The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-01-27
Letter From Washington.


WAsHIEGTox, January 16, 1886
EDITOR CLARION: Congress has been
persistently irrelevant this week. Both
senators and representatives have shown
an irresistible inclination TO ignore BUSH
ness and deliver speeches on pet subjects.
On one day the Senate listened to three
orations on totally dissimiiar measures
silver, art and the army. Senator Man
derson called attention to his bill for
building up the army Senator Blair ask
ed that monuments be erected to Lincoln
and Grant, and Senators Pugh and Vance
advocated continued coinage OF the silver
dollar.
Ex-Gov. Curtin's resignation of the
Craftsmanship of the Banking and Cur
rency Committee, and Senator Ingalls,
coinage resolution are the prominent
financial features of the week at the Capt.
tol. Mr.. Curtln's action, which was antie-
ipated, brings an extreme silver man, Rep
resentative Miller of Tex, to the head
OF this committee, and the Senator
from Kansas proposes to continue the
present coinage of silver until a limit
has been reached of 500,000,000. At the
present rate of coinage, S2,000,000 a
month, it would take fifteen years from
date to reach this amount. In declining
the position 10 which he was assigned, Mr..
citation OF the honor conferred upon him
by the Speaker, but that he could not
escape the conviction that the tastes
and experiences of his public life were
not such as fitted h n to serve in that
position with satisfaction to himself
or with usefulness to the House.
The silver men have established their
1 headquarters here, and their work is appa-
rent in the halls of Congress. Scarcely a
day passes without a Congressman intro
| ducing petition against the retirement OF
silver. Agitation OF the silver question
will probably continue through the entire
session. But" remarked Senator Colquii
of Georgia, sit will be only agitation, fol
no legislation will be accomplished" The
opinion is a fair reflex of the views of e
majority of the Senators from the South
and West, and party lines would be quick
lv obIiterated on vote for the demonetiz
alton of silver. Senator Pugh, of Alabama
In a good natured reference to the admin
istration's silver policy said, that on thi
subject, both parties allowed differences o
opinion within their ranks. On next Mon
! day the silver question will be formal,
presented in the Senate for consideration
r and then talk on silver, which has beel
given out so freely OF late, will be relevap
} in that end OF the Capitol at least.
2 A ocraticrepresentative was speakln
a Of the hardness of the House in gettin
= down to business, and Of the tendency c
2 members to speak in season and out upo
their favorite measures. Said he, "Thi
House is like glass of beer-there is lc
of froth to be blown off before you can &c
down to the substance. Scores OF mem
/ bers have speeches prepared on variou
IL L.. ! Ill H.
off now when the House has nothing else
: do. They al sure to waste time hereafte
: when the House gets fairly to bushes
Il They are the froth that has to be got rid {
!. before any real work can be done.'
e The House has shown considerably
IS alacrity in regard to the Presidential SUI
e cession bill, which has already pissed tn
d committee and been reported TO the HOu'
n without amendment. Some members al
n disposed to Object to certain provisions (
V the bill, but it is probable that it wi
d pass substantially as 1t came from tn
d Senate The feature in the bill mo-
as criticised is that which creates Cabin'
At interregnum till the expiration of the fu
n Presidential term. But the contingency
10 so remote that this objection is rattle
Il fanciful one it being altogether unlikel
= that both President and Vice Presidel
e will ever die at the beginning of term.
- The Senate, in secret session, has bee
" confirming the Presidents nomination
j many of them almost as fast as the nam
"a could be read. Among the first were II
III new Civil Service Commissioners. Whe
al Mr. Eaton's name came up, Senator Loga
he made the point that he was ''mugwump
e, and that the spirit of the civil service la
~ required that one OF the commissioners
" Republican. Several Republican Sen
E. tors vouched for Mr.. Eaton's politics, al
" the Commission is now certified to Il
Or country as eligible for its duties. Vel
r few OF the nomina, ions will be objected
N not more than one per cent. of ther
N The Presidents position in regard to ther
II is one from which the Republican Senate
a find it hard to extract any grievance.
! did not withhold any of his recess appoin
>, ments, out sent them all in as Democra
= whom he believed to be personally homes
~ wosthy, and efficient. If he has be,
IL deceived in some of them, he leaves Il
81 responsibility with the Senate. CAS-.