The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-01-26
Our Washington Correspondence,
wAsHISGToS, Jan. %, 1877.

Our Washington Correspondence.
wAsHISoToS, Jan. %, 1877.
Another heavy snow-storm is coming
upon us to-day and although the wealth
ier classes enjoy the unwonted luxury Of
a few days OF fine sleighing or skating
that this exceptionally severe winter has
given them, it is looked upon by the
miserably poor-of whom this city Is
anid 10 contain more than any other Of
ita sizs in the cor1try-as dire calam-
ity for the suffering and distress it brings
upon them. The District Of Columbia,
having no Government Of its own, has
no means Of relieving poverty stricken
sufferers except by private charity,
which has this winter proved to be en-
tireIy insufficient for the demand. More
than a thousand families are now de-
pendent upon charity for food, clothing
and fuel-and quite recently soup
house has been established by individ-
nails which feeds hundreds Of half.starved
creatures daily. The huts and shanties
in which thousands of the poorest in
habitar a live, or stay, are by no means
designed for shelter from keen winter
weather, such as we have seen this sea-
son, and things had come to desperate
pas. with many when, on Saturday last
Congress passed bill, appropriating
$4,000 for the relief Of the destitute
DOOR In tho District. The money is to
be drawn by the Commissioners Of the
District in monthly installments as may
be shown 10 be necessary by the report
OF the relief commissioner, and report
In detail, Of the disbursements, is to be
made to Congress on the first Monday in
December.
The great topic for political discussion
and conversation, just now, is the appa-
rent nearness Of settlement Of the cleo
toral question. The COMMITTEES reported,
some days ago, plan agreed upon
which amounted briefly 70 the appoint
ment of Eve Senators, five Representa-
tiyes, and fve Judges Of the SUPP eme
Caurt Of the United States to count the
Electoral vote. The question has been
pending 90 long and so much anxiety
has been felt in regard to il, that il ID
thought but little opposition will be
made 10 the passage Of the bill that will
mako the proposed plan law. Senator
Morton is its principal opposer.
The Woman Soffragists held their
ninth National Convention here last
week, and on Saturday. petitions were
presented 10 both Houses of Congress
praying for the enfranchisement of wo.
mon. The petitions were favored by
several and treated with respectful at
tention by all, read. and referred to the
committee on Privileges and Elections
The cause Of these indefatigable women
really seems nearer an accomplishment
than ID ever has before. To say ths
very least Of IL, II is gaining ground
Mrs. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B
Anthony, Matilda Josslyn Gage, Pheb'
Cozzens, Lille Devereaux Blake, anC
many others Of equal importance in th'
cause were on the field last week. Belv'
Lockwood, an attorney at Law residing
in Washington, has an individual griev
ance-as many Of these good ladies hav
lin that she was last fall refused per
mission to practice before the bar Of tn
u. 8. Supreme Court, for the reasoI
that she is n woman. As she herself re
marked, IL is a difficulty which she i
entirely unable to overcome-so sh
has appealed TO Congress to remove tn
legal disabilities Of women-and il ha
been done within week. Miss Anthon
assisted upon her right to vote in Me-
York last fall, for which ofense she wa
arrested and fined hundred dollars b
the u. s. s. Court. The payment {
tins fne has never been insisted upoi
but stands fled against her. Trul.
women are Of some consequence IN tn
world, after all!
On the last evening Of the Convention
an Mas Phoebe Cozzens was Iannounce
TO speak, DIR. Mary Walker, in her r
form suit, consisting of pantaloons a
male gender, and a sort of half'6ttir
frock reaching nearly TO the knee, a
tempted 10 submit a resolution, and
insisted upon II, although entirely o
Of order, that the President of the A
sociation, Mrs. Stanton, was obliged
send for policeman to remove her.
much for Woman's rights.
Affairsat the Capital are picking up
somewhat. having assumed much liv
lier aspect Of late than they have wo
before this winter. Entertainments al
amusements are unusually good. '
have Janauschek in theatricals, E
Mill in opera, Talmadge and Beecher
the lecture room, and dinners, lunch
dancing parties and receptions amo
the bon Ton are in daily and nightly ord
Mrs. Grant gave her second public
cep,ion last Friday afternoon and a
psared her best in an exquisite toilet
fashioned after Worth, Of canary color
silk worn under court train Of bla
silk with high corsage and slash
sleeves. Nrs. Sartoris wore blue dumd
and point lace; and Mrs. Fred era
cream-colored silk with cardinal tri
mings.
The Bslknaps who were 30 much
vogue year ago-in more ways th
one-are in the city this winter, hvi
on the upper floor Of the Arlington +
tel, in utter seclusion. They go into
ciety none at all. "what fall ,
there, my counirymen!"
NJ. NJ. "
The measure for counting the electo
vote which was reported by the comm