The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1878-03-15
WASHINGTON.

DuU Times in Congress. Gusts Of h.
cHement.-The ltH Of Conger and
.-Banning's Biz, ,rhy Il is not
likely to pass. The Investigation Of
Doorheeper Polh Conc1udcd.-
Greedy .ScrdmblerS for petty .Spoils
The Beats and hammers that come
to Washington for Office.
These are called dull times in Wash
ington. There are occasional gusts OF
excitement in the Senate and the IIou SO
when belligerent Democrat or Rcpub-
ican pitches into the opposite, or what
is almost as frequent now, into some
member of his own party; or when
some question bearing upon the late
civil war, the reconstruction laws, or
the electoral commission is brought up.
But this excitement is galvanic, momen-
tary, and the apathy ofthe majority, of
the galleries, and it is believed of The
country, says plainly, in the slang of the
day, "give us rest" Occasionally,
when Mr.. Conger and Mr.. Cox, the
funny men of their respective parties,
try to be amusing, the House laughs
from force of custom, while the CALLER
les wonder if that is the standard of
wit and humor in the next to the high
est legislative body in the land. Mr.
Cox has reputation for wit, and he la
bors heavily under the consciousness of
the reputation. He has written some
fiat essays in IIarpers Magazine on
american Humor and Humorists," or
some such title, but if he ever said a
really suggestive and witty thing, the
record is nowhere preserved. An es-
al Of &c
denness; one of the elements of the alb
surd is surprise. No one can be amused
if he is made to anticipate and inspect
critically the laborious mining that pre-
cede the explosion. Wit is climax with
the intermediate steps knocked from I'M
der. All of Mr.. Cox's efforts are elab-
crate. 1t is known beforehand that he
is to make set, so-called funny speech,
and as he proceeds with the grace of II
wooden legged jig dancer, the ground
lings may laugh, but the judicious must
grieve both on account of the poorness
of the performance, and the execrablc
taste that selects legislative body for
such displays.
From the large amount of business
before Congress, much of it ola charac-
ter that ought not to be hurried over,
it is probable that the session will be
continued far into tho summer. Some
appropriation bills, especially those of
the army and navy, will not DO passed
without long and aggravated discussion
Many thoughtful representatives ofboth
political parties are of opinion that the
expenses of both these divisions of the
public service can and ought to be ma
terially reduced; but il is doubtful if a
reduction can be effected, for there is
always such an insinuation of personal
and selfish interests into what should be
J questions of purely public policy, that
the ideal of independent judicious legis-
lation is never attained. The Republi-
cans will not, as body, vote for the
Banning bill, because they know that
the Democrats will appropriate all the
glory of economical legislation, and will
be able to go before the people and
boast in coming campaigns. On the
other hand, some Democrats will declire
to vote for the bill, because they have
relatives and friends in the army whose
salaries will be rcdHced by the proposed
law.
A close inspection ofthc secret springs
and motives of legislation and legisla-
tors here, is calculated to chill enthusi-
asm and suggest reflection, in those
who have been taught from school his
tories, and by fourth Of July orations
that the Summum bOnum of human gov.
ernment has been reached in the United
States, and that the will of the people is
accomplished through popular suffrage
The greed and meanness of men FIND
. expression here Just as in monarchia
forms, and there is the trouble that re
sponsibility is not so easily fixed, ant
many petty lawyer that is sent TO Con
gress has no other aim than 10 so "iiS
things" by the distribution of patron
age, that he may be elected again, or, i
he has no hope of that, TO make tn,
most money possible during the brio
harvest that he is here.
There is now in progress a most dis
gushing scramble for few petty office
that are under the control of the Hous
| of Representatives. The scramblers a
rule are so vicious that men of charac
, ter are forced through self-respect on
of competition. Ii Is known that Their
are in waiting no less than twelve can
didates for the office of the dOorkeepe
3 of the House, which they hope will b
, made vacant through the investigation
: of the present incumbent. The com
1 mittee has concluded the work Of exam
e nation, and will soon make repor
upon the conduct of Colonel Polk; il
. not known what that report will be, bu
a famished gang of political beats are nj
l ready preparing for rough and tumbl
= race for the place and its spoils. Their
is nothing more contemplate than Tia
savage greed exhibited by Democrat
IN