The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1869-04-24
Female Office Hunters. No. 2.
By AN ELKTONIAS.

Leaving the Post Office Department, l
started for that of the Interior, where l
witnessed a scene that beggars description.
Crowds of excited men and women blocked
I'D every avenue of approach. 1t is pro
verbal in Washington, that the Interior
Department is the place to witness the fe-
male office-seeker in the full exercise of her
power. From the delicate girl of - years
to the matured matron of the world, all
with intense, eager, anxious faces, like the
gambler watching and waiting in agonizins
suspense over the dice box, are met with
at this Department, striving to gain ln'
terviews with the dispenser of office, to
solicit, aye, beg for positions for themselves,
husbands, brothers and friends.
In this crush the Office of door keeper or
waiter is anything but enviable. The spec
tator will hear from all sides of this bable:
Here, boy take my card, Miss B. from
- Heres my card. Tell the Cen
eral am Miss (or Mrs. as the case may
| be. so and so.) '.from - "Oh my
have been here all day l nW see him, =
and with desperation impressed on her
brow, the furious fair one dashes pell-mell
into the crowd, reckless of the display of
calves spectators in the rear may witness
and mid this crush of crinoline and mad
whirl of skirts, disappears. A volume
would scarce suffice to contain record of
the disgusting sights that meet the eye,
and sounds that shock the ear. even if such
narrative would not be too revolving for
decency to tolerate; yet their daily enact
ment is tolerated here. If husbands and
fathers could but witness these scenes
wherein their loved ones mingle too often
as the principal actors, l think they would
forever prohibit their wives and daughters
from going to the capital in search of
office. Growing weary and Disguised
with the scenes at the Department of the
Interior, l bent my steps toward the Capt.
tol, where the Goddess of Liberty looks
down from her lofty seat on the dome, as if
watching over the nations destiny, as
the wool of that nations life is being
wrought below.
On arriving at the Capitol followed the
living tide whose resistless current soon
bore me on to the Senate Chamber. And
here in place of some degree of decorum,
which / had expected to find, was confu-
sion worse COMPOUNDED. Nothing that
had as yet seen equaled it, and the tower OF
Babel i'll the hight Of its confusion of
tongues could not have surpassed the scene
at the very doors of the Senate. Here the
ladies had complete control, and fifty OF
perhaps twice that number Of the fair dam
sells were standing in line, crowding as
close to the entrance as possible, each with
a card in her hand. To the door keepers
&c Hand this to Mr. k "Pass my card
c." and SO on ad imfnitum. Sometimes
the over-wrought door keeper would pause
from his lahors of passing pasteboard into
the Senators, and essay to take a breathing
Grecian Bend, would beam one of her most
fascinating smiles upon him, and alas fol
poor bachelor or benedict he was off again
with card in hand to seek some Senator.
Away in the rear might be seen some
poor unfortunate of the other sex, looking
wofully on the, to him forbidden portal
Alas poor fellow. No chance for you-
| When one of the Honorable Senators was
enticed from the Chamber, what a scene
greeted the spectator. Clinging to his
arms, fastened to his coat skirts, might be
seen some twenty or thirty ladies till he
was lost to view in the reception room.-
From here I returned to the House of Rep.
resentatives to behold the same revolving
scenes re-enacted. At length weared
sat down, and soon an intelligent
thoughtful looking gentleman took 4 seat
beside me. His first observation was, is
that not enough to disgust any decent man
or woman? Can any country endure fol
any length of time where women, who
should be the first and best of our land
mingle with gamblers and cutthroats in
this manner? To what can we look fol
virtue, intelligence and future worth in the
rising generation, if not to the mothers,
wives and daughters of our land?''
Being near train time l was compelled tc
leave him to his thoughts alone. His re-
marks called to my mind the muse of Bob.
by Burns
.Oh wad some power the giftie gee us,
To see our sells as others see us:
1t would fra many a blunder free u.s.
| And foolish notion