The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-04-04
NEWS FROM THE CAPITAL.

WASHINGTON, April 2.-Ihe Senate
has adjourned, and there is weeping and
wailing and crashing of teeth among
the disappointed Office seekers. The
nominations did not come in at the last
moment, as the aspirants had fondlv
hoped. The President has decided not
to be 10 hurry. He intends TO be de.
liberate in the consideration of all the
applicants from this time until next DE-.
bembtr. And there is no expectation
that he will be troubled by any cessation
OF Congress until then. The suggestions
already made in certain quarters that
there Will be an extra session of Com
gress in October meets with no approval
here. The President does not desire the
presence Of Congress, and will be very
certain not to exercise his constitutional
auth 'rity to convene that body in extra
session. The leaders in the House, more.
over, who were 80 very confident at one
time that the country would start upon
a downward course unless there should
be a called session Of the Fifty first Con.
gress, have either changed their views
or they keep silent. There is no purpose
anywhere to call Congress together un.
vi the elections IN the new States shall
have added to the Republican majority
in the next House, There will be a gain
OF five Republican votes in the House as
the result of these elections, the Repub-
lican leaders in the House confidently
expect.
Some Of the Republican Senators who
expect to he bosses are of the opinion
that the President has not treated them
fairly in the matter OF the offices. Tbev
are apprehensive that there NAV ulti-
mately be conflict between the Senate
and the President over the old question
OF the patronage. The President lie quite
as jealous OF his pIerogative as any OF
his predecessors have been, and by no
means interprets the functions Of the
Senators as some of the latter do. The
would-be bosses claim that they are q
part OF the appointing power, and that
the right to advise and consent to the
nominations of the President Carries
with 1t the right to have a voice in th.
selection of the persons who are nom
mated. Accordingly, some of the Sen +.
tors are heard to say that the Preside,.:
has rejected some of their nominees, aIG
that they In return have an equal right
to reject his. The Senators seem to
claim that they are entirely co-eaual in
the appointment of the off GERS, and as
sumo that the Constitution gives them
the right to nominate as well as to ad.
wise and consent.
There has been for some DAYS serious
trouble brewing between the Executive
and few of the Republican Senators.
IL remains to be seen whether or not
those Senators will carry their point, and
whether, if they do not, the long recess
will modify some of the existing asper-
ties. Ons of the test cases will undoubt-
eddy be furnished bv the Philadelphia
postoffice, if the President shall act upon
the suggestion of the Postmaster General
and appoint Field. Quay does not hest
tate to say that Field will never be post.
master of Philadelphia by his consent.
That means that he will do all that he
can to defeat his nomination Ifshe shall
be appointed. 1t is now reported that
Don Cameron, for this purpose, at least.
will join forces with Quay and that both
OF the Pennsylvania Senators will be ar
rayed against the President in the event
of the appointment Of Mr.. Field as post
master Of Philadelphia. A prominent
Philadelphian says that he understands.
nevertheless, that Mr.. Field IS to be ap-
pointed, and that he will make such an
acceptable postmaster in the few
months which will intervene before the
meeting OF Congress that public senti-
ment will not permit the Philadelphia
Senators to make the threatened opposi-
ton.
There was one formality before the
adjournment Of the Senate which at
tracted some attention. Mr.. Ingalls, was
again elected President pro tenn and took
a new oath Of office. He will therefore
be President pro tenn. during the long
recess, and at the beginning of the next
session. This was in accordance with
presidents. The question
whether or not an election Of President
pro tenn. is necessary at each vacation of
the chair by the Vice President is still
an open one, aud the Senators believe
that It would be wiser and safer to fol-
low the old usage until the question
shall be settled by a strong majority. 1t
will be remembered that, although the
Republican caucus decided that one
election Of a President pro tenn. is suffi-
cient for a Congress, there were six Re
publican Senators who held different
opinion, and among them some OF the
ablest lawyers in the body, and that
'hese six reserved the right to advocate
heir own opinions in the Senate, ire
'pectiye Of the action of the caucus.