The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-12-12
Washington News and Gossip.
CONGRESSIONAL MANNERS.


1t was decidedly funny sight after Mr.,
Blaine's election was announced to see him es-
corted to the chair by the long-haired, Indian
looking Maynard of Tennessee and the Louis
Napoleon looking Fernando Wood. The
House is such rowdy looking assemblage that
when they put on airs or attempt anything
like dignity it is as good as farce. To-day
while the vote was being taken for speaker,
boorsh member stretched his form full
length on two desks in the center of the hall
while he talked to another member. There,
in the diplomatic gallery, sat the French min
lister and wife, the English minister and the
japanese who have come here to study our
ways. There were hundreds of distinguished
ladies' and gentlemen present to witness this
violation of good manners, If these men have
no self-respect, then there should be some
rules for good behavior adopted, The speaker
might call from the chair: The gentleman from
Arkansas will please sit on the chair, and not
Missouri will please put his feet on the floor,
and not elevate them above his head. The
gentlemen will find lunch-room convenient,
and are forb dden topare their apples while the
House is in session. and throw the Feelings on
the floor Everything now looks so clean and
handsome that it seems pity that it should
SO soon become defaced Louisville Courier
Journals Washington Letter.
THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE.
The senate committee on finance is nearly as
unharmonious body as the banking and cur
rency committee of the house. At its meeting
Wednesday resolution, prepared by Mr..
Sherman, instructing the committee to report a
bill embodying the plan advocated in his bill of
last winter, was defeated. The resolution af-
forwards reported in the senate from the mi
nority by Mr.. Bayard received the support of
Messrs. Bayard, Morrill, of Vermont and Fen
ton. The majority report received the votes of
docs not commit the senate, should it be adopt
ed, to expansion enough to suit Messrs. Ferry
If Michigan, and Wright.
WASHINGTON SOCIETY.
Mrs Harriet Clemmer Ames, in letter to the
Brooklyn Argus. says that Washington society
is about as chaotic as Washington legislation
1t always is till after the holidays. Our friends
the legislators will busy themselves with "bills,"
and amuse themselves with dawdling till after
that date. Our friends the ladies of society"
will do likewise. Mrs Fish, the most indefati-
gable as we'll as the most elegant of all the
cabinet ladies" has, however, already given
party and a reception. The first was to in
troduce her youngest daughter "Edith." The
latter to show her good will to the many ever
ready to cross her hospitable Threshold The
new f'Stewart Palace" is gathering in its treas
ure of furniture and art to be in readiness for
the 'gay season.; and Mrs Williams, in her
new house, is making ready to burst upon the
people in a blaze of pew upholstery and new
hunors. While so many are making ready to
''come up'' and ''out" in the world, few
younger and fairer are making ready to leave it
forever. In no other city in our land does "gay-
ETY." run into such excess of dissipation as in
Washington. In no other city can be seen SO
many bldse girls of fashion. And in no other
ON our continent do so many turn unworn faces
from il. renouncing its vain pomp and glory in
some telling Ssterhood, or within convent walls
Bertha, the young daughter of Baron Gerolt,