The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-01-22
WASHINGTON LETTER.
tFrom our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON. II. G., Jan. Is, 1886.

W - Osf '"ht - atNN'
The proceedings of the week OF
Capitol Hill have been varied, inter
esting, ard fraught with results in tn,
lower branch of Congress. The Sen
ate did little else in open session thar
listen to endless irrelevant talk on the
Silver question, irrelevant, because nc
financial measure was formally pre-
sented to that body until today. Six
Senators made long set speeches in
advocacy OF continued coinage, another
crowded in an oration in behalf oi
National Monuments to Lincoln and
Grant, and another expended eloquence
on the subject of our Army. In its
daily secret sessions the Senate has
had before it the Presidents nomi.
nations, hundreds of which have been
confirmed.
No cause of complaint has been
found against the nominees themselves
in regard to their honesty, fitness and
efficiency, and the Republican Senators,
in lieu of any such grievance, have
been discussing in caucus the question
of disciplining the President on The
subject of tenure of office Unable
to express themselves freely on this
subject in Executive session without
exposing their plans to the opposition,
the leaders of the Republican majority
quietly conveyed the news to their
associates that they must agree TO
motion adjourning over from last
Thursday to Monday, in order that a
caucus might be held on an important
subject. Of course the Democrats did
not know what was brewing, and the
proposed motion was carried.
In this caucus, the Presidents policy
was the subject of debate, and the
more pronounced disciplinarians, such
as Logan, Hoar, Conger, and Morrill,,
advocated reiLing up the President to
compel him to state to the Senate his
reasons for removing one set of officials
to make room for Others of his own
party. Some of the more fairminded
Senators held that.it would be going
too far to ask of the President an ex-
planation of his right to select his own
friends to fill the offices for which his
party had fought so hard, and that he
was only doing what a Republican
President would do, if one were in the
White House. This kind of argument
was very distasteful to the Republican
managers, and they proceeded to dis
cipline their obstinate brethren in a
caustic way that won them over, or at
least compelled them to submission.
While variety of opinions were ex-
pressed with regard to the propriety
of raising a formal issue with the Ad-
ininistration at present upon this ques-
ton, majority were disposed to say
that should the information sought not
be forthcoming ultimately, The Repub-
licans in the Senate will take some
formal action to secure it, or an avowal
from Mr.. Cleveland that he will not
give his. reasons for making removals.
There are many Republicans in the
House of Representatives who would
like to see all the Republican office
holders discharged indiscriminately.
Their reason for this is that their party
machinery is being disorganized by the
present state of affairs. Many of their
party workers received appointments
to office as rewards for party service,
and as long as they retain their places
under the present Administration, their
hands are tied in way to make them
useless for party work.
Among other bills to abolish the
Civil Service law that have been intro
duced in the House was one by Repre-
ennative Seney, of Ohio. NJ sucn
bill can pass the Senate while the Rep
ublicans have control of it. They
affect devotion to civil service reform
and the so-called spirit of it, and will
continue to do so as long az the act
can be made useful in keeping Demo.
Gratis out of Office and in bothering the
Democratic party. Then again there
are many shrewd Democrats in both
branches of Congress, who would deem
it uDwise to repeal the Civil Service
law and who see good politics in let
ting it stand as it is, though, of course,
the question will be agitated like that
Of silver all through the session.
The House of Representatives was
commercially industrious in disposing
Of the Presidential Succession bill,
which has passed without change, just
as it came from the Senate. Under its
provisions the line of succession is
Iaken from Congress and lodged in the
Cabinet. Only the Presidents sigma
ture is lacking to make it the law, and
then Mr.. Bayard and not Mr.. Sherman
will be Vice President of the United
States.
A startling visitationiof death has
just darkened the home of the Secretary
Of State, and the genial, graceful,
homelike hospitality characteristic of
the Bayard Mansion will be hidden
under the shadows of bereavement for
the remainder of the season. Miss
Catherine Bayard, the eldest daughter
of the Secretary, died suddenly on
Saturday afternoon OF heart disease.