New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-18
JOHN PAUL IN WASHINGTON.
TpFs CITY WITH AN ATMOSPHERE OF IN
FIATION.

A puNpRFp THOUSAND PAPER DOLLARS FOR EVERY
-, ,voN.N AND COLLABORATING STREET
Sun,RERs-tiTN. BUTLER MAKES A SPEECH Al
HOLM PAUL AND OTHER oRPHANs-A FEW sEu-
ous REFLECTIONS ON THE LEGACrEs LEFT Us BY
-,,v w,R-NATIoNAL KxTRAvAGANCE BRINGING
poRrH FRI-rr-THE FROG OF THE FABLE MOI
VERY SOLID BEEF.
49,, AZ occ,s1oS,I CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBuSE
CoU,yrs. April l2-When, several months since,
7 retired from the busy hum and whrr of public
life 70 the peaceful shades Of GOwanus Bay-where
the Oregon rolls at a distance from the Cove OF two
thousand miles or so, according to the most recent
geographical surveys, and ono hears no SOUND save
ones own plashings as one wades across the
GOwanus Canal, once whtened with the sails OF
commerce but now gwen over to the noiseless gam
bols of the clam-it was not my intention again 20
emerge into the cold and unsympatheuc WORTH
Even the Congregational Council failed to cah me
out At one time during the progress OF the CONFER
ence was more than half determined 10 billet my
self ON Brooklyn and put the contending ciergymeh
ND to a wrinkle or two but constitutional incidence
and the Thought that IL was none of my funeral
preyaled and remained at home. Expansion OF
the currency was another thing. The man who
could SIT nactively IN his chair while 1t was rumored
that Congress, bent upon making us all rlch, IN
tended to give 10 every man, woman, and child on
this glorious Republic OF two hundred thousand
dollars In paper currency, must be unworthy the
name OF an American or a sound business man. 30
lat once went on to Washington to learn II this
were true.
Never before had visited Washington. AS set
nv feet within the city-there being insufficient
room TO plant them comfortably in the suburbs-my
soul sweled nv eyes dilated, my pocketbOok putted
ont and I felt myself generally In an expansive
atmosphere Leaving my valise at an aristocraue
boarding house on the corner of F f Nst., north,
and psf. south-east-by-south
honse which | would recommend to tourists and
others who have good deal of money and little time
70 STAY and spend It in sauntered out Olnd gem
tleman in the diplomatic service Maccaroni-Maker
in-Chief he was 70 the Italian Embassy, to whom l
bore a letter of introduction.
The emotions which filled my mind at this moment
| do not think | can ever forget, though do not
positively assert that l would not try to were
sufficient consideration offered me. "Can it be-"
remarked 10 myself IN q low tone of voice, that
at last stand IN the streets Of the city where Wash
ington long lived. and where so many of his sue
oessors 70 the proudest office within the gift OF the
people long neglected 10 die, notwithstanding the
popular willingness that way 7 Can 1t be that my
ewes al last gaze unrestranedly and only with some
slight obstruction IN the gIise of dust, upon the
dOmcs and spires and oysteTshOps of that political
metropolis which if not the Cradle of Liberty may
at least be regarded as the Rock of the Republic
and one upon which very likely TO split
city where cannot be said that every man has his
prce insumuGt as each Is ready TO throw himself
away for the first mess Of pottage that anyone
chooses to offerY Can :: hef'
Bat al this moment it occurred 10 me that my
business with the Maccaroni-AakeT to the Italian
Embassy was momcntous and setting hermeueal
seal npon nv cans" as the shortest way of penning
4. e 11.4,, a-4 hara lonlr-
ing AZ the door-plates. Nv Maccaroni-Maker lived
at No. 2.S59 v-st north, and l was opposite
No 22l By little exercise of mental arithmetic
AT which was always rather clever-I figured out
that had seven or eight miles TO travel, and with
reckless extravag ance, begotten of inflated at
lnosphere stood still and called a carriage The
driver whipped up his horses, for had explained
that NV errand was an important one and haste was
imperative. and drove Just six blocks, depositing
me az the door OF No. 2.379.
In arranging numbers in Washington, You see,
they count houses where there none; II is way
they have Of expanding the streets, and on the
same system suppose, an Increase Of the cur
rencv Is contemplated But it is not clear to my
mind that, after al, they really have any more
houses than they would if they ciphered them up
In the ordinary way.
Ifstrange emotions swclled my soul on simply
standing in the streets Of the political metropolis,
what proud feeling, think you, gushed mp within
me when sat in the House of Representa- tivcs as
spectator and not a memberi In view Of one fact
that Immediately arrested my atteDtiOn-thaJ so
many kLayes and fools are sent TO Washington at
the expense OF the peopie-it seemed to me strange
indeed that had to pay my own fare from Cow
anus for, if a man does not come under one cate
CORY OF the other. where does he belong, ana what
business has he in Washington anyway This was
problem which agitated my peaceful breast for no
little time and I was only diverted from it when
Gen. Bu-ler-the Double-headed Eagle Of Massa-
chusetts. as Grace Greenwood once termed him.
believe, IN a Washington correspondence-rose to
speak.
Ii has always been comfort TO me this seeing
Gen. Batter on the floor at Washington. for knew
that while he stood there my spoons at home-in
Gowanus-were safe And now that he was strug-
Cling to give rs all or two hundred Thousand
dollars apiece my heart went out TO him all Ill
gusb. a. IL were.
On rising. the General cast quick glance at the
gallery. at once recognizing the gentleman from
Gowanus, think-anyway, be cooked his eye al me.
Then he began his speech, and II was beautiful.
"Wko So st0ny-hearted,7 be said, as TO sit unmOyed
on a cane-b0ttomed chair the stool Of Office,
while tie cry Of distress up from all parts of
the land and refuse 70 lend helping band-aye, to
give helping hand-especially when it would MT
cost a cent From the West, the East, the North.
and the south say nothing of the constituency of
Gloucester which he represented, came the cry Of
poverty the complaint that no one had any money.
Why not give them some then Why permit the
Government presses TO stand idle when paper could
be bought for ten cents pound and million dollars
could be printed il a minute by simply turning a
cTankY See Won sad orphan and he pointed d.
rectly at me why not send him on his way rejoic-
-. ~ "a ~ and .,