Year: 1878




WASHINGTON, d. c., June Is, rs.


Ordinarily a few days succeeding
adjournment suffices here for what is
deemed an equitable ventilation of what
Congress has done and-failed to do
during the session, by way of general
resume and comments But it will re-
quire as many weeks, prob bly,, before
; every one is satisfied they have said or
written all that is demanded by the
present occasion, the relative disesteem
i'll which the last session is held as com
pared with the average of its predeces
sors, being indicated by the excess Of
time thought necessary to devote to it
that its merits and demerits may be
justly appreciated. But individual
members have bequeathed scandals that
for the time will monopolize public
attention TO the exclusion of everything
less sensational, though not all of national
importance. Mr. Acklen, one of the
several Democratic contestants TO seats
held by Republican opponents, and ulti-
mately awarded them, furnished us one
of this class so unusual that it has been
one of the chief topics since Congress
left us to our dull summer season. AS
related in the local papers it was about
as follows: While Gen Rosser, of eX
Confederate fame, the same that Sheri-
dan "sent whirling up the valley
(Shenandoah) with some friends was
taking a lunch at popular restaurant
here, they were startled by feminine
screams from an adjoining room. They
at once demanded admission and on
being refused forced an entrance. The
situation as it presented itself to them
required no explanation TO insure the
intruders that fragrant outrage had
been attempted and successfully resisted.
One Acklen, and a lady who had accept
ed his invitation to dine with him (said
to be the sister of an Eastern member
of Congress) we're the actors. This
honorable legislator, as the story goes,
was summarily kicked, neck and heels,
into the streets. This is one of the
reformers who could no longer abide
the barbaric tendencies Of Republican
rule in Louisiana and had to be gratified
with "home rule" at the expense of
tearing down State Government.
that the reign of chivalry should be re-
stored and the interests of Christian
civilization duly recognized by the new
Administration. Acklenis friends here
are doing their level best to restore him
to u position that will be regarded as
honorable" by his party; and with that
end in view they now allege the woman
in question was well-known direputa-
BILE character. This, if true, may keep
him with Democratic Christian States
men, but will hardly pass muster with
old fashioned, orthodox people.


Another scandal having a much more
important bearing is the allegation made
and generally accepted as true that
every Democratic member of the House
Committee on Enrolled Bills, including
the Chairman, was too drunk on the
night prior to adjournment to attend to


their duties, and that so many errors


we're made in consequence that much
important legislation has been rendered
null d void. Bills are involved of
such moment that several Government
bureaus Will find themselves embarrass


ed; and important interests will be
made to suffer to an extent that can only
be estimated at the end of the next fiscal
year The clerks are alleged to have
/ been in a like condition of inebriatiOn
with the members or to have taken adj


vantage OF their maudlin condition to


pay Hobbs with some of the bills Sen
ator Dorsey in an open letter intimates
that some of those charged with the
proper enrolment Of the bill relative to
the Hot Spring (Ark) Reservation, were
brought up BY the lobby striving to
defeat it. He cites as proof that only
! few words Of it was enrolled at all, and
these were so selected that they have no
connection with the balance Of the para
graph, and leave the bill as wholly inop-
erative as though it never had passed
Congress. Rainey, colored member
from South Carolina, is said tohaye been
the only member Of the Committee who


was sober and able to attend to his duties.


He worked for hours and corrected all


mistakes possible. 1t was only through


his efforts that an adjournment was rem
dered possible, as otherwise it might


have been postponed hours until those


Bacchanalian legislators became suffic-


iently sober to bring in the Sundry
Civil Service Bill. II is drawing it very
mild to say that Congress has repeatedly
disgraced tue country during the session
jas, brought to a close to the relief Of
; every one identified with any Of its in
I teres:s. II viii not make the evil tend
, ency Of the times less palpable to state
: that Rainey is probably TO be unseated
: and his place given to refOrmer who
, NAV prove as eminent in his line as


Acklen. Proctor Knott, whose reputa


ton rests on funny speech on Duluth



written for him, it is alleged by versa
tile correspondent, is father to the clause
Of the Army Bill thai became law, pro-
l hibi.ing the use of any portion Of the
, Army as q posse coma tGtGs or for any
i purpose not authorized by Law. Under
2 this restriction the President and his
2 advisers doubt his right to use the Army
t to suppress the Indian uprising in Wis
: consin, even should it prove as serious as
E feared by the most timid; and under it
!. the Democratic Governors, Carroll,
Matthews and Blue Jean Williams, who
. clamored with their party for the Armys
, annihilation but were the first to appeal


for protection from Democratic mob
> violence would have to depend on them
selves should there be a recurrence Of
last summers riots. Democrats here
sauirm and writhe fearfully to shift the
responsibility of the Indian War to OH
er shoulders than their own. But an
intelligent public viii agree with Gen
: Crook that it belongs with the Demo
5 cratic House Of the 44th and 18th Con-
l gress. Theirs is a black record that
E neither need feel proud Of in the light
f of subsequent events. MAXWELL.