Middletown transcript., 1886-02-26
Our washington Letter.

Senate all the reasons for removals g
cept those of confidential natu1
The Republican leaders then demand
ed that the confidential reasons
submitted to them also, in order tn
the Senate might decide if they we
really confidential, and the direct issr
was thereby raised.
It cannot be known what action W
be taken by the Administration in r
| gard to this matter until the questio
is officially brought to the notice Of IL
Executive. Democratic Senators q
not consider any further caucusing Q
the so-called Edmunds rebellion necel
sary on their part. They have take
their stand with the President, sine
they believe he is right, and they il
tend to sustain him.
A caucus is in contemplation, how
ever for the purpose Of appointing th
usual campaign comittee to manag
the Congressional campaign. It vii
be held in a few days, and the Edmund
demonstration may be brought up, bu
the caucus will be held without refer
ence to it.
The issue will provoke a hot politi
cal discussion in the Senate, which i
expected to begin next Monday. 1
will probably continue for some day
as Senators of both parties are hunting
up precedents and preparing speeches
on the question. There are a number
of Republican Senators who are op
posed to this farcical fight, although
they feel bound by political duty tt
abide by their caucus decision in con
demning the Administrations deter
mination to maintain the Executive
prerogative. One Of their non-sympa
thizers, Senator Van Wyck, of Ne
braska, stigmatizes the Edmunds at.
tack as a ''hunt for ghosts WOOL"
Senators Pugh, Of Alabama, Jackson
of Tennessee, and Kenna, of West Vir.
ginia, are among the Democratic Sena.
tors who are equipped and anxious fol
the battle to begin, They say they
will be abundantly fortified with pre-.
cedents to offset those given by the
Republicans. A Democratic Senator
has in his possession the copy of a
letter written by Sherman, when Sec
retary of the Treasury, declining to
furnish Conkling, then a Senator, with
reasons for the suspension of Chester
A. Arthur, as Collector of the Port of
New York. There are many indica-
tions that the coming controversy will
be bitter and the debate exciting.
And what will it amount to ? At
the worst it can only stop the Presi-
dent from filling offices whose incum-
bents he may see fit to suspend, leaving
those offices in allegiance until the end
of their regular terms. And at that
point even the obstructive power of the
Senate must end unless the Republican
majority undertake the desperate re-
sort of refusing to confirm the Presi-
DENTS nominees because they are
Democrats. In either event the Re-
publican Senators will lose the fight.
Yesterday being Washington's birth
day Congress took holiday as well as
Government clerks. It is at work
again to day, and the Blair Blair Educational ID
bill is still before the Senate. Some
very able arguments have been made
Tor and against the measure. Though
stronger opposition has been mani
'ested against it this session than last,
10 doubt is expressed that it will pass
;he Senate either by its friends or ene-
nies. 1t is estimated that at least ten
Southern Senators will vote against it
IS being unconstitutional and impolitic,
'lthough under the provisions of the
ill, their section would share more
argely in its benefits than the North.
All the Democrats Of the House and
ixteen Republican members voted for
he Fitz John Porter relief bill. The
assage Of the bill was a foregone
the only interesting feature
f the vote lying in the number of
republicans who would range them
elves with democratic sentiment in
avoring Porter's full vindication.
The close of the Porter debate
rought the first scene of the session,
nd ended in uproar and confusion. |
here was a medley of comedy and
,agedy. Men on both sides of the
[all lashed themselves into a passion.
ne member accused another of dis
lgenousness. Another accused a
[ember of trying to cram a falsehood
own the throat of the House. Mem
ers shook their fists in the air and in
Ich others faces, and made other de-
onstrations equally unparliamentary.
hey ridiculed each others speeches,
I'd shrieked and laughed and groaned
ltil the tumult was settled by an
der that the vote be taken.
The advocates of woman suffrage
I'D lively convention here during
10 week. This is their eighteenth
lnual Washington convention. They
e much elated over the bill favoring
male enfranchisement that is now on
% Senate calendar. The House judi
ary committee granted the delegates
hearing on last Saturday,
ID nine ladies made arguments be-
re the committee appealing for the
omission Of a sixteenth amendment