The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-02-05
WASHINGTON LETTER.
[From our Regular correspondent
WASHINGTON. ID. G., Feb. l, 1886.

[From our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON. ID. c., Feb. /, 1886.
The proceedings of the week in Con
gress have been partly overshadowed
in interest by the fight which the Ke-
publicans of the Senate have forced
with the Administration. Our law
makers have not been idle, however,
although there has been bu, little legis-
lation to. speak of for their industry
Both ends of the Capitol gave one day
to obituary eloquence. 1t was given
by the Senate in memory of Vice Presi-
dent Hendricks, by the House, IN
memory of the late Representa-
tive Ellwood of Illinois.
Then Dakota has consumed large
share of the Senate's time, and debate
on this question promises to be long.
Interest in Dakota's affairs and de-
mands has been EXCHANGED during the
discussion by the presence on the floor
of the Senate of her two aspirants for
Senatorial honors, Messrs Moody and
Edgerton. They are similar in APP
pearance, both being large, portly men
with short grey boards. They listen
to every word that is said about their
territory, and occasionally furnish a
speaker with some data or some ex-
planation that is needed.
The Republicans of the Senate do
not rest easy with majority of eight.
They are trying to get additional
strength in Dakota, and are planning
to capture Washington and Montana
Territories in the near future with
Idaho in the distance. They have
not forgotten that but for Colorado
coming in 1876, the Hayes fraud
would never have been consummated.
During the week the House of RcD-
resentatives has talked great deal on
unimportant subjects, has quarreled a
good deal to no purpose, and has pass
ed fifty little pension bills. l have
alluded before to the many new pen
sion schemes that have. been introduced
into the present Congress, besides all
of the old ones OF the last Congress
that have come up fresh again. Con-
gressmen seem to vie with each other
in proposing absurd plans for increas-
ing pensions. If they were all carried
into effect they would bankrupt the
Treasury Of the United States. And
the worst feature of every new pension
proposal is the demagogic spirit it in
evitably awakens in both parties in
Congress. Many of them are not
even seriously intended, their real OBJ
ject being to ensnare and capture what
is known as the soldier vote.
The Presidents refusal of the SEN
ate's latest demand for papers has been
the topic of discussion here for the
past three days. The papers called
for were those bearing upon the offic
ial character of District Attorney of
Southern Alabama. They were in
the custody of the Law department,
and referred exclusively to the suspen,
sion of the late incumbent. The Sen
ate, in secret session, was notified by
Attorney-General Garland that it was
not considered promotive of public in
terests to comply with its request for
the transmission of the documents
mentioned.
Some of the Republican Senators
who do not believe in trying to extort
reasons from the President, and who
have peen forced into this attitude by
the caucus, are disposed to be recalcit
rant. Rumor has it that there ar,
three who are so much opposed to tn,
stand taken by their brethren thai
the majority are extremely anxiou
abont them. Mr.. Edmunds has beef
accused by these dlsaffected Senator
of waging hostilties against the Ad
ministratlon in the hope of improvin,
his chance for reelection to the Senate
If the President had been beaten h
would have obtained the credit o
having made a good party fight.
The Democratic Senators caucuse
again and were all in favor of support
/ ing the President, believing him to b
right in maintaining his constitutions
prerogative. Senators of both partie
seem to think the issue is pretty we
made up now, and that for some time
at least, there will be no action upo
the nomination of persons to succee
suspended or removed Republicans
The fact that the President has no
hitherto been called upon for any expo
sure of his reasons for making ofiicia
changes is evidence that the Republi
can Senators were only seeking part
san advantage,
| Reversing the usual order, the Presi
dent made the people his guests o
honor at the first of his evening re
ceptions. The levee to the Diplomats
Congressman and the Army and Nav,
will come later. Quite as elaborat,
preparations were made at the Whit,
House for receiving the people as have
been made in times past for the enter
tainment of officials. The parlor,
were banked with palm trees anC
flowers, the conservatory was open and
lighted, and the Marine band played
throughout the evening. The recep-
ton was crush as usual, but the Presi
dent was cordial and smiling, aud the
crowd was good natured and patient