The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1877-01-18
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENCE.
Delayed letter.
WASHTycrnN n n Ion


the week past, and it is almost priceless
task to review the rising and falling pul- |
sations OF passing days. All the talk of |
compromises, and the rumors which to-
day inspire the Democrats with hope and
tomorrow revive Republican spirits are
speculative and conjecture. 1t is believ-
ed by some that the House and Senate
committees now at work will agree upon a
satisfactory plan for conducting the count,
but my judgment, from what | know of
the few meetings so far held, is that no
such agreement will be reached. The
only possible way would be the adoption
of plan that would enable the House to
elect Tilden President and the Senate to
elect Wheeler Vice President. But do
not think many of the Republicans in
the Senate are now ready TO agree to this.
No joint meeting of the committee has
been held. The reports of the Southern
committees are anxiously awaited by both
sides and with them may come some def
mite determination of the course Of pro-
cedure-something that shall resolve the
uncertainty in which the whole matter is
still undeveloped. Much depends upon the
opinion and action of certain Senators
who up to this time are uncommitted. 1t
has been claimed with much confidence
that Senator Blaine and Conkling are
preparing to repudiate the decisions Of
returning boards in Louisiana and Flori-
da, and that other Senators less promi-
nent will follow in their wake. But this
appears to be conjecture, like all the rest,
for there is no utterance or other sub
stantial indications of such a purpose.
Even yesterday Senator Conkling, in pre-
senting memorial from business men of
New York, urging peaceful and salts
factory settlement of the controversy, did
not let fall word that could betray his
own position, though his remarks were
received in almost breathless excitement.
The Oregon case is cutting good deal
of figure in the controversy just now.
Mr.. Cronin and Gov. Grover are both
here, and for the moment are the real
lions of the day. The Governor is to
have serenade this evening. Sen. Nor
gan's committee has had them both before
it, but without eliciting anything of conse-
quence. The Senator thinks that q large
sized mares nest could be discovered if he
could only get hold of telegraph dispatch
es sent between New York and the Capt.
tai of Oregon. So far however there Is
nothing to sustain the notion, and the
prevailing opinion is that Morton has
struck the wrong trail this time. Sena-
tor Wright expressed some rather uncom-
plimentary sentiments concerning Growers
actions the other day, while the latter re-
clined on sofa near the cloak room of
the senate chamber. But the Governor
took it coolly. Whatever may be the
difference of opinion touching the matter,
Governor Grover certainly talks and acts
like a man who believes he is legally
right. ..a.
There is one thing upon which public
opinion in Washington does not appear
divided, and that is that the few days be-
tween the holidays, and few more hang
ing on the edge of the same, cannot be
given up wholly to serious work. AL Of
the sojourners here this season, caught a
little of the general spirit of revelry by
night and consequent apathy by day,
which infects the resident population al
ways. Social life has been picking up
wonderfully. We have been in the midst
of a Sc: son of dinners, festivals, recep-
tions, matinees, carnivals and Germans.
And to make things still more jolly for
pleasure seekers, the heavy fall of snow of
New Years day, and the unprecedented
run of sleighing was timely. 1t is a real
old orthodox New England winter The
"Ayenue" is now almost from morning
till night, one Of the liveliest scenes of
gaiety to be witnessed anywhere. The
only thing the people suffer from, neces-
sary for general outdoor enjoyment, is
the scarcity of sleighs. The opportunity
for sleigh-rides here is scarce. The sup
ply of sleighs is very limited, and they
are worth their weight in gold almost.
Livery stable men make no bones of de-
manding your birth-right in exchange for
the use, for an hour or two, of an old
fashioned pung which would be unpre-
sentable in any northern city. The con.
sequence is, fellow grows sad. He
wants to take his girl out in fancy sleigh,
and he feels uncomfortable these beauti-
full moonlight nights. The old sense of
obligation to do that sort of thing which
used always to move him when he lived
in land of snow, and sleighs make him
nervous and dissatisfied with himself.
He has a great variety of other amuse-
ments to select from, but they are all in
in violent contrast with the poetry of
bells, and snug ride with your own or
somebody elses sweetheart. But the
favorite solace Of Washington people is to
dance. One might as well furl his wings
| and lie down to eternal vegetation as to
take up winters residence in Washing
ton, and not dance. So the society young
man, If he cannot get sleigh, slips into
his dress suit, thrusts one hand beneath
his spike-tailed coat and with immacu-
late tie, and white kids, sallies forth in
search of social conquests.
Department clerks are large element
in outside Washington society. The dear
Treasury girls" are out of a pleasant
afternoon, arrayed more gorgeously than
Solomon or the lilies, in bewitching pull
backs, rouge, pearlpowder, dark eyebrows
and under-scored eyelashes. They move
down Pennsylvania Avenue, usually in
pairs, from the Treasury Department to
the Capital, via. the avenue, II is u meas
ured mile; but only IA portion of this dis
tance is fashionable for promenading.
Our Treasury beauty husbands her attrac-
tions until she reaches Thirteenth street;
here she is truly formidable, and Mem
bers of Congress, or attaches of Foreign
legation, to say nothing of our famished
army officers, from the western borders,
who are able to pass her without one long
lingering look, deserves certificate from
the returning board composed of such
anchorites as Plato and Stoicus. But
let us not, as is the fashion, lightly ac.
1 cuSa hor of leyitv naralu haeausa Ike