Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-04-13
WASHINGTON LETTER.


over the bill providing for the re-
turn 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, laying an annual tax OF
$4,000, 900 upon the people of the
United States, and apportiOnlng
the same among the several States,
the Territories 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
S1I533,67S,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 other Southern democratic
Representatives resolved that this
bill should not pass the House
although more than two.thlrds OF
that body are in favor of it. By
hlibustering, 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 filibuster-
ers threaten that they will keep it
M until noon of the 4th of March
next when the Piftieth Congress
expires, if the bill is not withdrawn.
Under the absurd code of rules
which govern the House of Rep
resentatives this is entirely posi-
BILE.
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 fli'
busterers. His name is Carlisle,
and he occupies the responsible
position of Speaker of the House.
He can break the deadlock if he
has the necessary will and nerve
to do so. 1t has been done by
other Speakers in times past. Mr..
Randall, at 4 o'clock on the morn
ing of March %, 1877, broke the
deadlock by which the democrats
of the House attempted to defeat
the counting in OF Presidant Hayes,
by absolutely declining to enter
tain any more dilatory motions, aud
within an hour the count was com.
plete.
Mr.. Keifer during the first ses-
sion of the Forty seventh Congress-
broke another deadlock by similar
tactics. Dir. Carlisle can break
this one in the same way. If he
refuses, he ought to be impeached
tor treason, for the idea of hand.
full OF men stopping the wheels of
legislation Just because they can
not have what they want done, is
as much treason as for One-6fth of
the members of the electoral col
lege to demand that the other four
ifths should drop their candidates
and support those OF the minority.
The fundamental principle of our
government is the rule of the ma.
jority, and he who violates that
principle is guilty of treason, call
1t what be will.
The report OF the republican
minority on the Mills tariff bill is
considered one of the ablest tariff
documents ever laid before the
House. 1t has united the republi-
cans on that question thoroughly.
The celebrated driven we'll cases
may now be considered ended.
The Supreme Court has refused
the rebearing that was asked for.
There is a movement on foot
here to raise fund for the widow
of the late Chief Justice Waite, not
because she is needy, bat simply
as a testimonial to her lamented
husband. 1t has been proposed.
but not fully decided upon, to con-
fine the contributors to the men,
bers of the Supreme Court bar and
to limit the amount of each con.
tributor p 800.
Mr.. Cleveland has signed the
bills giving the widows of Gems.
Logan and f. p. Blair pensions of
$4,000 a year.
Army circles here have been con-
siderabIy exercised over the re-
tirement of Major General Alferd
Terry and its consequent promo.
lions. Among the six Brigadier
Generals, one would get the pro.
motion to Major General and
among the Colonies, one would be
made a Brigadier General. The
fortunate ones were General Geo.
Crook and Col. John r. Brooke, Of
the Sd infantry.
The Senate has passed a bill
giving DR.. Mary Walker a pension
of S25 a month as late assistant
surgeon, United States Army. 1t
passed another giving a pension of
5000 a year to the widow of Gen.
eral Stone. 1t also voted pensions
to the widows of Rear Admiral
Nicholson, Gen. Fitzpatrick, Gen.
A 49,, nf..tI..