Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-08-06
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Written and compiled for the HrnnD.

MIllton anu COHplitu lOI Tue iithAl.Ds
WASHINGTON, Aug. 4, 1856.
Hardly had the spectators of the
Senate's proceedings taken their
seats in the galleries on Fridy be-
fore they were compelled to vacate
them in consequence of the secret
session that was ordered almost as
soon as the Senate assembled. The
secret session did not last long
however, the only business trans
acted during it being the coniirma-
ton of Mr.. jerks as Solicitor
General vice Mr.. GOOde.
The House has taken a step to-
wards an Improvement in our naval
standing among the nations of the
earth. At present our navy doesn't
amount to very much. Even such
an Insignificant country as Brazil
has a war vessel that could prob
ably whip our "whOle outfit" The
House passed a bill providing for
the construction of a heavily ar
mored cruiser, to cost Si,5OO,OOO
and two torpedo boats at 100000
each. Some S3,OOO,OOO is also pro
vided for the completion of the
monitors already under way, and
81 100000 for heavy ordnance
Other vessels are to be built here
after, and the hope is INDUCED
that in few years we may have a
navy that we need not be asham-
ed Of Pending the passage OF the
bill, an effort was made by some OF
the members to parcel out the YES
sells to be built among the various
navy yards. Mr.. Brady made a
vehement speech in favor of hay
ing one of them built at Norfolk.
1t was finally determined, however,
TO leave this matter wholly to the
discretion of the Secretary Of the
Navy.
The Senate on Friday passed the
Morrison surplus resolution in the
form substantially in which 1T came
from the hands Of the Senate
finance committee-that is to say,
amended to such an extent that It's
originator will hardly care to ac'
knowledge it as his own. The
President is gwen large discretion
as 10 the amount Of the surplus to
be kept on hand, and practically
the effect of the resolution in its
present from is to sanction the
maintenance, or even an increase,
of the existing surplus. The utili-
~ of the measure as means OF
forcing the treasury to hasten the
payment of government obhga-
tions in deprecated silver dollars
is well.nigh destroyed. The gist
of the resolution as passed by the
House was that any money IN the
treasury in excess of SlOO,OOO'OOO
should be applied in sums OF SlO,-
600, 900 to the payment of the pub
lie debt. In its present form the
resolution authorizes the Secretary
of the Treasury in his discretion to
retain an additional sum Of S2O,-
600. 600 as a working balance, and
if authorizes the President, in the
case of an emergency, to suspend
further payments of the public
debt so long as may be necessary.
in his judgment, in order to main
tain the public credit. In effect
the Secret airy may, if he sees prop
er. maintain surplus of Sl2O,OOO,
coo, and If the President so directs,
he may raise it to twice that figure.
The resolution as amended pro-
vides also for the redemption of
the trade dollar at par, represented
within six months. The House
can hardly be expected to accept
the Senate's amendments. Mr..
German, who made a speech in
support of the amendments, con-
troverted the argument Of Senator
Vest that the issue raised by the
resolution was a question between
the East and the West, holding to
the contrary, that it was a question
merely of sound VS.. unsound fiscal
policy.
The feeling IN both the House
and the Senate on account of the
postponement CT the adjournment
is more intense than ever today,
and Mr.. Randall, who is declared
to be entirely responsible for it, is
the subject of many uncOmplimen-
tary comments. The indignation
over Mr.. Randall's assumptions
that the Senate should not increase
the amount of the appropriations
in the sundry civil bill is measure
bly, intensified by the fact that
members Of the cabinet, failing to
get from Mr.. Randall the apprO-
priations which they considered
absolutely necessary to carry on
their departments, felt compelled
10 appear personally before the
Senate committee, and ask OF re-
publicans what their own party
friend refused to give them. lit
had not been for Mr.. Randall,
Congress could have adjourned /
So4,.1o proG4;no, b,, o,-no,.,onoo