Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1876-02-05
CAPITAL CURRENTS.
The Scheming Morton.
Disadvantages. 1.-The Gallery Nui-
sance.----Burns' Birthday. -----The
Beautiful Snow.
fom Ow On Coresponlent.l

sance.----Burns' Birthday.-----The
Beautiful Snow.
From Our 0cn Correspondent
WAsHINGToN, February /, 1876.
Morton, OF Bloody Shirt notoriety, has sud-
denly changed his tack in the Presidential
race. Dropping the role of Southern Outrage
Inventor, the honorable Senator is trying to
make some election capital ont Of the sudden
ly discovered wrongs under which the people
Of this District are presumed TO suffer. Ia the
Senate yesterday morning the stump-noSed
gentleman from Indiana arose aud had few
words % say auent our condition, aud the re-
latiou the government bore towards US. Not
exactly few words were they, either; O. p
NJ, I'm view Of his future residence after leay-
iag this vale Of tears, 10 be filed out, Sympa-
thetically-O, Poor Man = stood up there for
an hour and talked to my honorable friend
from Massachusetts (DJdger Dawes 10 the
most grandeloquent style, protesting against
the assumption that we lof the District were
competent 10 govern ourselves. No. Sir, they
are not and the government must continue
its tTuSiiul care OF It's ward. They look to us
(COngreSSl for protection and we,muSt render
faithful aid to the Nations chief ward-its
capital this, and more, much more to the
same purpose showed plainly what 0. p. H.,
is driving at He is making a dead set for the
presidency and thinks to garner few friends
here by advocating government aid for our
city.
Il is quite evident. even to the most super
fetal observer that the
DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY
in the House is suffering terribly for want of
a leader-a leader, not merely in name, nor
even as regards well fxeI political principles,
but one 50 thoroughly conyerslnt with parlia-
meutary rules aud tactics as 70 be q worthy
successor Of the deposod Republican leader
Blaine was, | think, the most accomplished,
Thoroughly accomplished pirliamentariaa in
the Uuited States long service in Congress
had proved a field wherein his natural quick-
ness Of observation and ready speech found an
ample field for expansion, aud he surrendered
the gavcl last March and retired from tic
Speakers Chair with quiet consciousness lof
which any legislator might be proud that his
peer in the station just rendered up TO aLothcr
party did not exist in tins country. This con-
trolling ability of Blaine'S is serving him aud
his party in admirable stead on the floor Tine
aud again he jerks upon the poor Democratic
amateurs IN House tactics some trap into
which, from sheer ignorance, they are only too
often sure to fall. Ia vain does Kerr sit his
chair and try 10 lead his followers out of the
mire into which the skilful OK Rcpublicau lea
Ter has chased them. Kerr knows no more OF
governing the House than the greeuest mem
Der on the floor anll he has lost strong stand
by liu all parliamentary argumen0 by the
resignation OF Barclay who surrendered his POI
sitiuu rs journal Clerk from fear of being
turned out 10y the maj rity. may recur to
this SUBJECT again.
While speaking occasionally, LET me men
ti,n a subject which merits general diSappro-
val the Capitol, here. l refer to the
HOUSE GALLERIES.
These used to be partit1ued of for ladies and
gentlemen, with extra stalls, only, for the d-
plumatc corps. Now, llcSs you, three fOurlhs
Of the gcntemeuS side Is labelled Reserved,
and woe betide the unlucky wight who tries
to get in. Ignorance aad lnSJlence, combined
in the new gallery S-ntrleS, meet him with a
threatening air aud biz silver headed cane
And for whom these galleries are Reserved,
Heaven alone knows dOut. There are some
persons-m mostly gentlemen with f t corpora
tons aud ditto watch sells-who amble lazly
up 10 the door, tip wink TO the otherwise
Surly guardian, and pass in unmolcsted.-
The portion of the gentlemeu's gallery which
is not reserved, is taken up entirely by dirty,
greasy looking negroes who tlS one Of them
admitted to brother quill driver merely 20
into the gallery because it offers a comfortable
place to stay ana Sleep Now, here's a nice
condition Of things, amt il? Shades Of the
immortal Sumner, We may rej1ice, iii Shades
ever 10 rejoice J for Africa has 50 far won in
pursuing his rights as TO usurp completely
those OF his Caucasian brother.
THE BURNS CLUB
celebrated the ll7th anniversary of the birth
of Sco;la's bard by grand festive gathering
one evening last week. There was 4 large at
tendance aud mirth aud music held high car
nival for some hours. Addresses were deliv-
cred 10y Congressman Frye and Knott; aud of
the latter am not saying anything out of tie
way in declaring that be fairly outdid himself.
The lalies toiettes were simply scrumptious.
How can undertake to describe them? Ow-
ever there was one who has such host Of
friends in the " historic precincts Of c. "
that may be parlouel Cor mentioning one of
the prei,ieSt faces in the room Miss Katie A.
Galaher WAS atlred in white tule over cicl
blue crocadeJ silk, couture in natural curls,
caught with spray of field daisies. She look
cd charming aud danced yet more chlrmusly
THE BEAUTIFUL snow
has not yet appeared. am beginning to
think that the frathery flake has entirely aban-
doned this latitude on account, perhaps, Of the
white mantle il forms being instantly turned
into slush pools 10y the wheels Of society car
ragcS bearing Society's Queens