Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1876-03-18
Letter from Washington.
wAsnINeroN. March 18th, 1876.

WASHINGTON, March 18th, 1876.
Investigation is the order Of the day, but
one of the most important to the citizens OF
this District is the % Safe Burglary" The
Real Estate Investigating Committee may be
one OF importance, but it IS not oil so much I'M
port or significance IS that connected with the
Harrington conspiracy. The resolution intro
duced in the House last week by Mr. Duckner.
of Missouri, iustructing the Judiciary COM
mittee TO inquire among other things into the
famous afe-burglary case" will, undoubtedly,
bring the facts of that notorious matter to light,
unearth aud expose the vlllainy SO long here
prevailing.
The nomination Of Richard II. Dana, j., OF
Massachusetts,, as Minister to the Court OF st.
James, is a decided Improvement on Robert Z.
Schenck. Mr. Dana is gentleman OF culture
and refinement, whose hands are clear OF any
lobby business, mine swinGles, etc, and he
will, no doubt, prove a very acceptable d.
plomat. He is the author of . Two Years Be-
fore the Mast, work of romance and OF fact,
in which the principal charact r is the author,
he having been on the raging main the time
indicated The book was for long time very
popular with the young folks. his account of
lis travels and wanderings being much relish
ed. This work has also been supplemented by
labors of higher aqd more practical CHARACTER.
Mr. Dana is about 60 years Of age; his grand
father, Francis Dana. being our Minister to
Russia during the Revolution.
Il is said, there was a law, many years ago,
in Great Britain, forbidding woman from en-
ticng man into marimony, BY reason of de-
ception-lalse teeth, false hair, false bust, ETC.,
c.,--under penalty Of an immediate divorce,
and imprisonment for the nnlucky 'pinster.-
! If such law were in force hereabouts, fear
that our Equity Court would be kept busy
dssolvng the marriage tie if prominent
merchant on Seventh street in this city is to
be believed. OF course, false teeth and hair
are to be excused if it were not, many OF the
masculine gender would suffer in consequence;
/ but this dealer states, that he has been doing
a GOOD business in fdlSe cGlceS, fuse duSts,
! Glse arms, and such dke-all Of Partisan i'm
portaton. And furthermore, that lady, who
has been occupying high social position was
one of his principal patrons 1t is fearful to
contemplate this feminine physical deliuqnen-
! cy; aud where oh where can we find a
statesman competent to provide remedy
! Horror?
The antagonism tothis derclction of ply
sique, is the moral sentiment of the people oil
| The country, (which so lately received such a
rude Shock), that is now determined to have
better men in Office, and per consequence bet
ter government Women are excellent lmlia-
tors, quick to learn, and quick to act; and the
leprusy fraud that has been growing upon US,
and sapping the vias Of our government, has
been the incentive 10 the feminine mind, to
I r. ,lo.4r,,, tlt.
Of a household, by proving vague, shadowy
and ethereal, where were thought compactnesS,
, soli3ty and substance. OIL Jemima
The Bill introduced in the House by the
Hon Charles J. Faulkner, " to apply the pro.
cecds Of the public lands to the education OF
the people-the fund to be distributed among
the states upon the ratio of those who cannot
read aud write between the ages of and u
the fund to be under the entire control OF
the state authorities with reservation OF one
eighth to be applied to Agricultural and Me
chauical Colleges within the states-a Tree
scholars ship to be allowed in each college for
every $4,000 received on account OF this
fund" evihces comprehensivenesS OF mind
worthy of that gentleman. The education OF
the masses is the que ton that now takes prom
inent place in the minds of the eminent men
of the country; and how it can be accom-
Iished is the problem as yet unsOlved Mr..
Faulkner takes q bold yet wise step toward the
solution, by the introduction Of the bill just
quoted. I differs from that Of Hon. Gilbert
! c. Walker, in that i, allows the Agricultural
Colleges, etc, to derive some Of the benefits.
which the latter does not Ii is TO be hoped
that the measure will pass both houses OF con-
rress the present session. and with the sigma
ture Of the President, become a law, 50 that
with the education of the people Ignorance will
become a barbarism Of the past and our conn
try enter upon her second centennial with eve
ry hope of a brighter and more glorious future.