Year: 1875

WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.


tSt. Louis Kopublican.J
) rERPLENtriEsoF Es OF THE RADICALS OVER


THE SOUTHERN QUESTION.


| WASHINGTON, Dec. 23.-The mass OF
the Republican members of Congress
are in no envious frame of mind over
the thousand and one plaques which arc
besetting them rs the natural and inevi.
table results of that reconstruction policy
which operated SO finely at one time to
the political advantage of their party,
out which is now thrusting it so certainly
and surely into its grave. More than
once have they with solemn prayers
consigned reconstruction to its tomb,
but still it Is ever rising to disturb them
with its unWelcome presence. Worse
than Banquo's ghost, this unruly spirit
not only will not down at their bidding,
but some short-sighted stupid, like the
blue buttOned and brass.coated grand
father who heads the Poland Arkansas
committee, always stands ready to play
the part CT medium In the materializa-
tion performance.


WHAT GRANDPA POLAND CONTENI-
PLATES.


Just now the indications are that the
report which will be made in the Ar
kansas matter after the holidays will
thrust the spirit frame of all the con-
gressional reconstruction acts before tho
eyes OF Congress to drive them in the
way Mr.. Poland thinks they should
walk. Tho example ofthe psst will be
| used as the monitor of the present. All
| the questions of Mr.. Poland this week
and last have indicated that this is his
contemplated purpose. A demurrer in
respect to the Jurisdiction of Congress
was presented to that body when it was
pctitioned last winter to interfere in the
! Arkansas case, and as that has never
been answered, Gov. Baxter's argument
last week was mainly addressed to that
point. One of Mr.. Poiand's questions,
however, gave tho keynote to tho SUBJ
terfuge he intends to employ to over
come this demurrer, ana to support the
Arkansas Republicans demand for con-
gressional aid.


a SLY GAME.


He wanted to know if, supposing it
to be a fact that the Garland govern
ment was Il wrong on the people of
Arkansas, the laws of that State offered
them any means Of redress and relief
now. He was answered that the peO-
pie themselves had settled that no
wrong was done, by their verdict at
the polls. Evidently this was the
response he expected and, constituting 1t
as Il negative answer, he will maintain
that once more the superior power of
the United States is properly invoked
to secure the people of Arkansas that
free government which the national
constitution guarantees to every State.
The logic is irresistible, based upon the
previous course of Congress, but it is
every day more apparent that great
number of the Republican party are
determined to face square about in the
matter OF Southern affairs, and ii is not
probable that these little niccties of
logic will swcrve them from their now
course.


THE GAME WON'T WIN.


Party discipline is yet strong enough
to force the appointment of committees
of investigation but there is the very
best reason to doubt if it will be found
powerful enough to marshal a majority
vote upon any direct motion to interfere.
a prominent Republican member from
Missouri remarked, q few nights ago,
upon tho sill y rumor which
was flying about tho hotel lobbies, that
Kellogg and seven of his clan had been
hung in New Orleans that day, that it
would be u godscnd to tho country if
about thirty of the leaders of both
factions in that city could be strung
up on as many lamp-posts. He thought
there would be peace, and he but re-
echoed the sentiments and wishes of IL
considerable majority of his party.