Washington Letter

" A.-)tiirtuiu, u.u., jan. IJ, 1883. Congress has yet over forty days of Ufe remaining. The tanifl' hall in all ts compücations together witli appropriation bilis will (Iemand much of this brief time, while the bill for reduction of taxatlón comea limpinj behind. It will requlre vigllance, tact, and parliamentary skill on the part of the Kepublicaus to secure the passage of the last named raeftsure; but, if Mr. Pendleton and his Democratie frienda could only have been as happy on this subject as they were on their civil serraoe reform hobby-horse, there would liare been a better prospect for the acJompliahment of the desired result. The Senate in its discussion on the tariff Jill will probably Bot reach a decisión efore the end of next weck. On the ther hand, the House Ways and Means 3ommittee will to-day snbmit Chairman velley's report on this qnestion. The alter report diflerg raaterially from that indereonsideration in the Senate, and in iew of this early difterence, it is pretty safe to say that the 4th of March will 8nd Congress no nearer a solution of this important mensure. Tliose who are most interested do not want any change In tlie tariff duties exeept sucli as will be beneficia] to themselves, and they have tlieir representatives on hanU to promote and guide the action of Congress. The whisky raen do not riiid their path one of unalloyed happincsa. Pitfalla abound.and although the whisky lobbv is hopeful, it is not over confldent 'i'lie representatives from the moonïhlning districts do not want to wait a minute" and the shrewdest membersof the whisky' inteiests experience great difflculty in repressinjrsuch "school-boy" exuberanee. Nothing of more importante has been considero! at this session of Congrea than the sliipping bilí, which engageá the attention of the House for the wholê week. Tilto ineasiire should not be acte.) npoii without profound deliberation, and such oannot be obtained in the preSeut limited time. The tact is apparent that those snbjeeta which are of the least public lmportaneereceive the most public attention, and this to the detriment of more deaervIng legislation. The raercliant marine is n such a weak state that the calm Jodgment and best possible discretionof leg-íslators is necessary in the treatment of this subject. It is to be hoped that the aliipping bill may tend to the accompllshment )f some relief fiom our present status on he ocean. The idea which actuated the Senate vhen it passed the President Succession 3ill was that it would be better to have poor legislatlon than none At all. The bilí is not perfect bjT any means, yet It Is concluded to be a step in the rlght direction and nflbrds relief from very justlfiable appiolieiisionn on (bis subject. The passage of the Pendlclou Civil Service bill through the House without ainendment w.-is a surprise to all and a dlmppofntnient to half a hutidredsonsof tlmndef who bad prepared speeches on the subject. The bill will doubtles receive the Presidenta fsignature and Mr. PendletOll feels that he lias made an immense stilde towards the White House. But "tbere'g many a sli])." Several petitions were pri'seoted in the Senale adding to the Itutgti nuinber already on hand, for a constitutional amendment to prohlbit the manufacture and sale of Intoxicatblg liquors. liotwithstanding these petitions wlilcb are continiuilly submitted to both bouses, Conjfresa does not lieed them, but goes on legislating for the whiskey intereets. Anilluitratlon of tlils tact is found in the whiskey bond bill wliich bas justpassed the Sonate. Indeed, the inoousistency of sonie meinbers of Congress is appaient from the way they present petitions against liquor, and then vote directly to help the intereste of liquor Tüe reduction of tbc public dobt for the tnonth of December amounted to nlmost $15,500,000, making the decres for the lirst half of the fiscal year more than $81,000,000. The large decrease in the past month is accounted for by a remarkable decrease in the ordinary expenditures. The Secretiiry of the Treasury estímate the surplus for the year at $120,000,000.