Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-02-21
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

.
Congress for the past week has been
the foot ball of obstructive dilatory
and mischievous cranks. Appropria-
ton bills and other important if not
indispensable legislation have been de-
layed and an extra session seems very
probable. Well, who cares ? Let an
extra session be called. A member of
Congress is paid $4,000 a year and
whether he legislates in Washington or
vegetables in his rural home, he draws
his pay all the same. We pay Con-
gress 70 make laws It is desperately
difficult to keep them down to their
work. They are wretcheI shirks; they
sel'lom pull together except on mo-
ton 10 adjourn, bat since they are paid
so much per year let their alleged
Norfl be continuous throughout tie
year. 1t would be better to pay them
by the day and only when they are in
Their seats. When u member fails to
answer to his name on roll call dock
his wages. II he is tardy, require him
to bring a written excuse from his
wife. Ii these wholesome rules were
enforced there would be less absentee
ism, less skipping around the corner,
less solitary and informal adjourn
ment to the RESTAURANTS in the base
ment of the Capital. The fact is, that
the people are too easy and lenient
with those who, with Vauntin9 hypoc-
ricy, call themselves public servants"
These deputized legislative en-
ployes, to speak it mildly are many of
them bummers and lOaiers, interested
chiefyin their private ambitions and
pleasures, and utterly Indifferent to, or
ignorant of the needs of the great in
terests which they are sent to repre-
sent. Congress is not up with the
times. 1t is not at all progressive. So
far as [ know parEamen tary methods
and procedure are not much better
now than when Rome was Republic
2,0o0 years ago. Aplan has been de-
vised to call the roll by electricity, and |
thus register instantanoously the vote
Of every member, but the old and te-
1ious plan of calling the ayes and |
nays is still followed, consuming a
great portion of the session.
An extra session will probably be
called early in April. It is said that
he Democrats desire to avoid an ex-
,ra session on political grounds, but
are perhaps .exaggera-
ed, and it is time legislators should
Use above mere party expndiency
md do their duty without fear. In
he end this would prove to be the
and highest expndiency
1t will be remembered that eight
ears ago the petty Michigan accident
Who occupied the Vice Presidents
eat in the Senate, assumed that he
vas the proper person to declare who
7as the President of.the United States.
Worked by Zach Chandler, John
herman, Morton, and other desper-
tie conspirators, this puppet had
luch to do in making the deplorable
of the ELECTORAL commiss-
IN possible. | will mention that his
anne was Ferry, for perhaps the J
eader has forgo item his name, as has
le world his existence. Senator Ed
funds, the present Vice Presidents
,cent much discussed announcement
the appearance" of the returns
a political denial of the authority
aimed by all republicans, Mr.. Ed
unds among them. Then, in 1876
r. Edmunds was ready, by any
cans, as he afterwards showed, when
member of the court which made
ayes President, to perpetuate the !
lie of his party. This man is pro- Il
und and able lawyer, but he is as
and as cunning as
mes G.. Blaine.
1t looks now as if Mr.. Thurman
II be member Of the Cabinet of
esident Cleveland. He is earnestly r
ged by influential Democrats L
roughout tic country. fsenator
ndleton does not want a Cabinet
rtfolio, but asks that Mr.. Thurman
" be appointed. The objection
} been made that he is too old, but
is younger than Gladstone, Bis
lrk, or Moltke. He is ablest among
: able. No man is better equipped =
the portfolios of State, Finance, Z
stice or the Interior. 1t is no dis 4
Of others to say that he is !
) most profound lawyer that has
IN in public life since the war;
is thoroughly posted in home and
eigh questions, While member :
the Senate he exercised without ar 6
,ance, and through a voluntary rec
lition of his superiority, the func- 4
rs of leader and counselor to the =
side. There were able
Senatorsaround him, there
re Lamar, Beck, Vest, Mcdonald,
ldleton, voorhees,, Hill, Morgan and
ers who might have led. had they
with one accord trusted to the III
rning, the wisdom, the eloquence v
the patriotism Of 4the grand old i
a." Fea
Washington Feb g. 1885 ssSSee
tina
w
listen 10 ihe v0.ne OF the public, We s m6
tary sceplic, and hear it pronounce thhi
Ie>sins on The greatest cough medi- eac
e Of the age, Coussenss HoEey of sng5
;, which will cure Group, Hoarss- M
5, Bronchitis, and all diseases OFT MI
Throat and Lungs. For s.tle BY
en- & Moore and VS.. Barbee & Co