The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1878-07-13

fa WASHINGTON, ~. VI, JHne -. 20.
1t Was n year ago that the Police
of this city made SO many and such
successful raids upon the gambling
houses which were getting notorious
as numerous. Washington has ever
been a great resort of gamblers.
And 7 suppose very few people real
ize how largely games at chance are
INDUCED in for gain by persons
high up in the social scale and hold
ing the fullest confidence of the pub
lie mind--even by those who are
the nations law -niakers. The gamb-
ling play most in vogue liere is
-.'faro = 4 clip the following, which
is doubtless true in the main, from u
New York Journal: "Washington
may Justly be regarded as the birth
place of faro in the United States,
tor Gen. Lafayette INTRODUCED it in
the early days of the Republic, and
played it in the presence Of George
Washington, the Father of his Coun-
try Among the present Washing
ton celebrities are reckoned Will
liams,o Senator Clayton, Mcdonald
Rice and Dorsey,.of Arkansas; Far
well, of Chicago; Fernando Wood, of
New York Senators Bayard, Alli-
son Ingersall, and Ex-senator John
A. Logan, before he turned pioHs.
Henry Clay, Harry Of the Slashers,
and Sargent s. Prentiss of M;ssis-
sippi. were both great gamblers; in
fact, hardly any SOuthers politicians
of any prominence could be found
| for the last fifty years who were not
good card players.N isa.l aoaaag
Various stories have always been
afloat about Gen. Grants gambling
during his army life, but they lack
confederation. A Californian tells
of an all night game over half a pint
of whiskey which Grant at last won
and was found under the table in
the morning grasping the bottle in
one hand s,ass..f ga -assaak
Gen. Grant is fond of good horses
and cigars but the evidence that he
knows good whiskey from poor is
altogether wanting. .. sf,,.t
1t has been said of the lately adj
journed Congress that it has veri :
fed the ihomely adage-''great cry
and little woOl.n Some 600t bills
we're Introduced, which showed, ut
least, a disposition e. do something,
but the small number passed (some-
thing like 400) as plainly showed a
lack of executive sense or ability in
some direction.
The closing scenes of Congress
although interesting aud amusing in
a certain sense, were scandalOus aud
disgracing TO the country. Drunk
ennessl is always more or less ill.,
dulged in during the last few hours
of Congress but last week it was
more noticeable than ever and was
cOnfied to neither side of the HUnse,
Most of the business done was exc
cuted i'm committee rooms and Con-
gress proper had little to do but
wait for measures tn be gotten ready
to be voted upon. In the n,eantime
much boisterous sport was INDUCED
| in, and twas beyond the power 0i
the Speaker and even Of the Sargent
at Arms to keep order. Specta-
tors were decidedly amused at the
sight of the last named officer hold
ling his ponderOus mace alOaft, cIlas-
ing such members rs Cox among the
benches, in accordance with All ar
der from the Speaker to compel the
gentlemen to preserve silence and
keep their seats. There WAS great
hurry aud furry to get things ready
for closing at the appointed TING
The President and Cabinet remained
at the Capitol all night to sign bills
and approve Vt measures; Three
were. taken to him, signed, taker
back and acted upon during the las'
60 seconds of the session. fio ~
Up to the very moment thai
Speaker Randaf's gavel fell, there
were "a score or more of members
demanding recognition to refer OF
pass bills, or to make reports. 2 3
In his clnssing address the Speaker
said he hoped the labors just CLOSING
would result in happiness aud goot
to the people and the country. 4.
did not say he believed they would
RICHARD.