long since lapsed,
and the road exists only on paper. With
regard to this and other land grant for.
FIXTURES, however, there will probably be
q great deal of talk, and no final action
The two houses of Congress having al
the last moment agreed to holiday re.
cess, the capitol presents quite as desert
ed an appearance as during the dull sum.
mer months. few members remaining
in the city, visit the building once OF
twice day for their mail; but there is a
lack of visitors during the holiday festivi-
ties that reduces the number of persons
about the halls and corridors to the low
est average.
The only committee at work }s nat OF
rivers and harbors, in the House. The
one Dill Iuey nave III CHarSe Is dn ele
phant of large dimensions. On it they
have worked with as much assiduity as
any committee of the House. Their work
is of such a nature that until the bill is
ordered to be reported, no item in it is
sure to stand as set down. There are SC
many conflicting interests and so many
pressing demands for this, and that i'm
provement that it becomes daily as the
committee progresses more and more a
question what shall be left out or reduced
than what shall be put in the bill.