Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-06-21

If it shall have been of benefit to you
or your readers, we shall be gratified
JED LAKE.
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Correspondence of the Bulletin.
WAsHINGTON, ID. G., June, "A, rs.
We have become heartily tired of the
investigation. 1t is getting stale, hum
drum, and presents the usual features
of sensational excitement after the
novelty has worn off The most it has
succeeded in developing during the past
few days is an excessive amount of bile
on the part of the Committee. They
snap and snarl at each other like as ma
ny cats. The marked starting point of
these lively demonstrations was when
Ben Butler walked up upon Stanley
Matthews refusing to appear before the
committee. Up to this time he treated the
matter as Of but slight Importance, but
no sooner was an opportunity for a shot
at the Senate than he became all zeal,
and has been booming away ever since.
1t is generally conceded that Mr.. Matth-
ews made mistake in his refusal to
appear, and in consequence is made the
subject OF great many caustic remarks.
However we are inclined to think he has
had enough to do with this Anderson
business and does not propose to be tri-
fled with any more, the investigating
Committee to the contrary notwith-
standing. He is cool, deliberate and
calculating man, at least has so impress
ed us in the frequent interviews had
with HIM on business matters in the past,
and we await his explanations prior to
passing judgment upon what has APP
peared even though appearances are
now against him. He is no scoundrel
and it is possible has been cunningly en-
trapped into doubtful position by An
derson whose unblushing confessions of
perjury and other crimes clearly evince
him to be knave of the first water
Congress is hard at work and is accomp-
fishing more now in day than in weeks
during the Winter. The Senate has
daily cleared from 20 to 20 bills off it's
calender while the House fumes and
sputters in its most approved style,
though 1t manages to pass fair share
of bills.
Miss Florence Wolf, the daughter of
our recently decapitated Recorder of
Deeds, was married on the 18th inst to
MIR. Gotthold, wealthy young mer-
chant of New York City, in the Jewish
Temple, on Sth St. 1t was an affair
long to be remembered by all present for
it's beauty, simplicity and impressive
ness. Over 500 guests were present,
among whom was some of Washington's
most noted men, to which were added
many parties from New York.
The fast approaching adjournment of
Congress is bring with it long looked for
events by Washingtonians. The Wash
ington monument bill has passed which
provides for the speedy completion of
this greatest of American tributes to
to the Father of his Country" Long
has its unfinished and unsightly appear
ance been the subject of ridicule by the
press and not less complimentary
sentiment is excited in the visitor who
having long ago read and re-read of the
glory of this work came with exalted
ideas to be greatly disappointed in
finding only square shaft of unfinished
marble, ornamented on the top by I'M
slightly scaffolding, while it's base pres
ented but litter and waste. Begun so
long ago and heralded all over the coun-
try as the proudest obelisk in the world
towering above every other, and as a
symbol of American greatness, over
shadowing every other nation on the
globe it could not else but make every
American feel Inundated in it's contem-
plation. The alleged reason for the long
neglect is that of an unsafe foundation
It's claimed that being in the low ground
near the Potomac, the land is not firm
enough to sustain the great weight, and
that in the course of time we would
have leaning tower" if not tumble
down. The bill provides for strength
ening the foundation and that continual
ton of it's elevation to 4S5 feet, and an
elaborate ornamentation of base and
interior. AS every one knows who has
visited Washington, there are 800 tab
lets presented by the different societies
some few abroad. Opportunity will
now be offered for new contributions of
the kind, all of which, and with those
on hand will be set in the walls and
made to tell an epitomized history of
the nation. According to the plan de-
signed by Mr.. Larkin G.. Mead, and
adopted by the Committee the base
will be surrounded by terrace 300 feet
square by II feet in height. At the
four corners there will be stairs leading
to the upper terrace, on a level with the
entrance to the shaft. At distance of
30 feet from the base will be bronze
basreliefs in the four sides of the shaft,
thirty feet in length and fourteen feet
in height, representing prominent events
in the life of Washington On each side
of the step to the terrace will be pedes-
tails on which will be placed statues of
of distinguished characters of revolu-
tionary times. To us it is peculiarly
gratifying that Congress has taken the
final action which removes this monu-
ment from the hands of those who, like
the West Point Engineers that inspect
cd it last year, display an ignorance of
true engineering that would put a COM
mon bricklayer to blush.