The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-03-09
The Fms and Outs af Washington.

lady correspondent of the New York
Eoentng Post sketches in the following lively
manner some of the aspects of Washington
life on the last day of the Thirty-ninth Con-
gress:
In these last days OF the session Washing
ton is divided INTO two large classes, the Ins
and the Outs. There are the happy fellows
who have come in new coats and shiny faces,
to take their seats on the 4th of March-the
new members. They wear an important,
self-satisfed air, and are little solemn, think
ing, probably, over their responsibility to the
country. They make part of the Ins.
Then there are the members of the present
Congress who were reelected. They are jol-
ly, their clothes are not so good, but they have
heartier laugh, and less sense Of responsible
ity. They must be counted among the Ins.
Then there are the ofice-seekers whose ap-
pointments the Senate has confirmed. 1t has
been so tight squeeze for them that they are
not yet restored to their normal form; and
then most Of them wear black and look like
chief mourners at big funeral. Wont YOU
let the country know that there is no law re-
quiring applicants for Office to dress,-when
they come TO Washington, as though they had
just lost most OF their near relatives? know
agentleman who recently called ON the Presi-
dent III a flaming crimson neektie, and he as
sured me that he was very well received
10 be sure he did not ask for an office, and
that may have made a difference in his favor.
Then as to the Outs: tThere are first the
unfortunates who were not re-eleeted-Whose
terms expire on Monday-with whose ser
| vices the country is about to dispense. Ahey
| look glum--you can tell them as iar as you
can see them L know some VINO couiu cry
| were eryinc fashionable. They wander ABOUT
| this naradise dIsconsolate, they ana their
| wives. and they cannot be comiorteu' III ls,
| in fact. rather a nice thing 10 oe nieihDer oil
| Tanarsss or the wife of member. The
| ofs;ce carries with it besides about half as
| mncb as it costs to live deeently in Washing
| ton very many little perquisites of no money
| value. but OF value Tar beyond money which,
| when you ale accustomed to them, are no
doubt difficult to dispense with. So that
when look at these mourners don't won
der at their sighs and their sadness.
Then there are number of people whom
the Senate has rejected; they are Outs who
never were In; their pangs are rot, perhaps,
so Nen; but after all they may justly sorrow,
for they have probably spent half the income
they would have derived from the offices they
desired, in trying to get them. They have bored
| all their friends halt to death; they have worn
out their good clothes waiting in ante-rooinss
| and lounging In hotel halls; they have r,'iheu
| their digestions with badly cooted Nieiua,o
and they have got to go home now Nv VIII ~, ,enp sme
mean consciousness that they nave t pa' ,,a,,
| selves i'm a ridiculous position, anu 50 10y ~ p"y
10, ,it;ha ~. rSL ,hng for able-bodied Americans,
.i';a t;,,'o IN hang around TO beg Tor offices
| ~ a. WI" w S,n,bIe opinion, no man who has got
athns In ,as brains, or practical knowledge of any
I;ad Or bodily strength, can afford to take Of
fee 1nder the government unless he is a man
of independent means.
On Monday the new Congress meets, and
| the members are to be sworn in, aud as heard
a little boy suggest this evening, the old mem
bers not reelected will be sworn out. Ihey
are allowed to swear themselves out, Sald
by-stander, by way of correction and ! sup,
pose there may be oaths, mot loud but deep
for disappointed ambition is not particular
about phrases.