Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1877-12-08

WAsnINGroN, D. c.,
H. r TO-

Dec, S, 1877.
Half generation ago when Wash
ington and its life were new to your
correspondent, be passed every day on
one Of the city's wide avenues sturdy
musician who upon bright new acs
cordeon, played the martial airs then SO
popular. The players object was gain
and his vigorous and noisy music was
hardly more constant than the fall iDto
his ample plate of the shining uicle and
the rustling of bits Of fractional curren-
cy. He was in the high tide Of popu-
larity and success. As the years went
by he kept his accustomed place, and
regularity, but With gradually failing
fingers, gave us the old, old music.
Later, his Instrument was cracked and
discolored, his hands were weak and
trembling, and those who paused to lis
ten remained to pity but not to admire,
l passed him the other night at the same
spot. The fragments of the ACCORDION
had dropped from his nerveless grasp,
and lay before him; he was withered
and shrunken; there were no tokens of
life about him save when his hands in
voluntarily attempted, now and then, in
an aimless and uncertain way, to make
again the motions that had onoe given
the listening crowds the notes of "John
Browns Body" or his form swung
weakly to and fro, A penny or two
had been carelessly thrown into the
once prosperous plate, as some citizen
had FASTENED his footsteps in passing
by. ] thought, if this wreck of another
time could for moment have aroused
in his broken body the strength of earl
er days, and have expended that dying
energy in attempting to repeat the
music of the past, succeeding ir
bringing forth only noise and horrible
discord, how like would that exhibition
be to another even then to be seen in
the Senate, where Conkling and
Edmppds in pitiful imitation Of that
which had been, were yainiy striving to
force what was left of Republicanism to
produce the well known party music
The old musician in little while will
be buried in Potter's Field. The party
of hatred and violence-it is already
dead. The very ferceness of its late
struggle has fastened the "inevitable
hour" AS you know the last important
act of the Senate, at the Extra session
was the admission Of Butler and Kel-
logg. The proper Committee reported
favorably on Eustis, but too late to Sc,
cure his admission. The subject will
come up early in the regular session,
aud Matthews, David Davis, Patterson,
Turnover, and several others, besides
Democrats, will vote to seat him. There
is no doubt of the result.
The message of Mr. Hayes is not all
that could be desired, but what an ad-
vance it is upon late messages There
is not, from beginning to end that en-
phasizes section or centralism-in short,
that speaks of Republioanism as now
understood and preached by its Blain's
and Conklins. Its financial features
will be looked upon with favor or dis.
like, according to individual ideas of
what is desirable, but this is not now
and is not likely to be, party question.
1t is not as decisive as one could wish
in speaking of the Mexican question; it
should have made adventures and spec
ulators understood at once that they
could No: force the country into war for
their own ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 1t modest
ly and most correctly omits to claim
any considerable success for its writer's
civil service reform efforts. AS to the
Treasury, there are enormous abuses III
its management, well known to MIR.
Hayes, which are not alluded to. The
recommendations as to the Army and
Navy follow pretty closely the ideas of
the Secretaries. There is good and
we'll deserved word for this District,
Let US, whether he is really and right
fully President or not, thank God that
no worse man than Hayes occupies the
seat.
Of what will be done by Congress in
the early portion of the regular session,
no one seems to be certain. Probably
the holiday recess will be taken early
and the consideration Of important mat
tiers be deferred until January. The
Senate, if not the House, is in condition
to enjoy rest.
The Daily Post will appear this week
under excellent management, and pro-
misses to be, what we never have had
here, Democratic paper at once lively
and able. / hear of many business men
who will give it a helping hand from
the first, and among newspapers people
there is more than ordinary confidence
in the financial success of the enterprise.
HILTON.
pa Geo. d. Conley has for sale
splendid new Empire Sewing Machine,
with all necessary attachments; runs
light and does splendid work. Will
take in exchange corn for part payment.
1t is unquestionably low in price. Call
on5 coo him