The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1866-03-29
Washington Correspondence of the
r..s a.erf Courier, -r .s.t..,. 20 r.a.-

N dSilliBtOIl, ~. C., MAR. ID, 1866.
Rain, and its companion, mod, have
yielded to the dust and intense heat their
sway in Washington. The last three days
have been SO uncomfortably warm that
fires have been generally dispensed with,
and not a few consulting merely their
comfort for the nomenclature foolishIy
doffed their Winter clothing for garments
of thinner texture, thereby inviting to a
domicile in their system the fearful results
of needless exposure. We shall yet have
cold weather and plenty.of it. s''4" i-2a
Speaker Colfax gave this evening, the
final Of his most brilliant and popular re-
ceptions. These entertainments which
have been given each week during each
session for the last two years have acquir.
cd wide notorfety and nearly everybody
who has sojourned for at least few weeks
here, within the sessions, has made IT q
point to visit one of Mr. Colfax's levees.-
Mr.. C. is one Of those men who evidently
does not adhere dd literatim to the tenets
of any religious sect of the Old school,
He believes that music and dancing are
not the most heinous offences to morality;
and so far has he been induced in this be-
lief that he has permitted it to constitute
one of the leading features of his recep-
tons. The generous, cordial disposition
for which Mr.. Colfax is widely noted, and
his urbanity to all, have won for him hosts
Of friends, and it causes sincere regret to
all who have ever attended these social
reunions, that Mr.. C. is obliged to discon-
tinue them by reason of the House having
inaugurated Night Sessions. yoos -n'' so
The speech of Mr.. Grinnen, last week,
upon the bill regulating trade with the
British North American Provinces" is
considered here to be very able argu-
ment and most powerful defence Of the
agricultural interests of the West and
Northwest; supported as ii is by exceed
ingly valuable data, statistical and histor-
ical. He is in favor of extending all pos
sible encouragement to home industry and
home manufactures. Mr.. Grinnell, in his
argument, exposes the disgraceful fact that
the people of this country during the past
four years have imported "twenty-seven
million pounds Of .Shoddy; that while our
sheep-the Merino-were the best in the
world, and that though our water and coal
deposits exceed those Of any other coun-
try, yet in the last four years there had
been imported to this country "two hun
dred and twenty-five million dollars worth
of wool, and woolen goods. Mr.. Grinnell,
for his able exposition upon this subject,
merits the thanks of every Manufactures
and Agriculturist throughout the west, and
the information and research that he has
adduced in his speech, deserve the atten-
ton and consideration of every thinking
man. ..... .E0-o r. .'.raEs.g .
Mr.. Wilson, of Iowa, from the Judiciary
Committee. made some slrong points on
Wednesday last in fovor of the adoption
OF the constitutional amendment proposed
by the Committee on Reconstruction. He
argued that were the amendment to be
adopted, the franchise in fess than five
years would be exercised by the colored
population of the South upon an equal
footing with the whites. .te - fs-l.,ra.E .E.
Mr.. Stevens satire upon the President
and his course, is deemed very racy, and
quite worthy of second Randolph. The
Copperheads profess not to see the point.
Ask New Hampshire whether she sees any
point to it, and by-and-by the question
will meet a responsesfrom Pennsylvania
and other loyal States.
Ea# y gnl SCRIPTOR.