Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1888-01-21
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WAsHr \ e.ronSI Ian II6 1895.

WASHINGTON, Jan. Is, 1885,,
During the past week, a rather i'm
pressive scene was. witnessed in the
Senate, when VIM. f. Chandler, who,
by reason of his notorious connec-
ton with the Hayes and Tilden cam
paign, is a living monument of the
purity of elections, stood forth as the
champion of free ballot and a fair
count in theSouth. A few years ago,
when j. A. Hubbell, then in the
House, was distributing the Republi-
can corruption fund to carry Indian,
a speech from him rebuking the
practice of using money to influence
votes would have been fully as re-
freshing and effective as was Mr..
Chandler's late effort. The New
Hampshire extremist was discussing
the municipal election at Jackson,
Mississippi, with which Congress has
no more to do than with the election
of church deacon in '"No Mans
Land" But the real object of the
Republicans was to provoke a section
al controversy for the purpose Of
defeating Mr.. Lamar's confirmation,
in which they were signally disap-
pointed by the tact of the Democrats.
Mr.. Riddleberger spoke right out and
said there was no concealment of the
fact that the resolution was
designed to bear upon a mat
ter that should be considered
only in executive session, and declar-
ed his intention to vote for Mr.. La
mar.
Another Western Congressman is
in trouble with his former landlady.
She was very kind and devoted to
the Congressman's sick child, but
it appears that she transferred her
tender feelings from the daughter to
the father, and she claims to be his
wife, which allegation he denies and
defeS her to prove it. To say the
least Of it, the Congressman was
guilty of indiscretion, and he is now
paying the penalty Of his folly.
The politicians of Washington are
much exercised over two important
local Federal offices that have late
ly become vacant by limitation-the
United Slater District Attorneyship,
and the city Postmastership, and as
you may well believe, there is no
lack ofapplicants. 1t is thought that
both places will be filled with coed
Democrats in few day. F"H
Many Democrats are complaining
about the appointment of one lie
Barnes to be clerk of the Committee
on Public Lands Of the House, at a
salary of 81, 200 per annum. This
man was a Republican, and for
twelve years held a 81, 500 law clerk
ship in the General Land Office, from
which he had only been dismissed a
week. This is turning the rascals out
with vengeance Happy lie Barnes!
his decapitation was blessing in dis
guise, since he is thereby promoted.
Since the holiday recess, thousand
bills have been introduced in Con-
gress, but of that number only one
has passed both Houses, and that is
the bill fixing the salary of the Fish
Commissioner official whose SER
vices have heretofore been gratis-at
five thousand dollars per annum.
The house has passed a bill decid-
ing what shall and what Shall not be
written and printed on mail matter.
and the measure will probably pass
the Senate. Another bill presented
in the House, in lieu of the Deplen.
lent Pension bill, is an act to pay des'
titute veterans the sum of eight dol.
f lars per month, and there is a prob
ability that such Il moderate meas
ure may become law.