Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1886-03-27
WASHINGTON.
AN INTERESTING SUMMARY OF THE
WEEKS EVENTS AT THE MA.
TIONAL CAPITOL.
Investigation Farees The Debate in The
Senate-Mrs. Hancock's Pension.
From our re ular Correspondent.

From our regular Correspondent.
With the senate's investigation of the
Administration the House committees
investigation of Pan-Electric stock and
other investigations of the commission
er Of pensions in regard to the charges
he brought against his predecessor,
Dudley, it would seem that the spirit Of
inquiry were raging here now.
On the contrary all of these affairs
are dismal farces. No sensations have
been evolved from The Telephone bus
mess, and public interest in it is rapidly
subsiding. Hon. Casey Young has con-
tradicted the imputations against the
Attorney General, and in seeking let
tiers for publication as testimony, out Of
2l2 five were from Mr.. Garland, none
of which bear on the subject under in
vestigation.
Gen. Black is Well fortified with
proofs Of his allegations against ex-CoIn-
missioner Dudley's Republican pension
machine. He has submitted cases of
gross irreguIarhy, showing that claims
were advanced and allowed as partisan
rewards, and he has hundreds Of atli-
davits in reserve.
AS to the senate's fight for papers,
none but the blindest of partisans C; II
see any other outcome of the Republi-
can situation than surrender. There
is desire on the part of most of the
Senators who have followed Mr.. Ed
mund's lead to drop the contest us soon
as possible and to say as little about it as
possible. The debate has involved so
many Senators in contradictions and
Inconsistencies that it has clearly
strengthened the President in his posi-
ton. 1t has also served to direct atten-
ton to the evils of secret sessions SO in
tently that their very existance is
strongly threatened.
The weakeast point OF the Republican
position is that they have called for
this information to be used in Star
Chamber sessions. If the Senate con-
sidered the Presidents appointments in
open session there would be much more
excuse for these attacks upon him for
his secresy.
Senator Edmunds is sorely cut by
the revolt OF the Finance Committee.
Its resolve to report The nominations OF
Internal Revenue Collectors referred to
it in spite of the caucus, was a square
back down from the Republican posi-
ton. And the present week is likely
to witness similar action on the plrt of
the Indian Affairs Committee, and other
committees which are weary OF the
useless contest.
There was never any genuiness or CO
hesion in the movement, and 1t required
little political keenness to see what
would certainly happen. The obstruc'
ton was political blunder, and there
was 30 little interest in it that the pub.
lie did not even charge its mind with
the task Of keeping up with the debate
The indignation which was pumped M
was false and labored, and there has
been no time when the Republican
} Senators in body have not regretted
: the course into which they were ..dra
gooned by the raspng selfishness from
n Vermont. AS an experimental issue it
, has been dismal failure, and it is only
astonishing that the pretense was KEEP
up ms long as it was.
Much was expected by the maiorit,
of Senators from their colleague, Mr.
Spooner, the new senator from Wiscon
sin. He occupied the floor part OF two
days, but failed utterly to cover him
self with glory. He started out quite
bravely, but in winding up he got lost
CROPPED around for about an hour point
leSsly in search Of suitable finale, re
/ peated himself half dozen times, ant
closed quite tamely.
, Senator Colquitt, OF Georgia, viii be
heard in long speech to-day on the
Democratic side, and Senator Ingalls,
OF Kansas, will follow next in behalf o
the Republicans. He is one of theii
ablest men and has carefully prepared
speech.
J The bill to pension the widow OF Gen
Hancock has been before the House
and was eloquently Supported by rep