The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1878-06-29

mission 10 select new site for the National
Observatory. A good joke is told on the
President He had made all arrangements
to attend the commencement of Princeton
College, which takes place to-day, and where
his son is to graduate. He was also looked
to for q speech there. With this idea in
view he had gone TO the Baltimore & Poto-
mac depot last night, and was about to
board the nine o'clock northern express,
when he was captured by committee Of
Senators and hustled off to the Capitol,
where he was detained all night signing
bills. 1t may be imagined that his feelings
were not of the pleasantest.
The disgracelul scenes which signalized
the last memorable night session will long
be remembered, and if the names of those
who figured most prominently in these
Bachanalian orgies are not given to the
public it is only because feeling of patriot
ism and a sense of indignant shame, which
brings the flush of anger to the cheek, has
led the representatives Of the great papers
in our cities to fling a charitable mantle of
oblivion over the crying vices which ill-in-
formed foreigners might possibly suppose to
be national.
They form, alas, the outward manifesto
tions of dread disease, whose roots are
deep and dangerous. These sad and mourn
full spectacles are but the outcome and ex-
preston of those deadly symptoms which
mark the feverish restlessness Of disjoint-
ed time, for when public decency is so far
forgotten by the chosen law-givers OF the
nation, it is because the civic virtues which
made that nation great and glorious have
been laid aside like cumberous and forgot
ten garments in the Cave of Circe. This
4, ,sol,1 1aa oil mt
session since the 10Th Of last October (eight
months), has, according to the saying of
Senator Bayard, done less good and less
harm than many persons expected. In fact,
one of its chief merits is that it has done
very little; its sins are mostly sins of omis-
sion. Aside from the River and Harbor
bill, it is guilty Of not a single job, and the
lobby has done no business at all at this
long session, for the River and HarbOr bill
is asiob which needs no lobby. People who
imagine that the business of legislative
body is to pass as many laws as possible,
will be disguised with the beggarly account
of the acts of the Forty-filth Congress. But
the more sensible people, who remember
that Congress is never so near to blundel
as when II votes, and that debate is its real
business, will be thankful to have got of q;
well. The present Congress has done but
little harm if il has done absolutely no good
Considering that over 4, 200 bill were Offered
in the House alone during the eight months
and that numerous jobs pressed Tor recogni,
ton, the country has reason to be thankful
that SO little was done.
The House Committee on Expenditure!
in the Interior Department called in .Nprl
last for list of persons employed in thai
Department who are related one to another
by blood or marriage, to which Secretary
Schurz has just made answer, from which il
appears that there are employed under him
in this city-l2 persons who are related as
brother-in-law and sister-in-law, 8 as father
in-law and son-in-law, 20 brothers-in-law
s sisters, 4 fathers and sons, brothers and
sisters, IA nephews and uncles, IL brothers
6 fathers and daughters, 6 uncles and ME
ces, aunt and neice, 2 mother-in-law and
son-in-law, 2 mother and son. Total, l02
This is very good showing for single de-
partment, and evinces an uncommon affec'
| tion among the persons employed, especially
on the part of the amiablc individual who
secured place for his mothcr-in-law. Il
would be interesting reading to have al
analysis of the number of the above who are
related to bureau autocrats, chief clerks, ap
| pontment clerks and chiefs of divisions. Il
is to be hoped that the other executive de
partments will define their position on thii
atIectionate family theme. EDWARD.