The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-12-07
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Special Correspondence to The Republican. J
WASHINGTON. ID. c.. Dec. 3. 1878.


Upon no people under the sun,
perhaps, is the rapidity with which
the earth makes her circuit about the
centre of the solar universe, more
deeply impressed than upon the
Washingtonian and the crowds that
regularly come and go with Congress.
1t is as but yesterday that the mem
bers of the first session of the 45th
Congress convened, organized,
struggled and intrigued during the
day and dissipated many of them)
the nights till the heat of summer
drove them forth. With them went
the hangers-on, male and female,
who made the Joint occupation of
Washington during the Congression
al season more or less profitable orso
pleasant as to insure their annual
return with the for the time being
honorable Members. To-day the
second session meets with a few
short weeks in which to do their
work. With very many of the Rep
resentatiyes it is likely their last
session as such, and the term of
service of an unusually large number
of Senators expires with the ringing
down of the curtain on the Sd of
March. Senator Hamlin, of Maine,
is of the number. 1t is understood
that he positively declines renOmi-
nation, but will follow the bent of
his inclination to live a private citI-
zen the balance of his life. He is the
senior member of both Houses as re
CARDS length of Congressional SER
vices and Of all the men of the past
who have grown famous during their
Congressional careers, and have died
with the harness on or have retired
on their well earned laurels, not one
left a more exemplary character for
the imitation and guidance of their
successors than Senator Hamlin will
have done should he continue yet
few more weeks in the straightfor-
ward course that has characterized
his public life of more than 30 years
duration. He has let the impress of
his craftsmanship and his incorrup-
tible honesty on many OF our most
| cherished institutions. There was
never a measure introduced into the
Senate, looking to the perfection of
| Republican GOvernment-tO the adj
vancement of the interests of the
great mass of his follow men-that
his aid was counted on in vain.
| With not one of the innumerable
scandals that have brought ship
wreck and ruin to other men eminent
in their public services, has the name
Of Hamlin ever been coupled. His
honesty is as undoubted here among
these who have had oppOrt to
sean his life as when he first entered
| the Senate quite third of a century
ago. In order to fully appreciate
the kind of integrity requisite to
preserve one spotIess in this mael-
storm of corruption where men are
alleged to be bought and sold like
sheep in the shambles, it must be re
membered that the vote Of one Occu.
plying the position of Mr.. Hamlin, is
not infrequently worth a fortune
could probably command it. Yet
Mr.. Hamlin will 90 out of service Il
comparatively poor, man though his
life here and at home has always
been economical and radically Re.
publican in its simplicity. All in all
no man ever in the Senate has worn
better than the veteran from Maine
and very few have succeeded in re.
tanning such full measure of the
respect of all parties. May he yet
have many years vouchsafed him is
the almost universal wish that will
follow him into his retiracy.
The fight between Army officers
and the Indian Bureau is likely to
be taken up very early in the session
Mr.. Schurz of course espouSed the
side of the Bureau and Gen. Sher-
man that of the Army. Congress
can hardly be arrayed on strict party
line in this matter, as the abuse of
both contestants by the average
Democratic member has only been
limited by his command oflanguage.
Another matrer--the guarantee OF
the interest Of the Texas Pacific Rail.
road bonds-wil be pressed to al
early hearing. Prophecies lack a
good deal of being facts, sometimes,
and l forbear. But it is evident to
those looking on that the reaction in
the public minds provoked by the
oppressive course Of the the Central
Pacific road towards those forced tC
patronize it, has been favorable to
the Z. & P. enterprise; and this has
been rendered much more decided
by the refusal of Huntington's road
to comply with the laws and by its
defiance of Government authority.
From the tenor of all that has been
heard from returning members Of
Congress we seem justified in believ.
ing that the more influential of both
parties have come back from their