Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-04-14
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON. APRIL 9. Il

already, and only Heaven can tell
for how many days to come, the
House has done nothing the CON-
mittees of the House have done
nothing, and allthis at a cost to the
tax payers of this country from
81, 900 TO 81, 900 a day.
The deadlock was brought about
over the bill providing for the return
to the several States of the amounts
paid by each of them to the United
States on account of an act passed
by Congress August 9th, 1861, lay
ing an annual tax of S20,000,O00
upon the people of the United
States, and apportioning the same
among the several States, the Terri.
tories and the District of Columbia
according to population as shown by
the census of 1860.
The books of the treasury show
that the Government received from
this tax in 1861, the only year IN
which it was enforced, the sum OF
17,533,67S,32. The object of the
bill is to return this money to the
States that paid it in to the general
government to aid IN suppressing
the rebellion.
Mr.. Oates, OF Alabama, and a few
Southern Democratic Representa-.
tiyes resolved that this bill should
not pass the House although more
than two.thirds of that body are in
favor of it. By filibustering, that is
killing time by all sorts OF dilatory
motions and insisting on having a
yea and nay vote taken on each OF
them, this sort of maneuvering has
been kept up for five days and the
filibusters threaten that they will
keep it up until noon of the 4th oil
March next when the Fiftieth Con.
gress expires, if the bill is not with.
drawn. Under the absurd code OF
rules which govern the House OF
Representatives, this is entirely pos
sible.
There is only one man who can
break the deadlock, without one or
the other sides making a complete
surrender, and that man is believed
to be in sympathy with the filibus
tiers. His name is Carlisle, and he
occupies the responsible position OF
Speaker of the House.
He can break the deadlock if be
has the necessary will and nerve to
do so. 1t has been done by other
Speakers in times past. Mr.. Ran.
dali, at o'clock on the morning OF
March End, 1877, broke the deadlock
by which the democrats CT the
House attempted to defeat the
counting in Of President Hayes, by
absolutely declining to enterta any
more dllatory motions, and within
an hour the count was complete.
Mr.. Keller during the first session
of the Forty seventh Congress broke
another deadlock by similar tactics.
Mr.. Carlisle can break this one in
the same way. If he refuses, he
ought to be impeached for treason
for the idea of a handful of men
stopping the wheels of legislation
just because they cannot have what
they want done, is as much treason
as for one-fifth of the members OF
the electoral college to demand that
the other four-fifths should drol:
their candidates and support those
of the minority. The fundamental
principle of our government is the
rule of the majority, and he who
violates that principle is guilty OF
treason, call 1t what he will.
The report of the republican min.
orlty on the Mills tariff bill is con.
sidered one of the ablest tariff docu.
ments ever laid before the House.
1t has united the republicans on that
question thoroughly.
The celebrated "driven well Tease
may now be considered ended. The
Supreme Court has refused the re-
hearing that was asked for.
There is a movement on foot here
to raise a fund for the widow of the
late Chief Justice Waite, not because
she is needy, but simply as testi-
mOnial to her lamented husband. 1t
has been proposed, but not fully de.
ciced upon, to confine the contribu.
tors to the members of the Supreme
Court bar and to limit the amount
of each contributor to 500.
Mr.. Cleveland has signed the bills
giving the widows of Gems. Logan
and F. P. Blair pensions of So, 900 a
year.
Army circles here have been con.
siderably exercised over the retire.
ment of Major General Alfred Terry
and its consequent promotions.
Among the SIX Brigadier Generals,
one would get the promotion to Ma.
jor- General, and among the Colonels
one would be made a Brigadier Gen.
eral. The fortunate ones were Gen
eral George Cook and Col. John r.
Brooke, of the 3rd infantry.
The Senate has passed bill Civ.
ing DR.. Mary Walker a pension of
$25 month as slate assistant sur
geon, United States Army.n 1t
passed another giving a pension of
5000 a year to the widow of General
Stone. 1t also voted pensions to
the widows of Rear Admiral Nichol-
son, Gen. Fitzpatrick, Gen. Anderson,
Gen. Taylor, Commander Gibson,
Medical Inspector DENLY of the
navy, and to increase the pension of
Nancy Raines, ninty six years of
age, the oldest revolutionary pen.
sioner on the rolls.