The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1886-08-05
OUR wAsHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON. D. @. Aug. 2

Special Correspondence OF the NEWS.
Politics, as well as weather, are boiling
in Washington just now. The Home
Rule Democracy is up IN arms against the
confirmation OF the colored man Matthews,
as recorder Of deeds for the district, and 1t
has plenty of all the blue blood Democ-
racY of the whole country. The fight has
been q protrscted one, and has become na-
tlonal In interest. The senate district COM
mittee at first stood four to four with one
member absent, against confirmation.
Under the long established custom OF the
senate, the nomination should, undeE the
circumstances, have been reported ad-
versely, but the power behind the throne
had the report withheld with the b, Pc of
something turning up TO change the sd-
verse report. The district Democrats
determined not to be outWiLttd IN
that way, then secured an invesli.
CATION into the charges that the
nominee was 3 renegade republican, a fiery
partisan and ward politician from Al
bany, ami alter q most searching invesIi-
CATION the whole committee, with the ex-
cepiiOn VI two democrats, agreed on an
adverse report Still from some cause
deemed Wise not to make public, the
nomination was held up in committee, but
the end is nearly reached, as the day of
adjournment approaches, and as usual, 10
Z heated contest, as the end draws nigh
the excitement INCREASES. the old guard
democrats are now WTathY, and charge
treason in the camp. 1t seems that tue
Columbia Democratic club, OF which the
new marshal for The dIktrIct was, and still
is q member, without q dies ntinE voice,
and in the interest Of home rule, adopted
the motto District men for District Of
tices." The marshal got his priz :,
but 1t seems that he has "sperIenced
renguL," and 1t is now charged
that he has on several occasions been clos
eted with the cOlOred Importation from
Albany, aud ID OveT-stsppIng the bounds
of official prOpritty by doing his "leVel
best" 10 influence Senatorial votes Tor con-
frmAIiOn of the nominee when = vote is
reached. The Home Rulers Say that the
colOTed race should be recognised from
among the residents of the District, but if
| the appOiDteees are to be Imported from
the states, they would much prefer seeing
Fred. Douglas. who 10 q recognized repre-
sentative colored man OF Intelligence, In.
tegritY and capacity, remain in the Office
# Recorder, than to have him supplanted
by ward politician of the came race i'm
ported from Albany. The fight has as
sumed such nation proportions that beth
mem bars and senators can be found dIs
Guessing with considerable animation, the
merits OF the contest and unless this hot
spell lets up' pretty soon, you may look
for some breezy paragraphs from the Ma
tons Capital, rising out of this memOra-
BILE affair of State"
Congress is about to die without having
finished the work Il was called into SEES
sion tor. It Is thought by many that II
the order Of things was changed SO IS TO
bring the short sessions Immediately pre-
ceedtug the y ar that nominations are
made for the next congress, the long ses.
slons would be devoted n purely legisls-
live matters, free from political campaign
harranguesr Is they would be stale before
they could be used.
The members have worked hard the
past eight months to dispose of the public
business, but so many bills of importance
consumed so much time In their discus
sion, that some o. them, and larger num-
Der than usual of private bills will have TO
90 over 70 the next session. Assuming
| that not q SINGLE bill should be introduced
next session, there will more bills on the
calendar, carried over from this session,
than can possibly be disposed of In the
three months OF the short session.
A large number of the bills that will
die with this congress, Will be introduced
into the next, as claimants who once have
bill introduced for their relief. hold on
with "deathlke tenacity." aud will never
| give up as long as life lasts. Numerous
instances might be cited 20 sustain the
statement, but one prominent name will
1 answer: McGarrahan stlll lives and pushes
his claim TO the quicksilver mines Of
Californis with all the vigor of old. His
name win go down TO posfeTity IS the
great compression claimant He looks as
young {, day as he did the first year he
| appeared before the courta and congress,
and is better known than any other man
that walks he halls Of congress. He has
become so well known 70 all the members
and senators who have seen the longest ser
vice, that they speak OF him e. Billy Nc
Garrahn. and address him familiATly as
BILLY" IF any claimant desires informa-
ton as TO the many obstacles hls claim is
apt to meet with N Its travels through
congress. no more competent person g
advise on the subject can be consulted
than Billy McGaTrahan, the Quicksilver
mines claimant 81.