Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-05-31
EMILY FAITHFUL ON AMERICA.

#
toria Magazine, of which she is the editor,
very interesting sketches Of her seeings
aud sayings here. Her last letter was
begun In Washington and finished In
New York, after her return from Clncln-
natl. At the Capital she says: "Sir
Edward Thornton called directly after /
arrived and asked me to go to Mrs. Flsh's
reception in the afternoon. She is the
wife of the Secretary Of State, and a
great leader IN society here. Lady Thorn
ton had a reception the next evening,
but one and all had to be given up for the
same cause, as well as the Idea Of staying
In America over the summer. Sir Ed
ward Thornton suffers from the peach
fever In September, and hay asthma Is
quite a common complaint here in June,
so, by the time this letter appears In the
VietoriG we shall doubtless be " home
ward bound" The most notable build
Ing In Washington Is the Capitol Its
white dome is visible from every point.
The cornerstone of the original edifce
was laid by Washington Webster Sc
cured Its extension, aud the statue Of
Freedom, which crowns the towering
dome, was placed there while Lincoln
was copquering slavery. Vlce-President
Wilson kindly escorted us TO the Senate
Chamber. The Congress of the Uuited
States has $40 Representatives and IA
Senators each member seated before a
desk and provided with highly orna-
mented spittoon, seems to be far more
Interested In carrying on his private cor
fespondepee, during a discussion 10 the
House, than In listening to his brother
orators. There Is broad space 10 the
rear OF the seats where members prone
made while others are speaking, or lounge
on the sofas which line the walls.
Visitors are admitted TO the galleries.
and the presence Of ladies', without being
wired off FROM mortal view, did not seem
to have the fatal effects upon American
legislators predicted In the event Of the
removal of the suspended cage In the
House Of Commons, where, from behind
the bars alone, Englishwomon can listen
to the wisdom which flows from the lips
of British law makers, who range will
dangerous freedom the area below. The
Senate Chamber was, perhaps, as decor
ous on the day of our first visit as thI
House Of Commons, but the Hall of Rep
resentatives Is a very noisy place. A
Congressman speaks with wonderful vlo-
lence and vehement gesticulations on the
mere passing of an order 10 print the Re
ports of Congress, and, though oui
American cousins certainly do not hesi
tate aud stammer after the fashion o.
ordinary English speakers, eloquence II
not too common over here, and Washing
ton is not the place In which we can ex
pect TO find il Just now. rhe Credit No
bilIer Investigations gave rise to SOM
very exciting scenes, but, with the excep
tion of Ben Buffers speech, to no rea
oratory. As Grace Greenwood (whos
society made our visit TO Washington
thoroughly enjoyable) wittily observed
the unsatisfactory nature of the explana
tions given by Colfax and Pomeroy II
their frantic efforts TO 'set themselve
right before the country, reminded he
ofthe mournful foundering Of Missis
slppi steamboat, as described by an ey
witness:
N.She hove and aot, and sot and hove,
And high her rudder flung
And every time she hove and sot,
A wusser leak she sprung
Miss Faithful says Grace Greenwood
one Of the most brilliant newspaper col
respondents In America, and posses ses
, rare enthusiasm and unhagging spirit
in spite Of a persistent tendency to astl
ma, which Is only under control 10 hi
favorlte haunta In Colorado and adds
"Among the many Interesting facts {
Washington life Is the employment {
women in the Government offices. ]
! the Treasury Department there are l IL
women employed as messengers, counte
. of fractional and other currency, cop
lists and clerks. The counters aud cop
L lists are all women, the sex having Il
E exclusive right by law to those position
a and they are paid at the rate Of 5000 p
y annum. As clerks they receive the can
: compensation as the men, was inform'
y by the authorities, but that with equ
y chances none have reached higher ella
u than the third, which entities them 10
a salary of 81 900 year, and at this tin
= there are only three ladies In the depal
!, ment who are paid at that rate Th
=, was accounted for by the fact that We
few women start with the advantage
a thorough business education but 1
information l obtained, thanks to Ora
Greenwood aud her friend, Mrs. Sar
Fisher Ames, proved that although &c
er gross has given secretaries and comm
VI sloners power to promote female clerl
the law is dead letter, for at prest
is there is no political advantage 70
gained by the promotion Of women, q
" General Butler iearlessly declared
u other day that the suffrage would ale
: insure 10 women equal wages for eql
y services One of the heads of the
nu partment corroborated this stateme
and assured me that when he was In
70 Patent Office there was lady who
ne the work Of three men, bat he could
On obtain for her the full pay Of one.
ei was altogether due to the exigencles
u, the war that women were introduced Il
the civil service, by Salmon p. Ch
IA. aud Edwin N. Stanton, and they
l.s sometimes now reminded that they
.oe only kept there on sufterance, as Gr
- Greenwood observed, with fash Of
y dIgnatior 10 her bright, keen eyes, "Y
s9 we women gave brothers, husbap
= sons 10 the war by suferance, We tol
- In sanitary baEaars, made shirte, knit
.ne stockings, rolled hRndageb, carried fr
'Iy nursed wounded soldiers BY suteranc
ce' we pay taxes by suffersuce-perhaps,
va the whole, we live by aufierance." 4
zen many q history did hear FROM the
=. OF this noble woman Of the lives Of u
slt- hard. working Government clerks. In
u.s. foreign department Of the Post-ofice,
OF example, ls a most accomplished llngu
= = who Tor some years has supported an
lne valid father--a New York merchant,
"a, she does the work Of 1rat-elass q
10 for hslf-pay, occasionally has extra "
70 from the State Department -translatin
llee but ne extra payl In the Intel
as'r Revenus Ia lady who, for nine ye
has held most responsible position,
Is, by the admission Of the commission
one Of the ablest clerks in the office,
OF she has 70 see incompetent boys, VI
lay she has instructed In the simplest du
,rsd of their Office, placed over her head