Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-06-04
WASHINGTO LETTER.
OF THE MONITOR.
WdshinQtOn, Mdq 2Sth.

Washington, Mag 28th.
There is strong probability that
you will hear of the death of General
Sheridan before this letter reaches
you.
His temporary improvement on
Saturday was followed by serious
relapse. Physicians and a priest are
in constant attendance at his bed
side, and his family are quite alarm
ed. The General of the Army is
suffering from valvular failure of the
heart, and although he has under
stood the gravity of the situation
from the beginning, his mind is tran
quill, and he expresses hope for the
best. But nothing can be more I'M
satisfactory than the military secret
iveness which surrounds the sick
chamber of General Sheridan. As
has been said he is the last great fig
ure of the war, and the thousands
of veterans who followed his leader
ship and fought the fight, eagerly ask
of news concerning his condition.
Still the public is barred from all
save the most meagre information, as
if he were surrounded by the enemy.
The House of Representatives has
given much of its time during the
week to the consideration of Appro-
priation bills. and the senate has been
most of the time in secret session
with the Fisheries treaty. The bill
to establish a department of labor
has been passed by both houses. Sen
ator Reagan of Texas spoke lengthi-
ly in opposition to this bill. He said
if the founders of the republic could
hear the way labor questions are dis
cussed in congress these days, they
would blush for shame on account of
the degeneracy and lack of manhood
of their descendants in dealing with
them. Upon hearing this an irrever-
ent, waggish scribbler added that no
doubt this is so. If ghosts ever blush,
doubtless it is when they visit the
United States Senate Chamber.
The senate has passed a bill in
creasing the militia appropriation
from $500, 900 to 100000.
The house has had an unusual
amount Of fun during the week, not
withstanding the fact that prosy APP
preparation bills have had the right
of way. Just before the post-office
appropriation bill was passed the
western republicans told all the bad
things they could think of about the
new democratic postmasters out
there Mr.. Perkins of Kansas told
tales about the pOstmasters out IN his
country who send out the mails only
when they accumulate a sack full.
He related for a fact that a certain
postmaster called upon the admins
tration for some postage stamps and
they were sent to him in large blocks
or sheets. He had never seen them
in that form before, the two or three
that he had had occasion to buy dur
ing the course of his life had always
been separate ones, and when they
came in that form he thought they
were circus posters, and pasted them
up on the door of his office. He call
ed his wife to see what the "durned
fools had sent him from Washington
when he had writ them for postage
stamps He said the circus riders
were all alike, and no place was given
where the show was to come off.
Over a section of the Legislative
appropriation bill the House INDUCED
in so mucn laughter that the congress
sional record mentioned, in brackets,
| that an hour OF the session was de-
voted to laughter. Much of the fun
was over the proposition to increase
the Chaplain's salary from 5000 to a
larger figure. Mr.. Springer said the
House Chaplain was old and needed
money. Mr.. Browne of Indiana in
quired if there was increased necessi-
ty for prayer. Mr.. Springer replied
that ssmembers had no idea of the
great power needed to bring salvation
to body like this Mr.Grosvenor
opposed an increase on the ground
that the next House will be better
one than this and will not need SO
much praying. Mr.. Strube inquired