The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-02-26
NBIAN AND DEMOCRAT BIOOMsBURG COLUMBIA COUNTY Pa

on the so.called Edmunds rebellion
necessary on their part. They have
taken their stand with tho President
since they believe he is right, and they
intend to sustain him.
"A caucus is in contemplation, how
ever, for the purpose of appointing the
usual campaign committee to manage
the Congressional campaign. 1t will
be held in a few days, and the Ed
mupds demonstration may be brought
up, hut the caucus will be held with
out reference to it.
The issue will provoke hot polite.
al discussion in the Senate, which is
expected to begin next Monday. 1t
will probably continue for some days
as Senators of 10th parties are hunt
ing up precedents and preparing
speeches on the question. There are a
number of Republican Senators who
are opposed to this farcical fight, al
though they feel bound by political
duty to abide by their caucus decision
in condemniug the Administrations S
determination to maintain the Execu.
tive prerogative. One of their non.
sympathizers, Senator Van Wyck, of
Nebraska, stigmatizes the Edmunds
attack as a hunt for ghosts wool.
Senators Pugh, of Alabama, Jack
son of Tennessee, aud Kenna, of West
Virginia, are among the Democratic
Senators who are equipped and anxious
for the battle to begin. They say they
will be abundantly fortified with pre-.
cedents to off set those gwen 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 Conkliug, then Senator, with
reasons for the suspension of Chester
A. Arthur, as Collector Of the Port of
New York. There are many indi
cations that the coming controversy
will be bitter and the debate exciting.
And what will it amotnt to? At
the worst it can only stop the Presi-
dent from filling offices whose incum-
bents he may see fit to suspend, leav-
ing 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 Re
publican majority undertake the des
perate resort of refusing to confirm the
Presidents nominees because they are
Democrats. In either event the Re-
publican Senators will lose the fight.
Yesterday being Washngton's birth
day, Congress took holiday as well as
Government clerks 1t is at work a.
gain to-day, and the Blair Education
al bill is still before the Senate. Some
very able arguments have been made
for and against the measure. Though
a stronger opposition has been mani
tested against it this session than last,
no doubt is expressed that it will pass
the Senate either by its friends or enc,
mics. 1t is estimated that at least ten
Southern Senators will vote against it
as being unconstitutional and impolitic,
although under the provisions of the
bill, their section would share more
largely in its benefits than the North.
All of the Democrats of the House
and sixteen Republican members voted
for the Fitz John Porter relief bill.
The passage of the bill was a eore gone
conclusion, the only interesting feature
of the vote lying in the number of
Republicans who would range them
selves with Democratic sentiment in
favoring Porters full vindication.
The close of the Porter debate
brought the first scene OF the session,
and ended in uproar and confusion.
There was medley of comedy and
tragedy. Men on both sides of the
Hall lashed themselves into passion.
One Member accused another of dis
ingenuousness. Another accused a
Member of trying to cram a falsehood
down the throat of the House. Mem
bers shook their fists in the air and in
each others faces, and made other de-
monstrations equally supplementary.
They ridlculed each others speeches,
and shrieked and laughed and groaned
until the tumult was settled by an Or
der that the vote be taken.
The advocates of woman suffrage
held lively convention here during
the week. This is their eighteenth
annual Washington convention. They
are much elated over the bill favoring
female enfranchisement that is now on
the Senate calendar. The House
judiciary committee granted the dele
gates respectful hearing on last Sat
urday, and nine ladies made arguments
before the committee appealing for the
submission of sixteenth amendment
to the State legislature, granting wom-
en- the citizens right to vote