The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-05-11
Letter from Washington.
correspondence of the Democratic Advocate


WASHINGTON, May 9Th, 1878.
One of the most delightful sights at
Washington is to see the Honorable mem
Der from Iowa, or some other rural sec
ton, escorting party of his constituents
through the Capitol and the Smithsonian.
Their evident admiration of their Repre-
sentative, and their confding belief in the
absolute veracity of all that he tells them,
are pleasing to witness. Then he intro
duces them to Mr.. Spoford, in the library,
as the man who knows everything, and
supplies information on every known fact;
he shows them the statue of Governor
Shepherd, in full continental regimentals,
in the statuary hall; he tells old stories
about Henry Clay and excellent jokes
about Daniel Webster, and his tongue
wags like water wheel. Oh, if he would
only talk so brilliantly at one of Sam.
Wards dinners, or at one of Speaker
Randall's pleasant receptions. But he
cannot. Old jokes and rehashed stories
don't pass current in Washington society.
How sweet then to him is the adulation
of his constituents, and their admiring at
tention. And when he has taken them
down to the Senate restaurant, and there
treated them to one of the fine lunches,
they are more firmly convinced than be-
fore that their mel Der is the greatest man
in Washington.
An absurd story has just been started
by one of the New York papers to the eff
feet that General Fremont and his family
had become so reduced in circumstances
as to actually stand in need of bread. The
General has been here for some weeks, at
the Arlington Hotel, and busted in look
ing after some important business matters
in which he is interested. His family
have recently been residing on Staten Is
land, and, although not surrounded by the
luxuries to which they have so long been
used, still retain their old servants, and
have always had spare seat at their well
provided table for friend When the
General, owing to reverses growing out of
his too-confding nature, was compelled to
part with his magnificent country -seat on
the Hudson, and his valuable pictures and
furniture, friends were not found lacking,
and many highly valued thing was
bought in and presented to them, so many,
in fact, that Mrs. +. in speaking OF the
kind devotedness of their friends, said it
reminded her of stories she had read OF
FARMLAND. One of General Fremont's
sons is in the navy, and the other. who
was formerly at West Point, but resigned
on account of i'll health, acts as Secretary
to his father. The only other member
of the family is Miss Lila Fremont, an
adopted daughter. Yesterday Mrs Fire.
mont arrived here, and with the General
and their son Frank, have taken rooms at
the house formerly occupied by General
Belknap.
The Importance to both parties of the
control of the House of Representatives is
fully recognized by the preparations which
are being made for the approaching cleo
ton. A change of eight members would
reverse the Democratic majority and place
the Republicans in power:
Both parties are carefully studying the
composition of the present House and
mapping out their plans for the campaign.
The Democrats have their eyes fastened
on the thirteen Republican Districts in
which the majorities at the last election
fell below 800 The Republicans, on the
contrary, are regarding with friendly in
terest the twelve Democratic Districts in.
which the majorities are so small as to
render future elections exceedingly prob
lematical. The lists of the close districts
are as follows: