The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1860-01-14
coRREsPoNDENcK OF rnE NoxrARxIE..

CORRESPONDENTS OF THE NoNrARRIL.
WAsHINoroS, Dec. 80, 1859.
DEAR EDroR-Ths chances for an organ
ixation q the House this year are vssy slim.
I think, however, that SHEaxAx's prospects
are Frightening, and that he will eventually
be elected; but, the contest viii probably
be prolonged for several weeks yet. Yes
terday, Room A. Psros, Of Virginia, ven-
tilased his patricsism and rhetoric chiefly
the laster-in highfalstin speech. and one
| ballot was taken, resaltisg in lOl votes for
SurIxAS; los being necessary to slsct.-
For four days previous, Extra BILlI
SMITH," Of Virginia, and Isaac N. MoHRIs,
Of Illinois, had been consuming tho time,
and wearing out the patience, Of the House
and galleries; and the speech of PaIoR,
sophomorical a. it was, was decided relief.
" Extra Billy is one Of the most tedious
speakers | ever listened to; and, :fter be
gets through, it is difficult to discover the
force Of his arguments or the points he has
made. NORRIS had his speech all written
out, and as be 10 monotonous reader, it
was dull enough, except in some parts Of it,
when he warmed up in violent invective |
against the Administration. He is, a. you
are aware, an Anti-Leconpton Democrat,
and he scored BUCHANAN and the rest Of the |
Lecomptonites with an unsparing hand. |
Before coming here, had no idea of the
number Of speeches which are read. The
proportion thus delivered, is larger than l
had supposed; and, am surprised, that
these Congressmes, with plenty of time on
their hands, don't commit their speeches il
they must write them out, they would GER |
tainly tell better. forgot to mention in q
previous letter that, through an introduction
BY HORACE EVERETT, Esq, have become
acquainted with Mr.. Buck, an old classmate
Of his college, and who has for fifteen years
been connected with the congressional libra
~. find him very pleasant and afabls
geAtlemen, and he offered to "show me
round" whenever we both get leisure. He
is "posted," and l promise myself much
pleasure in 6: learning the ropes " under his
tuition. | took another stroll through the
Patent Office to-day. Whoever visits Wash.
ington, should not fail to spend one day, at
least, in looking at the immense collection
Of models and other curiosities on exhibition
there. Probably, nowhere else can be found
90 large collection of the products of
mans cultivated ingenuity. China and ia
pan may furnish their rarely wrought fabrics
and curiously carved toys, I'D imtinitunn, and
we are astonished at the manual dexterity, |
the patience and perseverance of those
cunning people; but, when We view the
almost countless mechines which American |
genius has produced, our admiration at the |
nicely Of their construction is swallowed up
in those deeper feelings Of awe and wonder
which insens!Is!y steal over US, as we rec
ognize in the models before US the tangible
impress Of some Of the subtlest intellects
that the world has ever known. Had each |
piece of mechanism tongue, what tales
would be unfolded, what histories struggling
and eager hope crowned with the full frui-
ton Of fame and wealth; or, alas perhaps, |
more frequently by disappointment, bitter
want, despair and early death. In some of
the showcases, are q multitude of strangely
fashioned steamboat paddle wheels-proba-
bly, not one in ten of which ever went splurg-
ing effsctually through the ocean or river
tide. or helped its luckless inventor to stem
that other tide I" which taken at the flood |
leads on to fortune" In another part of |
the building are three cases, devoted to
sewing machines. l doubt if any Of my
lady readers, have any idea Of the number
Of these which have been presented to the
kind consideration of their sex. counted
two hundred and sixty-fve models, and
don't think | got them all then. No two
were alike, although many of them were
exquisite pieces Of mechanism, not one of
them could for moment compare in beauty
and perfection with one which father Adam
possessed nearly six thousand years ago.
Here are plows which in turning the virgin
soil, have uncovered that hidden mine which
their inventors had so long and anxiously
sought. For example /: TURLEY's Patent
Engines, which occasionally blow their
guides into fragments, have luckily blown
their inventors into the upper stratum of
society, from lncessant toll and pinchipg
poverty, to afluence and ease, although
am sorry to say. that in most cases it is not
the inventor of any useful thing who gets
the pay, but some interloper who steps in in
the nick of time and for little ready money
avails himself Of the fruits of years of in-
cessant brain labor. Firearms of almost
every conceivable size and form, from the
petite pocket companion, for close encount-
er, to the heavy dragoon revolver, and
deadly rife for Antelope, Buffalo and In
dams, and ia great guns +" for Ieveling
fortressess: dismantling and sinking ships,
and blottins out battalions at q volley on
on the field. Moving machines, which, on
the broad praries Of the West have cut for
their projectors or manufacturers a ssclean
swath' to fortune. Seapers, the glit.ering
harvests of which have not alone been thu
golden sheaves they gather. Trip-hammers,
whose heavy "telling" clang has been "the
sweetest OF all music" to the inventor and
his needy family. Corn shelters, which have
"shelled on" for the hands that fashioned
them, shower Of golden kernels, heavier
than the famous products Of Sciota or
Missouri bottoms. Washing machines,
which have Hashad off mora dirt and hnt |