The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-05-13
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, D. C.,A1ay slh, 1886.

n resolution mas neen introduced III
Congress looking to d proper observance
of Decoration Day. the SOth Of May.
The Grand Army Posts too are moving,
and the noble dead are not forgotten by
the lapse of time. The historic trees OF
Arlington--tbe former home of Lee, and
now the great National Cemetery-are
shooting forth their tender leaves Of
spring to clo,he the silent city of the
dead in immortal green. Other GENE.
teries in the vicinity of Washington are
visited on the 9Oth of May by patriotic
and grateful citizens, but the District
turns out en- masse to shower emblems oi
love on the graves of the unknown dead
at Arlington. No distinction is now
made between the graves Of the Confed.
crate and the Union braves. The same
hands strew the May flowers upon both
and all anilnosity is buried in the graves
A daily register is kept at this cemetery
of all visitors, and a comparison show:
that nearly as many strangers visit it as
20 to Mount Vernon.
Difficulty has already risen in obtain
ing the desired site for. the new library
building. The commission has received
offers from the owners Of the property
and the amount asked is $SO3,OO0, which
ia 100000 more than Congress appro'
priated for the purchase. Justice Field
of the U. S. Supreme Court, wants co..
900 for his house, which is largely in ex.
cess of its market value. Other owners
have likewise put on stiff prices. These
gentlemen don't care to sell at any figure
as their residences overlook the beautiful
Capitol park, and will be made the most
desirable sites in the city for dwellings il
the libraray is put upon the square op.
posite. By putting on such big prices it
is hoped the commission will feel obliged
to purchase the opposite square, which it
appears can be bought for few thousand
dollars less.
The Department of State has just re-
ceived notice from the Australian Gov.
ernment that an international exhibition
will be opened at Adelaide, South Austria.
liza, in June next. The managers of the
exhibition are anxious that the manufac.
turers of this country should be largely
represented as means of increasing the
commerce between the two countries
The trade is already large and profitable.
The Senate Committee has reported
favorably the bill providing for a consti'
tutional amendment, changing the date
ofInauguration Day, and the beginning
of Congressional sessions from the 9TH ol
March to the SOth of April. Congress
sees the necessity of longer sessions in
order to get. through with the public
business, and hence the proposed
changes.
The Senators are disgusted with the
increased number of bills presented fol
consideration this session. Over 5000
have been introduced in the Senate alone,
and perhaps as many more have been re.
fused introduction. The Senators are
averse to having bills introduced in the
Senate first, and will never introduce a
bill of private nature unless strong in.
fuence is brought to bear. If the sena.
tor has no personal interest in the bills
he is always careful to say that it is in.
troduced "by request" which is printed
on the bill. By that mark his brother
Senators know that he is indifferent, and
the claim receives but little consideration.
In talking with Senator the other
day he said that the time of Congress
was taken up in considering private
claims that could not be established in
any court, and ought not to be cousid.
cred by Congress. If man has doubt.
ful claim he comes to Congress with it,
hoping by personal influence to work it
through. The Senator is in favor Of
considering no claim over which any
court of the United States has jurisdic.
ton. He thinks that no "favors" should
be shown, and when bill is referred to
him he always resolves any doubt in
favor of the Government.
The fact that bill has been consid.
cred and reported favorably in the House
has very little weight in the Senate,
The Senators think that too many bills
are introduced in the House to make it
possible for the members to consider all
of them carefully, and that even after a
bill has passed the House the merits Of
it ought to be closely Investigated by the
Senate. 1t is done whenever possible,
but in the last days of every session,
then the action of the House has to be
accepted as sufficient warrant for pass
ing the bills.
The inroduction of 5000 bills in the
House and 5000 in the Senate, this
session, has resulted in causing both
branches of Congress to consider some
feasible plan for referring all claims of q
private character to the Court of Claims
for settlement. Such bill will doubtless
pass before the close Of this Congress.
The House has had one or two night
sessions this week and seems disposed to
get off all the business possible in the
short time left. The members who are
near enough to their homes to reach
there in day or two's ride are getting
excused for ten days or two weeks to 60
home to "fix up their fences" They all
like to be here notwithstanding that they
are worked so hard by their constituents.
There are four members of the present
House who could have q denomination if
they would accept it, but they have posi-
lively declined. The declination of four
members to receive denomination when
they could get it, is thing so rare that
it is an item worth noticing. Fl.
-Ex.P Postmaster General Frank Hat.
ton said to me to-day: "Blaine is
candidate in dead earnest again. His
family Is announced as having joined the
Catholic Church. That always happens
when Blaine wants ANYTHING real bad.