The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-04-01
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, D. c., March 81, 1886.
The Senate did little the past week
other than to discuss The Edmunds reso-
lutions, which were passed late in the
night of Friday. All three resolutions
were passed by an almost strictly party
vote. The first one was on adopting the
report of the Judiciary Committee; the
other condemniEg the course of the At
torney General in refusing to give ipfor'
nation called for by the Senate; tie
third declaring that the Senate would
not confirm an appointment where
papers called for should be refused.
Riddleberger, Van Wyck and Mitchell, Of
Oregon, Republicans, voted against the
last, and Riddleberger declined to vote
on the others. Although the night
session was late one the galleries were
packed until the Senate adjourned, and
excitement on the floor and in the gale
ries was intense.
The time of the House was occupied
with miscellaneous matters, none of
which were of general public interest.
Many of the members are greatly incens-
ed at the Committee on Education pock-
citing the Educational Bill which passed
the Senate About fifty members have
held an Indignation meeting and directed
Mr.. Wills, of Kentucky, to introduce
bill sending the matter to another COM
mittee. The bill has many ardent sup.
porters in the House, many of them
being from the South.
The opening prayer in the House is
getting to be such an interesting exercise
that more members are now found attend.
ing to their divine duties than has been
the case for years back. The blind
preacher, Milburn, instead of following
set prayers which had begun to be looked
upon as meaningless, makes his divine
invocations relate to National questions
affecting the perpetuation of our Repub-
lican form of Government. They are
not sensational in character, but are
pointed and such as awaken the greatest
concern among members. On Thursday
he prayed that the educated and intelli.
gent people of this country might be
made to comprehend that there can be no
aristocracy or privileged class built upon
the fable of blood, but that our best
society must be the growth of sound
brains, and learned, not from the dancing
master nor in courts of princes, but in
the school of selfreliance. 1t has here
tolore been the custom to omit printing
in the Record the opening prayer, but on
motion of Mr.. Butterwort! il was ordered
that the prayer be printed.
1t would be we'll if something could be
done TO revive the spirit of divine rever.
ence in the Senate as there seems to be
considerable lukewarmncss there. On
Thursday there were bat three Senators
present when the Senate was opened
two Democrats and one Republican.
This is of common occurrence although
the Democrats arc not always the most
devout
Our Government is in possession of
many papers Of valuable historic interest
not accessible to the public because the
originals are locked up in the tiled walls
of the various departments, and their
existence known to only comparatively
favored few. Among them are the
franklin and the Rochambeau, and other
equally interesting manuscript, papers.
Senator Hoar thinks that these papers
ought to be put in such form that they
can be placed in the public libraries and
schools of learning throughout the coun.
try, and with that end in view, has had
reported favorably from the Library
Committee bill appointing Commits
sion composed of the Secretary of State,
the Librarian OF Congress, and the Sec.
retary of the Smithsonian Institution, to
examine these papers and report the
best method of publishing the same.
Speculation is already rife as to the
Presidents plans for the summer, but it
may be said anthoritatively that nothing
definite has yet been decided on. The
cottage at the Soldiers Home, which has
always since the war been reserved for
the use of the President, is being painted
and renovated and generally overhauled.
This has been accepted by some as show.
ing the President intention to occupy it
this Summer, but to the knowing ones"
it means nothing more than desire on
the part of the Superintendent of the
Home to have the house in as good look
ing order as the homes of the officers
stationed there. The probability is that
the President will spend some part of
the Summer In the woods Of his own
State, and if he finds that the constant
pressure on his nervous powers necessi-
tales change of scenes and air it is
moro than probable that he will vary the