Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-03-13
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence of the Bulletin.

WASHINGTON, March 7th, 1874.
The season of Lent in Washing
ton puts complete extinguisher up
on the fashionable movements Of
Court Life, and the display which,
as display, creates the social scnsa-
tons Of the holidays, is retired as
the Secretary of the Treasury some
times retires greenbacks-that is,
holds them as a reserve for future
occasion.
Theoretically, it is gloomy during
Lent. Theoretically there is fasting
and a notifying of the flesh, re-
straint upon appetite, and frivolity,
upon gayety, and turning to seri-
Gus things and a better life. AS
matter OF form, the receptions and
amusemeits are partially given up,
and the more gorgeous OF our win
ter butterflies keep out of sight and
do not allow their pictures to be ia
ken. AS matter of fact, none al
low themselves to go absolutely hun
CRY. They eat smaller pieces Of
meat, but larger eggs, and keep
such an entire control over their
feelings that when the last minute
Of Lent has passed, they are able to
dismount from the penitential stool
without effort, and once moro be-
come worldly as the rest Of us.
We have been anticipating raid
here upon the liquor sellers, and a
notice was served upon one OF the
German saloon-keepers in the rear
of the National Hotel, that he must
prepare for visitation early in the
week, but no excitement has been
raised as yet, and we have not learn
ed how the offender got along with
the praying women. The absence
Of Dio Lewis may have dishearten-
ed the besieging party, and caused
postponement OF operations.
Hon. Morrison r. Waite appear
ed in the Supreme Courtroom on
Wednesday, and was sworn in with
as little ceremony, and much in the
same way as they swear in an attor-
ney or marshal. Mr.. Waite is one
Of the smallest of the Supreme
Judges, most Of whom are ponder
Gus in their physical proportions,
but he has good countenance, free
from sensuality, bright eye, large
mouth, and well-balanced head, in
dlcating good intellect, strength of
character, good sense and reliabili-
ty; evidently an honest man we
should say, and incapable of tricks
that are vain.
The two Houses ofCongress have
been devoted to business, and bust
ness of the heavy kind mostly. But
there are many elephants on hand
it must be confessed. There is the
Centennial, and patriotism demands
that so big a nation should do the
big thing on the occasion. But to
do the big thing, requires first that
you know what it is; secondly, how
to do it, and thirdly big pile of
money. Philadelphia says the In
dustrial Exhibition is the big thing,
but there are Senatorial doubts
the Adams family doubts-Sumner
doubts-Sargent doubts, and Thur
low Weed denies. How to do that
big thing they didn't know at Vien-
ma. and the Americans knew least
of all; so there we are. Behind all
this is the want Of money. The
three millions desired is a big sum
when there is only a margin of ten
in the Treasury. They propose, it
is true, to add on an hour per day
for clerical work, but it will take
the next hundred years to get the
money in that way, and the money
is wanted for this celebration, not
for the one a century hence.
Louisiana is an elephant, and SO
are Civil Service, Currency, Cheap
Transportation, Moieties, and the
Indians. The franking privilege
for country newspapers was lost,
but it is generally supposed that it
was because the animal was capable
of taking along q little more load.
1t only carried the Agricultural and
some other documents, when it
might Just as we'll help the menu