New Ulm weekly review., 1878-07-03
Our Washington Letter.

With the exception Of a national
convention which fuses suddenly
upon the Presidential nomination Of
Polk, aPierce, or a Hayes, there
is no spectacle in this country so de-
pressing to believer in republican
government as the ordinary close Of
a session Of Congress adjourned sine
die yesterday morning at { O'Clock,
the delay being caused in the en-.
grossment of the Sundry Civil bill.
The scenes in the House during the
closing hours were Of the widest de-
scription, many Of the members be-
ing decidedly the worse for liquor.
Everything was confusion and dis
order, and after two o'clock recesses
were taken every other hour as a
means Of restoring order and bring
ing members to- their senses. The
galleries were thronged throughout
the night, and the drunken ribaldry
OF many of the spectators added to
the din. Many captions and unim.
portant amendments were made to
the sundry civil bil, and it kept os-
cillating between the two houses
every two or three horrs. During
the recesses in the Houses, the pages
joined by members, amused them.
selves by singing comic songs, and
the galleries joining in the chorqses,
made the welkin ring. From inddii-
cations the proceedings of the House
may be aptly described as HI. O..
F.-''high old time. -
The Senate relaxed somewhat
from it's customary dignity, but was
a convent Of quiet and order in com.
parison with the other end of the
capitol. While waiting upon the
House, several unimportant bills
were disposed of, and at Z o'clock
the hands Of the clock were turned
back for about ten minutes in order
to allow action Of few minor no.
limitations just made by the Pfesi.
dent. The Senate went into execd-
tive session, confirmed the nomina.
tions and upon opening the doors,
adjourned.
President Hayes remained in his
room on the Senate side all night up
to the very minute of adjournment,
the last bill he signed being the one
providing for commission to select
a new site for the National Observa.
tory. A good Joke is told on the
President. He had made all ar
rangements to attend the commence.
ment Of Princeton College, which
takes place to-day, and where his son
is to graduate. He was also looked
for speech there. With this idea
in view he, had gone to the Balti-
more and Potomac depot last night,
and was about to board the 9 O. clock
Northern express, when he was
captured by a committee Of Sena-
tors and hustled off to the Capitol,
where he was detained all night
signing bills. It may be imagined
that his feelings were not Of the
pleasantest.
The disgraceful scenes which sig
nalized the last memorable night
session will long be remembered, and
if the names of those who figured
most Prominently in these Buccha-
nalian orgies are not given to the
public, it is only because a feeling Of
patriotism and sense of indignant
shame, which brings the flush OF
anger to the cheek has led the repre-.
sentatives Of the great papers in our
cities to fling a charitable mantle Of
oblivion over the crying vices which
ill-informed foreigners might pos.
sib]y suppose to be national.
They form, alas, the outward ma.
nifestations of a dread disease, whose
roots mournful spectacles are but
the outcome and expression Of those
deadly symptoms which mark the
feverish restlessness of disjointed
time, for when public decenoy is Sc
far forgotten by the chosen law.
givers Of the nation, it is because the
ciric virtues which made that nation
great and glorious have been laid
aside like cumbraus and forgotten
garments in the Cave of Ciree. This
congress which has been in almost
constant session since the 18th o1
last October (eight months, } has &C.
cording to the saying of Senator
Bayard, done less good and less harm
than many persons expected. In
fact one of its chief merits is that Il