Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1841-08-05

or three other important measures Delng near cOple
tion we anticipate that Congress will adjourn by the
close Of about another week.
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.
At the request of friend, give place to the fol-
lowing article, enumerang some fem Of the extra du-
ties to which Members of Congress subjected, be-
sides attending to those which properly belong to
Them We do sincerely believe that the post OF
wing member, just this time is far, very far from
being sinecure; that it any man actually earns his
eight dollars day, il is OF these selfsame men,
bers Who in this county does not know, for instance
of the perpexing, the harassing condition in which
our estimable member, TRUMAN Smith, is frequently
placed Ito examine the various conflicting claims
which portions of his constituents present to him tor
some little fifty dollar post Office the urgent letters
and documents which he receives, and is to peruse'
decide upon, and answer? But we will not date-
the article below goes more fully into Of these
matters than we should desire to do-and we give it
without further remark -
From the American Farmer
LABORS OF A MEMBER OF CONGRESS.
The farmer is apt to suppose that when Congress
adourns for day, his Representative is idle and that
he ought to have his pay and rations stopped. This
is great error as is obvious to those who may happen'
on or any day Of Congressional recess to
90 through The Public Offices. There is not member
who is not charged with innumerable COMMISSIONS,
of one sort or oer by his constituents, with the rub
lie Departments at Washington Mere legislation is
but small part of the business OF many OF them.
This perhaps is more especially the case win the
members from new and growing States "hcre every
thing is in rapid progress OF growth and develope
ment, and all is comparatively unsettled. Step on
Saturday, into the room Of the Postmaster General
for example, and you will see perhaps twenty Mem
bers of Congress waiting for their turn-one wants to
have Post Office established at point somewhere
between Dan and Beersheba. Nothing i'll nature can
he clearer than the proprety and necessity OF the case
True there are already Offices each side OF the one
proposed within miles Of The spot but then there
will be no additional expenses-some clever fellow
will get the ranking privilege, and the nelgh6orhood
will be gratihed To show how It is demanded ny .he
public voice, here is a memorial signed ny one nun
dred people, not two OF whom, perhaps expect 10 gel
a letter there in year. That case being dismissed
another wants TO have the name 81 fost oDce
changed from Poughquay or Skaneateles TO some
more euphonical [can't find eMphonlous IN WeosterI
as Tuckaleechee Cove, or Malntowoc RAPIDS, or
Wanbesopinecoux; or tor name shorter and stun
more convenient, as City OF the -FOUR Lakes OF
Mouth Of Arkansas River!
These requests being all disposed Of in the twink
lug Of an eye" the next gentleman represents me
cases Of numerous contractors in - district, petit
tionng for remission Of fines and here it is TO be OBJ
served that the louder have been the complaints OF
the Press and the People and the Chambers OF Com
merce, and the Grand Jures' about lhe rres9'aS'es
of the mail the stronger the undercurren OF I'npor'
tuny to the Postmaster General 10 have hnes remit
ted-drs Of snow, heavy rains. deep ruts, sick hor-
ses. bridges swept away, cows run on ana engines
off the track, &c. &c. !.
A dozen members yet remain, with pockets tull OF
memorals-some TO get postmasters m, some 10 ges
Them turned out, some to get Sunday mail service ana
pay restored In the midst of all this, IN steps the
Messe pger to The relief Of his boss, and lays on his ia
lie about two hundred letters by the last mail All
these are to be examined, their contents weighed and
whose qualifications, if you believe all that Is SAID IN
his behalf fit him to be Postmaster Gcnera, or any
other member of the Presidents Cabinet, Well! ne
gets the nppoInIment-and wnat men S % ,be o
tongues raised greater confusion than me com
plants raised, sometimes, at the appointment OF tht
recommended, who was thus extolled 10 Inc very
skies. $500,
Thus passes the morning in one Department. until
these members laboring for their constituents WIN
poor pny and perhaps less thanks, get back TO her
riding houses leaving the head OF the head OF fhe
Department. If it be not hard as iron and as clear
glass; COMPOUNDED with their conflicting CLAIMS ana ana
applications and with all his regular work lying still
before him, to be despatched to prevent aceninuIa-
ting. vet these Offices are thought by many OF our
agricultural friends to be sinccures-places Without
care and without labor. ,,
While some members are thus gong tne 1ou 1
from one Department to another swallowing Dust
and gaspng for BREATH the thermometer at 90 ",hers
are vet harder at work in their own or IN committee
rooms, in the Uork Of prepdraion-so mnch more 'ry
ing TO the physical and intellectual powers, than the
work of harangminC the floor. on which 80 many re-
" to gain reputation in Bunkmm.' This IS hut
faint sketch of the lahOrs OF public men at Washng-
ton. who are too generally supposed to be enjoying
otium cum dignitdte.
Great Temperance Convention. lit is probably known
TO many of our readers that last week, on Wednes-
day, was the time appointed for holding great Ma
,ionaI Temperance Convention at Saratoga Springs.
We gather from the papers, that on the first day OF
the meeting more than 400 delegates were in attend
oDce fror, varous contiOuons and distant states. A
letter to the Journal of Commerce, in giving an ac-
count of the first days proceedings, says-"The Con-
ven'ion was organized by the choice of Chancellor
Waworth as President. The most of the day has
been spent in hearing reports Of the wonderful reform
of drunkards communicated by delegates from BOs-
ton, New York, New Haven, and other cities; and
some speeches from the reformed men themselves
This evening there has been a meeting OF not less
than 5000 persons in the green beyond the Congress
spring,he church being sufficiently large to con-
tain the people who wished to assemble. The meet
ing was ably addressed by Rev. Mr. Scott Of Sweden,
Rev. John Perpont of Boston. Mr. Pottard Of Balti-
more. and General Smith Of Peterborough. and was
one of great interest Another meeting for the efoF
med men, several Of whom present, will be held in
the same place tomorrow at l.2 r. NJ The world
is on fire, kindled. as a gentleman to-day expressed
it, BY cold water"
Accident on the Rail ROad.-We understand that
on Monday afternoon last, the cars from Bridgeport
were coming to New Milford, when near the depot at
Newtown, one Of the hands was instantly killed He
was employed in disengaging the engine and baggage
ear while in motion, from the rest OF the train, had
one foot on each car when they separa'ed-hs fell