New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-18
WASHINGTON NEWS NOTES.
Washington, May II


DEFENDER OF THE CONSTTCTIoN-Gen-
cral Wheeler. OF Alabama. has assumed new role
that Of guardian and defender of the Constitution
OF he United States. That venerable instrument
has been In an unprotected condition in the House
Of Representatives since Bailey abandoned 1t year
or two ago. and It is inferred that General Wheeler
has recently discovered that fact. lie has made
other discoveries OF which at least is
Briefly stated It IS this The Constitution provides
that unless the President returns within ten days,
exclusive Of Sundays a bill which has passed both
houses Of Congress the same shall be law; the
Constitution provides that neither branch OF Con-
gress when both are in session shall, without the
dqys al = time. and does not except Sunday: there
until Monday mas violated the Constitution; there
lore nj So are au ana 's
to-day objected 10 the approval OF the Journal OF
reason that the grasshopper statesman from Kan
@ Mn0 sa b for ns h
an argument which ne regnrded as he
ana tn he @ Down ehuSnS hmae for
member had objected when he said tnat re would
ies Which he had no time to read He is never
30 happy when filing space IN that necessary If
not invaluable publication.
SPANISH DECADENCE IN ARTS AND LET
TERS.-The decadence OF SPANS intellectual and
political power and the clear loss of hold on her
former colonies in all parts of the world are shown
IN some onc!a! ngurcS communicated TO the state
Department by Consult General Bowen. From this
statement it appears emitting some minor details,
that Spain has copyrighted l6.i63 books during the
last five years, the average number being 1176. The
explanation is given in cited remark recently made
by Senior Diaz Perez the effect that of the 1900
00o inhabitants OF Spain only 100000 read and
write. Notwithstanding Spanish literature in the
past great and the current literature of Spain
IS respectable, Mr.. Bowen says that only per cent
OF the Spanish books imported into the Spanish
speaking countries OF the Western Hemisphere come
from the mother country. while % per cent are I'M
ported from countries whose Language is not Span
not gainsad There is no wonder that the country
vantes and of Lope de Vega is a second-rate Power
Carrying on at the present moment two civil wars
among her foreign possessions and not over-san-
gune OF overcoming either Of the insurrectionaTy
colonies.
ITS PRONUNCIATION sETTLED.-ohio visitors
10 Washington who have heard the name OF their new
(though senior Senator pronounced by the clerk
OF the Senate during rollcalls have been somewhat
surprised a seeming change from the pronuncia-
ton which they have been accustomed 10 hear AT
home the has been sounded as If the first
syllable spelled Fore" las in foremost or fore
mani. whereas the Senate clerk prVnounces it as it is
spelled For" tls in fortunate and forward. In
Qury proves tina; the clerk is right and he has the
authority and sanction of Senator Foraker for pro-
houses Of Congress for the Clerks who call the ron
10 consult whose names are At all peculiar Mar
nunciatIOn and 10 adopt the pronunciation as given
or preferred by the members themselves. There
fore members correctly pronounced in
both houses. Sometimes the pronunciation there
ing themselves fallen into the shab OF incorrectly
speaking the names of their prominent statesmen,
are surprised when they hear the names correctly
pronounced by the clerks in Congress.
IS THE TRADITION IN DANGER?-A visitor
from South Carolina remarked to-day:
There is tradition in Chester County In our
State that the body of General Pakenham who
commanded the British troops at the battle of
Orleans In 1916, and who fell In that battle,
is buried in Chester County. The story is that the
Generals body was packed in a cask of rum and
through mistake not even opened but shipped
again, this time bound for Charleston. Reaching
that city, II sent 10 Mr.. McMullen VINO
kept general stock of groceries, liquors etc, in
Chester County. There a spigot placed in the
barrel and the boys who had returned from the
war would congregdte around the store, take larg?
rotations of the good old Jamaica rum and tell
Of their exploits in the war. After the rum was
exhausted the head of the cask was Knocked out
.and horror Of horrors. the body OF man was
found therein. The news spread like wildhre. ana
the boys gathered 10 inspect the body. several or
them had been to New-Orleans and mad seen Cen
eral Pakenham and at once Identified it as being
was inclosed in a coffin and buried near the store
A Mr.. Austin now owns the property lie nves
a miles ROSsYille Chester county. lnu
recently there still living some OF those VINO
body What does history say? II General Paken-
ham Is not buried near Rossvile. where Is he
buried?
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