Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1874-01-29
FROM WASHINGTON.
Winter sOciety-The Chief Justiceship-"sai.
AIRY Grab - Interesting Discussion - Cheap
Transportation Convention.
WAsHINGroS, JAN. %, 1874.


Of many years, seemi" lest known
GUS burlesaue or g only ride
ast week cap. !. that season; but
md q howl e four inches of snow
,yeryy ing wind which sent this
'he mere, ar d the sharp frost and
sight Of squads of mufied Afri-
/ cans resembling veritable Esquimax,
have given us touch of winter which
would honor the Badger State.
The capitol is in its glory inow.-
The wheels of legislation move at last.
Conventions are in daily session, and
the lecture and concert season is fully
inaugurated. The leading theatrical
stars draw crowded houses, and $50
ciety' so called, has decked its kings
nd queens for the season perceptions,
which seem to be series of calls up
on each other at advertised hours,
| when few moments of the most com
monplace gossip is INDUCED, mammas
show off their daughters TO the best
advantage, and both cast their most
bewitching smiles at Mr.. Fitzhoodle.
A few jeweled fingers are touched,
few bows and scrapes are INDUCED,
the elegant costumes are measured
with the eye and the cost calculated.
The newspaper reporter is expected
to observe the length of Miss Jones'
train, and the number of yards of point
lace upon her suit, and when the ex-
hibition is ended, all retire with minds
fully made up not to be beaten in the
next like display of extravaganza and
folly. This is no fancy sketch as some
of your readers may imagine, but is
instead, only too tame an exhibit Of
one of the extremes of fashionable
life.
To the writer the whole system
seems hollow, heartless, and false, a
sad commentary on the virtues Of a
people Boosting Of their republican
simplicity, and correct IDEAS Of econo'
my, and we think there is more heart
and soul, and the "sFeet wine Of life"
in one of our old style Of evening en-.
tertainments in Grant County farm
house at this season of the year, than
could be drawn from the style Of life
we have described, in a "Coon's age. y
These Society entertainments show
very plainly why 5000 dollars was
too small an amount for a corgres.
sional salary.
A most unusual interest has been
excited here over the effort Of the
President to find a successor to Mr.
Chase, and the singular spectacle has
been presented of the Senate objectine
to the confirmation Of presidential
appointment, wheE two thirds Of that
body are in the strongest political
sympathy with the appointing power
The fact that such exception has
been taken is healthy sign of the
times, indicating that the will Of nc
single man is omnipotent as against
that Of the people.
There is no question but the verdict
of the country was that Mr.. Williams
was not the man for the position, that
the measure of his ability, learning
and experince was not such as to war.
rant his appointment for life to place
to which should have been accorded
the highest legal talent, the most pro.
found scholarship, and the ablest
craftsmanship IN the country.
Strange that the rejection Of Mr.
Williams should have so soon been
followed by another failure, owing to
the discovery of certain letters Of Mr..
Gushing in the rebel archives address.
ed TO Mr.. Davis after the inaugura.
ton Of the rebellion. The country
did not kindly receive his nomination
believing his age too great. and objec-
ting most decidedly to his well known
adherence to the southern doctrine Of
Estates Rights"
The failure of the above gentlemen
to obtain confirmation, places them in
most unenyiable light before the
country, and it is hoped the present
appointment, Judge Waite Of Ohio, IS
the Fright man for the place"
The long agony over the "Salary
Grab" is over, thanks to the people
who arose in their might and ocmpell
ed their unwilling servants to repeal
the infamous act Of March, 1873. The
voice of the whole country as express.
ed in conventions of all parties, and
by the Press, was for the repeal of the
act in toto, so far as the increase Of
salaries was concerned but defying
this popular and righteous demand,
the House passed resolution fixing
congressional salaries at $1,000 and
then adjourned for the holidays. After
the recess, the Senate, by large ma
jority, voted to repeal the act Of last
year, except SO far as relates TO the
President and the Judiciary, and the
House on the day following, having
been home, and witnessed the "blood
in the eye" of their constituents, and
felt their determined beat of pulse.
voted almost unanimously to concur
in the Senate resolution fixing the sal.
airy at the old rate.
This triumph Of right is ground for
hope to every patriot and lover of his
country, that while politicians may be
dishonest, legislation for selfish ends
may thwart the peoples will for a time,
vet the great heart of the American