The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-02-28

Jar, being upon his first visit to Washington, IN.
dertcok to play the agreeable to neighbor whom
ne found there-a regular old cosmopolitan of
the dinner table, or one who would fain pass for
such an one. The two dined together, and the
young fellow, thinking to solemnize the occasion
of dining with SO gracious and aristocratic a
gentleman, whose shirt-frill stuck out like fy-
ing jib, and whose skirts were of unusual and
illimitable breath, ordered "a bottle of cham
pagne"-generally, without designating the
brand. Now a bottle Of champagne was mani
testify an event. with the youth. He had
heard Of i,-dreamed Of it-longed for it, hut
apparently had never tasted it. The wine was
ljuncture the older gentleman clapped his hand
over his young friends glass, saying in the true
LarCrado style, wheI he ordered away the dishes
from the hungry squad. Hold. Don't drink Till
have tested. Pouring tea.spooniul into a
glass, the man of sauoir rivye took drop
srnacked his lips and with face of infinite dis
gust, seized the bottle, and ordered it away
.sThis MIXTURE" said he :" is composed of cider,
acetate of lead sulphurc acid, strychnine, su-
gar and carbonic acid gas, and would kill ten
men, if they drank enough of it," The youth
who had forked out his two dollars for the wine,
and had confidently looked for good time, sat
achast, suspiciousy cycling his untouched mant-
ling glass, while his friend quietly remarked,
Jack, if you have quarter about you, hadn't
YOU better send for couple OF whiskeys and
, water
Congress did nothing yesterday. The Senate
did not sit. and the House transacted no busi-
ness of Importance, so deyOted the day to ex-
plorations | went in the morning to the Smith
, -orian Institute, and passed a couple of hours
there profitably. The cabinet OF animated ma.
ture. which formerly, though not appropriately
formed feature of the Patent office, has been
removed thther, and now fills nearly the frs,
story OF the main edifce, with the additions
which have been made to it, in technology, en-.
tomoogy, &c There many curiositcs of a
, miscellaneous character however. interspersed
among the birds, fishes, snakes, and wild ami.
mails Among the latter, of which Michigan is
not forgotten, for there is the wolverine, large
as life, and twice as natural. DR.. Kane's Arctic
dress is here, among other curiosities of that re-
gion, showing him TO be a smaller and shorter
man than had supposed.
The Library of the Smithsonian Institute is
not extensive, compared with many other public
and some private libraries in the country, but i;
is well selected, and has some rare works The
present number OF volumes is about 25 600.
= One of the most interesting features of this
! library, as striking the eye of taste, As well as
9 the mind euquiring into historical truth, is the
Russian work, presented by the Emperor As q
: work Of art, in the line Of the bruin, il has nc
equal so far as | have seen OF heard. The range
of objects presented in these engravings, which
are colOrcd 10 the life il upwards of 5000, and
these are chiefly representative of the ceremo
r mics, utensils, customs, costumes and worship OF
the early churches, embracing period from
= the thirteenth to the sixteenth century. Ia the
4 course of this series, the figure of the Saviour
= upon the Cross occurs certainly not less than
If, one hundred times, and every time the attitude
4 is identcal-the body inclining to the right and
the head to the left These engravings are
n cooring aud for the accuracy of their lines, the
a latter being as fine and regular, as the concen
trio work in bank bills.
The Fromel Light is an object of interest both
in respect to its Importance, and a curiosity
| exhausted the daylight, by visit TO the
Patent once, whore saw little that had no,
seen before--li,tle that is not seen by every
body who goes to Washington-among the rest
however, were upwards OF two hundred models
of sewing machines, not one tenth Of which are
in use.
A letter writer from Washington is always
sure Of variety, so long as he talks about the
weather. The snow OF Thursday has gone,
but in the night just past, new storm arose,
and to-day the storm-king has a carnival, in
which he appears in the various forms of snow,
hail, slect, fog, rain, and wind The streets are
desperately sloppy and slippery, and all who can,
keep in doors.
Mr.. Seward had crowded and brilliant re-
cepticn last night, and later in the evening
that thing was repeated at Mr.. Thomp-
sons. The bill to abolish the Franking prir-
lege came up in the House yesterday in the
shape of the Senate Bill, which passed that body
with only two dissenting votes. 1t will not be
very soon called up in the House, and in the
meantime, the whole Northern press should
take ground at once against it. The Senate did
not do itself justice by its vote, for not one half
Of the members of that body believe its aboli-
ton TO be right upon principle, nor yet expe-
dient-yet they voted as they did. 1t is not,
never has been-it never can be an advantage
TO the member, but always to the constituent, il
he is reading man, and in that regard. is es-
sentially 4 popular privilege Its abolition is
one of the vagaries in which it pleases the
n. Y. Tribune TO indulge, and in which it should
perhaps be permitted to indulge, in considera.
ton of it, many valuable services, in a right
line-here it let's go the horse, and takes the
hobby. Let me exemplify what mean, when
/ say that the ranking privilege is burden
to members of Congress. will take an ex.
ample before my eyes. Senator Bingham of
Michigan, employs his whole time, out of ses-
sion, in ranking speeches, books, documents,
&c. &c, to his constituents. In this regard he
is type of all Republican Senators. This duty
occupies his time, and for the most part his
whole time. Senators Seward, Wilson, Ham,
lin, Hale, King, all Of whom know we'll do the
same. II the People at their 1re.sides dom,
I yVa Tho inf -, Il.