Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1886-02-05
WASHINGTON LETTER.
(From our regular correspoudeui.)
WASHINGTON, Feb. /, 1886.

/
Skirmishing between the president
aud the Republican senators; lively
debates in the lower branch of con-
gress notable speeches in The sem
ate: convention IN behalf of the
Mississippi river; and another by
the National Board of Trade are
features of the week at the Capital.
The controversy between the pres
ident and the majority in the senate
has reached an interesting point, and
there is prospect of political de-
bate in that end of the Capitol this
week. The Republicans of the
senate determined long since to make
as much trouble for the president
and his party as they could. They
will take every advantage within
their reach to perplex and annoy the
Administration, They assume this
course to be a political duty, aud
their leaders, Edmnnds, Roar, Nor
rill, Sherman and others are thor
oughly trained in all the arts of oh
struction and legislative chicanery.
They were drilling for this onslaught
on the persons and policy composing
the administration at the time they
we're making professions of good
will towards the president and his
| administration.
Senator Edmunds proposes to be-
gin the fight by offering his resolu-
ton calling upon the president to
furnish information regarding the
cases of removal of federal officials
and his reasons for the same. Tue
Democratic senators are united and
harmonious and will support Mr..
Cleveland. They are getting ready
for the discussion by holding eau
cuses aud the Republicans are doing
| likewise.
There is no more bitter partisan
in the senate than chieftain Edmunds,
of Vermont. He is the arch enemy
of the Democratic party, and he
shaped this little game while pro-
Tossing great admiration for the
presidents good intentions and an
anxious desire for his success. He
took pains to call at the White House
at the time of Vice-President Hem
bricks death, and affected good win
towards Mr.. Cleveland by urging
him not to attend the funeral at In
dianapolis. Mr.. Edmunds believes
more in strategy than in violence,
and ho has laid his plan for entrap-
ping the president very artfully.
He would like above all things to
convict Mr.. Cleveland of ineonsist,
ency as ciYii service reformer and
to trip the administration.
President Cleveland future course
in the matter can not be outlined.
He has expressed his willingness to
furnish the senate with all the pa
pers ON file in the departments bear
ing upon his appointments, aud such
documents have been sent. But
whether or not he will agree to Mr.,
Edmunds' proposed demand remain:
to be seen. He may be relied upor
for knowing his rights under the con
stItution, and also the application OF
civil tenure law to his appointments
He is not apt to be discourteous tt
the Republican majority in the sen
ate, but he is apt to maintain the au
thority of the executive. The sen
ate may resent any refusal to fur
nish reasons for suspensions or re
moval, bnt it can only reject nomi
nations, or lay them over indefinitely
The senate has again been debat
ing the old electoral count problem
Senator Sherman went at length int
the issues involved, opposing al
other plans and offering one Of hl
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