Year: 1870

Deriy. the Fraakias Privilege tho Fish


cries and tho Land Grants. n


The audience in the Senate galleries yester


day had the treat Of listening to rather ex


citing debate on an interesting subject. Sena


tor McCreery, Of. Kentucky, was the author o.


a bill, which he desired to introduce, looking


to the restoration Of Arlington Heights, for


merly the property Of General Robert e. Lee,


and now the eternal camping ground Of thou


sands Of dead soldiers OF the Union, to Mrs.
i Lee. The most Objectionable part of the pro-
position was the disinterment and removal OF


those who lie buried in that national cemetery.
If no such insuperable obstacle to the restora-


tion of the property had existed, perhaps there


would have been feeling in Congress and
among the people in favor Of letting Mrs. Lee
resume the patrimony Of her fathers; but,
under the circumstances, the idea was one not
to be entertained, and so the Senate took the
very unusual course of refusing to allow the
bill TO be introduced. There were but four
votes for giving permission.


The House has again taken definite action
in the way of abrosating the franking privi-
lege. Last session 1t passed, with only thir-
teen negative votes, bill for that purpose,
but the Senate managed to give it the go-by
and to avoid direct action upon it; for even
that body was not prepared to run so counter
10 public opinisn as to reject the bill. But
the question has come up again in bill to
revise and consolidate all the laws relating, to
the Post Office. Last week the House struck
out Of this general measure everything ON the
subject of franking, which was . virtual abo-


tion Of that privilege; but yesterday direct
and positive provso for its abolition, to take
effect on the 1st Of July next, was incerpo-
rated by vote of one hundred and three
to sixty-fye, the only exception being
in the few cases where the privi-
lege was specially conferred by act
Of Congress, as upon Mrs. Polk and Mrs. Lin
coin. The exchange of newspapers and peri
odicals reciprocally between publishers is
still to have the freedom of the mails, as also
weekly, semi-weekly and monthly newspapers
to actual subscribers in the county where such
papers are published. We doubt the policy of
even these exceptions. The thing ought to
have been blotted out at once and forever.


The prospect does not look very promising
for the public land monopolists. The first
land grant bill that came before the House
this session was yesterday postponed, against
the votes of it's supporters, and 4 large num-
Der of similar bills that were on the Speakers
table since last session were allowed to remain
there, not even having the slight advantage
of being referred to committees.


General Butler appears to be marshallins
his clans against the Canadian enemies and
rivals Of bis cod fishery constituents. He
yesterday presented in the House petition
of the Gloucester fishermen, asking Congress
to adopt various rctaliatory mea sures to
punish the Canadians for interfering with
American fishermen. Portentous as this war
cloud may appear, we hope it will pass over
without serious consequence. We doubt
whether, in the present tendency of public
opinion in Canada towards annexation to the
United States, any hostile legislation or action
on our part even in the cause of the Gloucester
fishermen, would be proof either of good
craftsmanship or kind, neighborly feeling If
our fishermen have serious cause for COM
plant against Canadian officials it may be
remedied by the usual diplomatic means of
remonstrance and negotiation, without bluster
or assuming belligerent attitude.