The Portland daily press., 1872-01-16
Letter from Felix Grundy.
VIEWS OF THE HoUsE-PRIvILEGEs OF MEMBERS
ORDER OF EXERCISES AND BLACK
CRooK-FALsE RUMoRs-ITEMs.
AUGUSTA, Jan. Is, 1872.

caIne 10 tnlS city OF politics TO sort OF inter-
view the entire political corporation and ON a
preliminary survey find it thusly: The mem
bers of the Legislature and other persons hav-
ing no business here arrive precisely from the
first of January to any time during the session
according to wants.
In the day time the Legislature camps on
"Capitoline Hilr,' and in the night time are
quartered in the attcs of the various hotels of
the metropolis. This privilege is granted for
the nominal sum of 800 to $50 week per caput
in consideration of the fact that members of
the Legislature are an unfortunate, though no.
BILE and patriotic class of community, who have
B been designated by aniintelhgent constituency
to be the recipients of these and similar bless
ings Long and high sounding be the praise of
these noble landlords for their spontaneous pub
nc spirit in SO depriying themselves of their
lofts. 1t is with joy add, that the spiders and
cobwebs are annually removed before the MEM
bers arrive, and next to the porters of the hotels
the members have the first right of garrett.
The House meets at ten O clock ON each secu-
lar day. 1t also adjourns as soon as the bust
ness is finished, and as there has been no bust
ness as of yet think may say, with great
veracity, that the adjournments have been
prompt and decisive. pa
1t is frequent remarkt' that APPOINTMENTS
are esteemed as wise legislation So far as /
have been able to learn the following is an in
correct order of business: Sd
1. Prayer by Chaplain, and will here state
that the prayers are listened to with great abili
ty. ska
2. Orders to distribute to members one or
more copies of such books as Miss Dirigo may
have on hand-orders so amended as not to de-
prve the fair lady of any copies of the Bible
g. Fresh air let in. This is denominated ven
tilation. r.t-..,..,
4. House proceed to play Hamlet In this in
nocent sport they "all take hand" Hamlet
has drawn well for two weeks. ssta
The railroad companies are coming for char
tiers and loans next week. When they come,
Hamlet being rather tame, will be dropped and
"Black Crook" brought ont with large ballet
corpus. This opening will occur next Tuesday
by interested audience. 1t is said the railroad
companies have good hands and that diamonds
are trumps, if so ssBlack Crook will be popu-
lar, and the 'sballet dancers having ascertain
ed what hands holds trumps will show an agili-
ty of pantomime not equalled since the May
flower kissed Plymouth Rock Having good
recollection I think may go back year or two
ldIbucI Gay llOb StliCo bHc Iittld0 INtldU Ue-
trayed the moral and God-like city of Jericho
into the hands of class of fellow citizens who
renaodelled that city by placing the foundation
and chapter stones ON level with each other
don't know, Mr.. Editor, as I fully understand
myself, as to what mean by ''ballet dancers"
Some say lobbyists, some say members of the
House who are undecided and are meditating on
high board bills and smallpay. If you can tell
me which mean please do SO and oblige.
The rumer that stranger exclaimed on the
lower floor of the House, that he had supposed
all daythat he was in the Insane Asylum is false.
I will stake my entire capital of truth and We
racity in that single fact. The man must have
been mistaken, as to sublimity of the spot and
occasion. The other story that Andrew John
son, late circle swnger, had sent full edition
of his speeches to a member of this honorable
House and that that member was delivering
them, as set speeches, at the rate of three doz-
zen per diem, was analogous or semi-false,
because Andrew has not sent any speeches.
The speeches referred to were all generated
here in the basement of the Capitol where the
engine is. .s N-A -sf
The Legislature is heated by steam. This is
all the steam the members get. EAfR
propose to interview the whole House and
also the Arsenal, and send you summary of
the results. / shall interview the Page next
Sunday and then the Messenger and so in ge-
ographical progression until get clean down
through the whole House item by item shall
not write any obituaries until after the members
obit. I am clear in that point I shall also write
no sarcasm; not any. ~
A bill has been introduced in the House to
change the name of the watch dog of the
Treasury" to "Bellwether of Reform" 1t has
been referred to the Committee on Change of
Names an &5s FELIX GRUNDY
. SPECIE PAYMENM Representative Freeman
Clarke of New York, who was for some years
Comptroller of the Currency, introduced a bill
Monday providing for a return to specie pay
ment without contraction of the currency
The bill directs the President, at any time he
shall deem expedient during the present year,
to redeem after thirty days notice the legal
tender notes in coin at par at the sub-treasury
in New York, or other appointed places. Ma
tional banks are also required to redeem their
notes at par in New York, those outside of the
city appointing banks in the city as agents for
the purpose. National banks shall continue to
hold the amount of reserved funds prescribed
by the present law, in addition to the coin on
hand, until the first of September, 1873. The
fourth section of the bill authorizes bank of
redemption in New York, in which national
banks may hold stock to the amount of one per
cent. of their capital. The fifth exempts from
taxation the average amount of deposits kept
by national banks for purposes of redemption, 4
and the sixth requires the Secretary of the
Treasury to keep one hundred millions of coin
on hand, provided that he may use the proceeds
of the sales of bonds in redemption of other
outstanding bonds Duties on imports will
continue to be paid in coin. The bill was re-
ferred to the committee on banking and cur
rency, and is believed to meet the views of Mr..
Hooper, the chairman.
SOUTH AND CENTRAL AMERICAN News
Panama papers have been receivedin New York
from Panama, dated Jan. LIST, containing the
following items of interest.
United States Minister Bddle had arrived at
Salvador and was to be officially received on
the 9TH inst. .
Chill was about applying for the privilege of
sending few youths on board American naval
ships. 1919
Two editors of the Eel Nacional had been ar.
ANpSSN
ment at Lima, oceasioning some excitement. /
They had espoused the cause of the opposition
candidate to the present President
The reported destruction of the city of Oran
in the Argentine Republic, by the earthquake |
is confirmed. Not house was left standing.
Only one life was lost. : /
The town of Humahuac was also damaged,
aud volcano developed itself in its neighbor-
hood.
Honduras advices state that the Indian revolt
was so strong that the government was obliged |
to acknowledge their belligerency
Several places in South America are afflicted |
with small pox.
GOOD WORDS FROM THE PRESIDENT.
dent Grant is reported as saying the following
respecting the Custom House Irregularities in
New York:
"My mind is Clear he says, ''upon one point
Every officer under the administration who has
been in any way connected with the irregular-