The Portland daily press., 1876-03-01
Our Washington Letter.

speedily, but all at once we are brought to book.
A lady, church member, gave reception, in
viting her pastor with his wife. Some Of her
friends were unsanctifed enough to enjoy dane.
ing, and they danced! Immediately the old
spirit of the Methodist church was reused, and
in preachers meeting DR.. Newman was asked
to rise and explain his presence at dance
This he did in his own characteristic, unequiy-
ocal fashion, and we find that there are still re-
naming some ministers who really think danc-
ing an immoral, or at least demoralizing
practice. dom propose tc discuss that cues
tion, but Ss this is the nineteenth century
where liberty of conscience is conceded fact,
want you to notice that high degree of NOR
al courage is shown when popular pastor
dares SO openly to confront and rebuke popu-
lar pleasure. DIR. Newman has been accused of
toadying to those in power, of being careful
how he trod on the sensitive toes of social mag
mates. This late manifesto doesn't look much
like trucking" does it? True the good doctor
concluded while on the defensive he might as
well give one more round, and Washington so.
ciety has his opinion of fashionable dissipation.
There add my hearty Hamen," though Pm
not Methodist. Only this afternoon 1 saw
gentleman, handsome, wealthy, talented and
cultivated, but his handsome face is shown
terrible signs of the life he is leading here this
winter. Que glass of champagne sets his brain
on fire, yet fair ladies smiling sweetly offer the
sparkling perdition, and Mr.. AS winter in
in Washington will prove the ruin of his life.
No wonder DR.. Newman denounces the prac-
tice! haven't time to add my mite of tenn
perance lecture; let your own experience fur
nish each of you with both argument and illus
tration.
f.la ascg7 A STUPID CONGRESS. ..
Dearly beloved! this forty-foursh Congress is
awfully stupid. hate to acknowledge it. I
wanted it to accomplish wonders, and it just
won't accomplish anything. Three months and
scarcely bill passed of any Importance, yet
the noble army of lawmakers solemnly assem-
bes with an airlof immediate execution. In
vestigatons are said to be progressing behind
the closed doors of various committee rooms,
but we may endure our feverish curiosity as
best we may, and on the floor private bills are
being rushed through with dim hope of de-
molshing the pile, but every day brings to un-
lucky members new assortment. Have you
onJ AUOa INV tucoC pOOI are L6SleS6us
AT their residences they have little rest, and
once in their desks at the House they are SUBJ
ject to mercilessly renewed attacks. Cards
without number are brought to them; legiti-
mate business would demand enough of their
attention, but there are the persistent lobbyists
whose devices vary with every day. Doubtless
the, widespread stories concerning the charms
OF these lobbyists make you fancy them alto
gether lovely. Some of them may be but not
those who haunt the Capitol. Men have their
own methods which we cannot so well criticize,
but the women who fill the reception rooms,
the regular corps of crusaders in this miserable
warfare upon conscience and right, what can
we say of them? ..,.t..r..5 r .--4. .-....
't.e- A SCENE IN THE SENATE. H .H
The endless Chorpenning claim is still beg
ging to be heard. The expernce of years OF
defeat never weares the applicants; they rather
like the excitement and this year in ADDITION to
all other agents they have enlisted Kate STAN
ton. Her really brilliant intellect, her ready
pen and personal fascinatIons are all engaged.
At present Senator Spencer is the target for
the whole battery so to-day in the public gal
lery that man was sitting between Miss STAN
tOh ouu OuO VI DCE III SUCH Close pTOA.
unity and in such intimate fashion as to at
tract universal attention and disgust. Miss
Stanton was richly dressed, but she had thrown
off both hat and cloak; her long blond hair
was very slightly confined and there those two
women were talking and smiling as if supreme
~ happy while "tte little fat Satler' (as he is
known in Alabama) sat winking and blinking
with about as much expression in his disgust
ing face as any other animal. II beg pardon of
the entire animal kingdom for the comparison
but he isn't vegetable or an animal)
Encept Miss Stanton l have not seen passa-
bly, good looking women among the lobbyists.
They are usually over dressed, painted hideous-
ly, and when one sees them lying in wait for
their prey, they are by no means charming.
Really meritorious bills never need aid. Men
are quite willing to argue just cause among
themselves. 1 wondered to-day if the honorable
Senators upon the floor saw the scene in the
gallery and what they thought about it.
There was spicy debate yesterday upon the
Indian bill. Those Indians are no joke to
those who are forced to live near their reserva-
tions but the topic never comes before our leg
islators without eliciting any amount of wit.
Whenever Mr.. Oglesby rises to his feet there is
cessation of writing and talking, chairs are
wheeled round and everybody listens. The old
gentleman is always fluent; he shakes that
round white head in an emphatic gesticulation
when his hands are also busy pointing his
meaning; his wary eyes twinkle with conta-
gious fun, and all his big body becomes mag.
netic. His hits yesterday were not such as to
bear separation from their context, but if you
will read his speech you will easily understand
why those grave and reverend seignors utterly
forgot their gravity, OF endured its explosion
every two minutes. Is that sentence an odd
one? Will please to tell me if laughter is not
an explosion of gravity sending that emineutly
respectable but tiresome attribute out Of sight
and hearing? This puzzling question of the
Black Hills is vexatious enough. Senator
Oglesby insists that the red men are quite al
fit for citizenship as the black men; that they
ought to be amenable to law and that we might
| at least try the experiment since all Others
have failed. His illusions to the ''unwritter
policy" by which the Eastern and Middle
States shook off the Indians were very anus
ing. The poor wretches really seem to have nc
right to existence in our midst since they are
| so unchristian as to cherish undying hatred fol
the white men who have taken from them
their wide domains What a, pity, that il
| they can't comprehend the beauty of forgive.
| ness or the charm of loving their enemies, thai
| they cannot learn the philosophy which brave.
" endures disaster, and robs misfortune of it;
sting by laughing In its face. But the red
mans laugh is something as awful as his wal
cry and his smile, o! that is SO hdeously sug
gestive of lurking cruelty that one never de
sires to see it twice, so 1 don't know whether
Fate would be discerned in that way.
SENATOR BOOTH.
Among all the gentlemen filling those Sen
atorial chairs there is not one attracting more
attention than the bachelor from California.
His erect figure and digniied carriage give
him an air Of Distinction; his perfect com
plexion, soft brown hair and pleasant smile
make him decidedly handsome, and then if you
know him you will find an added charm in the
low rich voice and courtly manner which art
so eminently his own. He makes but fe "
speeches, yet those few carry weight and he
commands degree of pleased attention which