Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1866-01-05
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.

Especial correspon dence Of the Anne rican.l
WASHINGTON, d. @, Dec. q, 1869.
Mr.. EDIToR,-Chrisimas passed here
gloomiy, so far as weather is concerned.
For two days previously there bad been
snow and rain uniting to make mud, and
on Christmas day very thick fog on
veloped the city so completely that
sometimes il was d,fiicat to recognize o
friend across tho street.
There is but little departure yet from
the gloomy and uncomfortable weather.
Mud prevails. Almost everybody stays
at homo unless business or other neces-
sity calls out.
l find that Chrisimss day is moro
closely observed here as q holiday than
in the West. Business Of all kinds IL
suspended. The good people 20 to
church, the bad go to grog shops, and
the half and half, 60 to both place., or
neither; but oil meot on common ground
around the turkeys. Whether the en-
joyments Of tho forenoon have been
spiritual or spirituous, the meeting At
the turkey. inquest ia well attended and
the post norton merits of the dead are
more discussed than the virtues of his
life. or tho accident Of bis death.
There ia no symyathy manifested for
his surviving friends, for appearances
here indicate that the entire family
suffered violence for this occasion, lesv-
ing no surviving friends. As an evil
dence Of the esteem the fowl ia held in
for Christmas il is only necessary to say
that good goblers held themselves for
the occasion worth six dollars. These
had 10 be provided some day or days
before Christmas, as the day is 30 strictly
kept rs holiday that there is no market,
or other traffic on that day.
Now Year day is kept "a holiday,
bot in another form. As Christmas il
kept at home and made memorable by
the dinner, so New Year day is kept
abroad. On that day the distinguished
citizens, Heads of Departments, and
especially the President keep "open
houses" for the reception Of their friends
who take occasion TO call in grea,
numbers.
This then is made the occasion oil
general circulation; and people, like cur
rency, circulate for what they are worth,
none however Of denomination 81
small that it cannot circulate. and that
too With the larger. For the purpose Of
circulation therefore il IL AS good to be
a little green back as a big green back
SO much for Republcanism in the me
tropolis of this great Democratic Re-
publican nation.
Congress hasa recess over the holidays
and most of the members have gone
home. 1t is we'll that the recess was
taken.
The members Of Congress met, got
slightly acquainted, had an exchange OF
sentiment on some questions that are to
DO discussed and acted on, formed CON-
mittees, gave them work to think over
and then took recess. A few things
they should have done before they nd
journsd we're left undone, but rs il is not
expected that they will do all they
should do, 90 IL is allowable that they
should have failed in doing their whole
duty in this beginning. One thing they
didn't do, and that was they didn't sd
nit to our National council members
from the South whose unwashed hands
are yet crimson with tho blood Of our
brave Union soldiers, and whose hearts
are yet black with treason. There arc
three parties developed in Congress.
The Democrats who have been friends
to the rebels. oil through, would with
open arms receive the mesnest of them
into Congress. They would no, forgive
thom, however, for they think they have
not been guilty Of any sin. This party
is small, and will grow charmingly less
liz tbcy do not stop their fawDing bog.