Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-02-26
Words from Washington.

Words from Washington.
/ Especial Correspondence of THE HERALD.)
| When these words reach you the
dedication of the Washington Monu-
ment, so often discussed in private cir
cles and news paper paragraphs during
the winter, will be numbered among
the events of the past May West
ern billiards. fail to be included
among the guests of the occa-
sion; for that most uncertain element,
the weather, will, after all, have much to
do with determining the success of the
celebration. Among the organizations
expected to attend the ceremonies is a
military body, the German Fusilcers
of Charleston, South Carolina, which
was formed in revolutionary days and
and took part in the sieges of Savannah
and Charleston.
President Buchanan, it is said, fire.
quently alluded to the fact that in 1924
when young member of the House of
Representatives, he introduced the
monument to the attention of the House,
after it had apparently been forgotten
for twenty-five years, by offering the
following resolution:
RESOLVED, That committee be APP
pointed whose duty it shall be to in
quire in what manner the resolutions of
Congress. passed on the 9th of Decem-
Der, 1899, relative to the erection of a
marble monument in the Capitol. at the
City of Washington, to commemorate
the great events of the military and
political life of General Washington
may be best accomplished, and that
they have leave to report by bill or
otherwise.
The resolution, however, after being
discussed, was laid upon the table.
The prospect that the House will
complete its business sufficiently to
avoid the necessity of an extra session
is much more favorable than when /
last wrote. The deficiency approplia-
ton bill, the last of the series, is nearly
ready to be reported to the House The
naval bill contains no features likely to
provoke discussion, unless the Randall
plan for recognizing the navy awakes
controversy. The sundry civil bill has
some features that may cause conflict,
particularly if any legislation on silver
is attempted.
Much discussion has been evoked by
the phraseology in which Senator Ed
munds made his official announcement
of the result of the count. After stating
the number of votes respectively re-
ceived by Grover Cleveland, James G.
Blaine, Thomas A. Hendricks and John
A. Logan, he continued as follows:
Wherefore do declare that Grover
Cleveland, of the state of New York,
has received a majority of the votes of
the whole number of electors appointed,
as they appear in the certificates read
by the tellers, and so appears to have
been elected President of the United
States for four years, commencing on
the 4th day of March, 1885,"
The first feeling of some of the Re-
publican Senators at Senator Edmunds
acknowledgement of the limit of his Off
cial powers at the electoral count was
one OF mitigation, but little reflection
soon convinced them that an astute
lawyer could scarcely claim an author
ity, which the Senate formally admits
does not now exist by the fact that it is
attempting to incorporate that very
power in legislation still pending. The
months preceding the Inauguration
of President Hayes certainly taught the
Senate a sharp lesson in regard to the
necessity of deciding certain doubtful
points, yet through eight long years the
matter has been allowed to drift and
many commend Mr. Edmunds' pluck in
thus reminding Congress of its negli-
gence.
A democratic view of the subject is
that Senator Edmunds-owing to the
stress laid by Mr.. Hendricks in his let
ter of acceptance upon the important
part the Vice President might take in
deciding the electoral count-deems it
wise, in view of possible contingencies
which may occur at the end of the next
four years to establish precedent
which will restrict Mr.. Hendricks
powers and prevent his using any auth
ority in declaring the count.
A neat little rebuke was delivered by
Mr.. Hawley in the Senate. While max
ing some remarks upon the bill to pro-
hibt the Importation OF contract labor,
the hum of conversation around became
so loud as to greatly annoy him. Paus-
| ing an instant, he addressed the chair,
saying: "Mr. President, if there was
| any place in the chamber where could
stand without interrupting CONVERSE
ton, / should be glad to do so, but the
rule requires me to stay near my seat !"
The buzz of talk, as may be supposed,
instantly ceased.
General Grants friends are much dis
appointed by the action of the House in
relation to the bill for his retirement.
1t would seem that the matter should
not be considered political affair, but
many persons consider that it was an
error in judgment to make the plea of
the ex-President's poverty SO prominent.
The nation desires to bestow special re-
wards upon him, not because he is inn
poverished but because the services he
has rendered his country merit recogni-
| ton. 1t is feared the bill will now be
left over for the next Congress, though
Mr. Randall has stated his intention of
again trying to call up he Edmunds
Senate bill.
A resolution reported by Mr.. Riggs,
of Illinois, member of the committee
on public health, is one of interest to
the entire country. recommends an
appropriation of $500, ZOO for the pur-
pose of adopting means to prevent the