The Osceola Times

Washington Letter.

WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 17, 1879.

The House has disposed of all the appropriation bills but three—the sundry civil, the one known as the "deficiency" bill, and the legislative, executive and judicial. Over these, however, it is thought there will be considerable discussion and delay, even before they go to the Senate to receive the inevitable additions of that body. On Saturday the House passed the Army Appropriation bill, embracing the proposition to reorganize the army, but omitting that to transfer the Indian Bureau to the War Department. It had also attached an amendment permitting railroads, which have telegraph lines for the transaction of their own business to open them for public use.

Senator Butler, of S. C., who lately introduced an amendment to the Texas Pacific R. R. Bill, is himself friendly to the original bill, and presented the amendment "by request." It is an extremely gratifying fact that this Texas Pacific road, which offers to the South probably its last chance to secure Gov. aid for a Pacific connection is gaining friends everywhere in that section.

The investigation of the Tribune cipher is over. All those Democrats who were supposed to have sent cipher dispatches from South Carolina and Florida have been examined and Mr. Tilden, against whom no charges, but a thousand insinuations had been published, has made a statement and submitted to a cross-examination. Mr. Tilden's statement was specially clear and emphatic as to his own innocence of any connection with any attempt to purchase electoral votes in any state, and it was in all respects confirmed by what the other witnesses said.

Among the new bills finally passed at this session I am very glad to note that which went through the Senate on Friday, which allows women to appear as attorneys before the U. S. Supreme Court. The first application for such permission was made by Mrs. Belva A. Lockwood, of this city, several years since. The passage of the bill through House and Senate has been due in great measure to her unremitting efforts. There is no doubt that Mr. Hayes will approve the bill.

The Commissioner of Pensions now estimates that $34,000,000 will be required to pay the amounts due on existing pension certificates, under the late arrear of pension act, and he also believes there will be required an increased appropriation each year hereafter. From present appearances, though Congress will doubtless make an appropriation before adjournment, it is not likely any of this $34,000,000 will be distributed for many months.

Apparently Mr. Hayes has even less confidence in the Democratic Senate of the 46th Congress than in the Republican, of the 45th. He is having furnished him a list of all the important officers whose terms will expire soon with a view, no doubt, of filling their places before the 4th of March.

MEMO.

The following resolution, offered by Mr. Fishback, engrafting on the constitution of the State the repudiation of the Holford and other bonds, passed by a vote of ayes, 59; noes, 15; absent and not voting, 17.

Resolved by the house of representatives of the general assembly of the State of Arkansas (a majority of all the members elected to each house agreeing thereto:)

That the following article shall be proposed as an amendment to the constitution of the State of Arkansas, which, when agreed to by a majority of all the members elected to each house and adopted by a majority of the electors of the state voting at the next general election for senators and representatives, shall become a part of the said constitution, namely:

The general assembly shall have no power to levy any tax or make any appropriation to pay either the principal or interest, or any part thereof, of any of the following bonds of the state, to wit: Bonds issued under an act of the general assembly of the state of Arkansas entitled "an act to provide for the funding of the public debt of the state," approved April 6, A. D. 1869, and numbered from four hundred and ninety-one to eighteen hundred and sixty, inclusive, being the "funding bonds" delivered to F. W. Caper, and sometimes called "Holford bonds;" or bonds known as railroad aid bonds, issued under an act of the general assembly of the state of Arkansas, entitled "an act to aid in the construction of railroads," approved July 21, A. D. 1868; or bonds called levee bonds, being bonds issued under an act of the general assembly of the state of Arkansas, entitled "an act providing for the building and repairing the public levees of the state, and for other purposes," approved Mar. 16, A. D. 1869, and the supplemental act thereto, approved April 12, 1869, and the act entitled an act to amend an act entitled "an act providing for the building and repairing of the public levees of this state," approved March 23, A. D. 1871, and any law providing for any such tax or appropriation shall be null and void.