Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-01-26
SENATORIAL NICK-NACKS.
Secrets of the Congressional Toilet
UnfOlded by Gorham.


U1fOlded by GorhRm.
From the New York Sun
One of the most interesting and enter
taing ofthe gift ANNALS published by Con-
gress, is that just issued in paper, and with
out covers, by the Hon. George @. Gorham,
who hsving been defeated few years ago
as a Republican candidate for Governor of
California on account of his completely In
various lobby and ring transactions in the
State legislature, was taken up by the Re-
publicans in the United States Senate and
make secretary thereof. Mr.. Gorham is q
member of the Grant Republican N .tional
committee. He endeared himself to the
party last year by writing letter on civil
service reform, ridiculing the whole thing
and denouncing the system which Presi-
dent Grant seemed to be in favor of as an
impracticsble and mischievous humbug.
For which the President, strangely enough,
seemed TO like him all the better.
Mr.. Gorham's new book is entitled "Re-
ceipts and Expenditures of the Senate" and
is in the form of letter TO the Hon. Schuy-
Ter Colfsx, President of the Senate-the
gentleman who loaned Oakes Ames $500 to
build the Union Pacific railroad and never
asked for it back. 1t is quite statistical and
somewhat tabular. 1t nsrrates how Cor
ham bought Webster's Dictionary for
the Hon. W. G. Brownlow of Tennessee,
piquing the curiosity of the reader as to
what use that gentleman made Of it: how
he bought rose-tinted note-paper, eau de
Nile envelopes, mucilage and maps; how he
hung 'shades" on committee rooms: how
he stained bookcases and picked locks and
drilled holes in the wall and put castors on
chairs and plugged the wall and hung towel
racks and stuffed cushions with the best
curled hair and sharpened shears and put
long ash handle on brush and dovetailed
q box for the committee on outrages, and
put seventy four large screws into boxes
and got new tongue for book truck and
every thing of that sort, and how much
it all cost. It's mighty interesting reading.
1t shows how Mr. Gorham disbursed $780,
S52 Al during one year. ~
Among other acts IF absorbing interest
we gather that between December and
May Gorham bought eight lemon squeezers,
four cOcoanut dippers, much sugar and
lemons, spoons and ladies, and other such
raw material for laws. Also, that on the
Goth of December he bought for the United
States three pounds Of mercury, and on the
31st of the same month half a gallon Of cas-
tor oil? 1t is we'll enough known that the
Senate has been for several years power
full body, buS it is not so well established |
hat 1t takes half gallon of castor oil at .
dose. And for that matter-three pounds |
Of mercury-good gracious. The senate is
\ sweet-scented body. Mr.. Gorham's mar
,ative tells how he bought gallons of CO.
ogne, gallons of bay rum, and much essen |
ial oils, besides cosmetic and Lubin's pow.
iers by the dozen, and rappee snuff by
packages of bottles. Then there are hair
brushes, toilet soap, chamois skins, towels,
lail brushes, and Oolong tea in the most
gorgeous profusion.
It's good book, an interesting book, 8
,ook for everybody; the interest is sustained
it's more interesting than Mr.. |
3orham's letter on civil service reform, full
II of information than Oakes Ames on the |
witness stood, and as exact in its state
nents as the Hon. Henry Wilson on Cred
{ Mobilier investments.
1t seem pity this work cannot have a
arger circulation.