The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-03-29
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

the Presidents veto to the silver bill,
and rested, Of course, from its labors.
There was no excitement, as Mr. Ferry,
the acting e-President, had directed
the sergeant-at-arms to arrest any
guilty of disturbing the peace, and so
Quiet we're all the proceedings that the
visitor, looking down from the galleries,
would not have supposed the most i'm
portant act Of the Senate this session
was before them. Mr.. Speaker Randall
and scores Of the members OF the House
were on the 40of 20 see the fun. But
the work Of the Senators surprised all,
and it took only few minutes to dis
pose Of the Presidents objections and
get the Senate back again into its dig
nified rut. Everybody supposed Mr.
Conkling would rise aud explain him
self, but he was as mute as a mouse,
save in voting aye. In the House, how
ever, the scene was quite different, for
it became a bedlam OF confusion in a
moment after Speaker Randall an
nounced the veto message. sam Cox,
in his usual harum-scarum way, charged
that the message was a "fraud by a
fraud" which OF course brought the
Republicans to their feet, and ELECTED a
regular hurrah from the Democrats, and
some minutes elapsed before order could
be restored.
The happiest men among US are the
Mexican war veterans, since they have
every promise Of securing pensions on
the same basis of the war Of 1872 sol
diers. The radical silver men are dis
gusted because their sweeping ideas
have not been adopted, while the gold
OF mind because Congress has made
even a medium concession 20 the clamor
for reconciliation. Tom Scott sorrows
because he can't get a huge subsidy for
his Pacific road, and so on throughout
the whole horde of hungry applicants
for a share Of public money, the refusal
Of Congress TO give them their desired
slices having caused great discomfort.
The Mexican war soldiers, however,
with their hopeful prospects, are as
jubilant as il already in possession Of
their pensions. While we do not object
to this measure, In itself, there is rather
an unpleasant reflection connected with
il. At the bottom OF all the agitation
and demand that Congress shall recog-
n:ze the Mexican war soldiers after
thirty years, precisely as it did the sol
diers Of the Revolution and 1872 wars,
after fifty years had elapsed, is one
claim agent who expects to reap a rich
harvest in collecting the pensions Of the
beneficiaries. He has his drummers
everywhere manufacturing public opin-
/ ion, and with them has such arrange
ments made as will enable him to Sc
cure TO himself the collection Of the ma
/ jority of the claims of the survivors. To
US this sudden patriotic impulse, which
varies the rule extended other veterans
of past wars, smacks so largely of our
public virtuous indignation against gifts
to other Pacific railroads, which the
1
money in arousing everywhere through
out the country, that it often is difficult
to treat the matter seriously. We
would give our wild lands to any corpo-
ration which would construct a railroad
through them; but the Union Pacific
thinks it an erroneous policy, and we
submit with a smile, however, at its
shrewdness in moulding public opinion
against our views. it reaps a rich har-
vest by its monopoly, and makes more
money each year through it than the
government receives annually in gros;
for all its public lands. Our observation
here is that every virtue which has pub.
lie money or property directly or indi
, rectly connected with it is as duly
bought and paid for as that directed
2 against gifts Of Western land to opposi
ton Pacific railroads.
The President held his late reception
on Tuesday night, and the White Hous
was, as usual, most uncomfortabll
crowded. II required nearly an hour Il
3 get from the cloak-room to the blue
D room, where Mr.. and Mrs. Hayes re
ceived There is such a dull samenes
> in these receptions that attending on
. suflices to crafty ordinary curiosity
and yet there are those who attend all
and who, not satisfied with passinl
through the jam and shaking hand
>. once in the same evening with th
: President, will repeat il as often as tim
will permit. Those who have neve
seen the glittering display worn b.
= handsome ladies, and the richly-fur
nished rooms Of the White House unde
-. the glare of gaslight, accompanied wit
/. the fascinating strains Of music fror
=. our fine marine band, cannot but enjo
a reception. The utmost good hume
prevails. The owner Of the richest sill
and costliest jewels submits apparent
with the best OF grace to the elbowing
% some rather plainly-dressed plebeiar
n Policemen are at every turn to keep ia
'i crowd in line and to preserve order, e1
= eepting in the east-room, to which eac
y caller must at once pass after the Pres
Il dent has shaken hands with him. Tn
u is large enough to permit comfortab
= expansion for the large numbers VII
% pour into 1t. Lent will soon end OF
=, -, q. eaaeor, of recanffone and rarsf,s N,