The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-12-21
WASHINGTON LETTER.

(TrtHt OTdt0rbfdb entertainment efpecte" I" ~
Senate. Senator's Bldine and Thurman
Ind in tic House lnhen Butter comes. va
Senator Thurman retire from the senate
Society matters The same cid programme
Relics IF bolles and beams.
From An Occasional Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Dec ., 1878
The work of the first week of congress is now
before the country, and it will be taken, so laI
as it goes as pretty fair index to the pro
rramme of the session. In the Senate the frs
matters considered were the transfer of the In
dian Bureau to the War Department, the in
vestigation Of the yellow fever the retirement
of the trade dollar and the Southern electoral
outrages This last resolution was proposed
by the Senator from Maine, and it instructS the
Judiciary Committee to inquire whether at the
late elections any American citizen was denied
the right to cast what President Hayes calls an
"unintimdated ballot" On Tuesday Mr.. Mat
thews called up the Texas Pacific Railroad bill
in the Senate. Mr. Beck offered resolution
requesting the Secretary of the Treasury totell
what had been done toward receiving the sill.
yer dollar for custom duties, and discussing il
for interest on the public debt. The House
has already passed two of the regular appro
priation bills; and both Senate and House, ap.
parenty well satisfied with the weeks work,
adjourned on Thursday for a vacation during
the remainder ofthe week. This enabled mem.
bers of Congress to look after the interests of
their constituents in the various departments,
and especially TO importune the Postmaster.
General about Postmastershps in their respec-
tive districts
There is much diversity of opinion, in polit
ical circles, as to the probable course Of Con.
gress in relation to Presidential and other cleo.
ton investigations. While we hear on one
hand that the Potter Committee Will go to
work vigorously and probe matters to the bot
tom, there are political wiscacreS who insist
that the bill proposed on the first day by Sen.
ator Blaine, and the Investigations now under
way, will be used for no other purpose than or.
atOrical thunder in the Senate and House. and
shat solid work may be expected during the
short session But those acquainted with the
temper of the Senator from Maine, and cspcc.
tally those who have marked his improved
health and training, predict one of the most
exciting discussions on the Southern question
that has been heard on that much bruilcd sub.
ject in Congress for the last thirty years
There will he an opportunity to hear the two
most prominent presidential candidates of their
respective parties, for Thurman will lead the
debate on the Democratic side, and his long
familiarity with the questions that will be dis,
cusscd his training with such powerful oppo.
nents as Morton, Conkling and Edwards; his
coolncss and profoundly acute acquaintance
with the legal aspects of the case will furnish
the eloquent ex-speaker foil far different from
the impetuous and mprudcnt Hill MIR. Thur,
mans senatorial term will expire in two years,
and II is rumorcd that he will be the next Dem.
Ocratic candidate for Governor of Ohio. His
friends think that he can poll much larger
vote than any other Democrat and it is infcrr-
ed that if he carries his state, it will give him
invinclble prestige in the next Democratic
Presidential convention II will be IA bold
Si'hN diiu u lbScS W III IllOSl ITOD-
ably furnish the Democratic candidate
Mr.. Butler has not yet made his appearance,
he is engaged AS counsel for plaintiff in II
100000 law suit IN which the Lieut.. General
Of the Army is defcndcnt With Schulz on
one flank and Gen. Butler on the other, the
great cavalry leader has his hands full The
advent of Butler is anXlously expected by qUid
numcs and pen-drivers generally. HIS great
talents, pugnacty, unique political relations,
and recent election provocations, have made
him more than ever II vessel of wrath, and a
subject OF interest to the press which he affects
30 dcspisc There is no end to the rumors of
what he will have to tell and prove of ntim-
dalton and bulldozing as practiced III the po.
litically orthodox state of Massachusetts
To those of your readers Interested IN society
matters have little to tell 1t is said that the
season will be unusually gay, which means
that there Will be rapid succession of hops.
receptions and s0irees, from the LIST of january
until the commencement of Lent cuts short the
festivities, or converts them, from wicked walt.
Gus UNIV iii"Suu'iadiho, Ihto thuiNu IAN -
pound parties, and entertainments with the
cloak of charity. Every presidential regime
has its social characteristics, and this, while il
has not yet assumed definite FORM has been
marked by the retirement to Europe or to the
limbo of married life of nearly all those who
led the gay retinue of fashion, or were conspic.
nous in It's ranks, during the late presidency.
There are relics of bellies and dandics Just as
there are relics of hack horses, but their sheen
and splcndor have departed and fresh young
deJutdntcs are taking their places
Of the renowned social leaders who were
conspicuous two years ago, Mrs Fish, Mrs
Robson, Mrs Belknap, and Mrs. Williams,
not one remains. The cabinet ladies who have
taken their places have no knack at leadership.
IT is better so; vanity fair is sufficiently vain