Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-02-28
Letter from Washington.

Correspondence Of the Alexandria Gazette.
WASHINGTON Feb. %, lsj9.-From present
appearances there seems to be great proha-
bility of an extra session of Congress. |
have no idea that the radical refnrmers will
be able to raise the rate of postage or abolish
the frsnking privilege, especially ss tar as
members of Congress are concerned.
You see by the reports what course the
Pennsylvanians are pursuing. They think.
perhaps, that they have waited long enough
for protection" and the hope has been de-
ferred two long.
Toa locker on at present. the proceedings
In Congress are very interesting, and in a
day or two It will be worth while for y stran-
ger to pay visit to Washington, to see the
closing hours Of a session. Congress did not
nroyide for the care of the insane in the Dis
trict, moment too soon. Perhaps in time
the asyium will have to be enlarged, for if
persons haying inst claims against the Gov
eminent are kept waiting for year after year,
even after the Court has decided In their ia
yor. poor frail human nature will not be able
70 stand It. | am led to these reflections by
the melancholy case of William IL. Parker.
who committed suicide at the National Hotel
ON the night of the 22d inst. He had been
here during tina winter with the hope OF get
ting claim which be had against the Gov
eminent, and it is supposed that the utter
hopelessness of procuring action IN the case
contributed in no small degree TO this sad
and fatal event. He leaves an interesting
and lovely daughter to mourn her sad be-
reavement.
How unjust, how cruel it seems, that menu
beers of Congress will waste their time lp
fruitlsss debates, in party examinations and
recrip,inations. to the neglect OF the icglti-
mate purposes for which they were sent
here. There are nOw persons who hayO Jlsf
demands against this government, the an=
swers to which are smothered by tho clamor
which members of Congress are keeping up
over sectional and party questions, tor purpo,,
SECS of Disqualification, many widow ana
ornhan are now looking to Congress with
throbbing breasts for their just dues through
which alone they hope for protection against
the Mains and humiiations Of poverty
There are a few men in Congress whose sole
business seems to he the defeat OF all claims
AGAINST the government. without regard to
their merits. There are soma hundreds OF
such cases on the private calendar, many
of which are Just and ought to be prompt
" recognized and paid; but the class OF men
above alluded to, having no capacity to make
capital in mors manly ana statesmanii IN.
cause of public conduct, ruthlessly and indis-
criminately oppose action upon those CLAIMS
and neryert the rules of the House of Rep
resentatiyss 70 purposes Of parliamentary
strategy, in order " 10 able to go before their
constituents with the glory of having saved
the money of the dear people: Men who are
80 unjust and hollow hearted and who hays
to resort to such sorry course to please their
constituents, do not truly represent the PEG
ple of this country, snd lack the ability 70
perform the duties of American statssmen.--
ffthe people of their respective districts could
be made fully to understand their cause. they
would denonnce and repudiate them: for it is
not the Wish Of the American people that
lust claims against thsir government should
be rejected by stratagems or sMOthered ny
non,sction. Members of Congress arp sent
here to attend to the business ofthe Country,
and there is nothing more binding aud sacred
than the payment Of debts due from .he gov.
srnment to private citizens. W.