Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-03-06
(From our Regular Correspondent
Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON. March 2

WASHINGTON Marcu Z.
As Lent approaches the riot of gaiety
increases, and fashionable Washington
nears the climax of refined dissipation.
For two months bewildering whirl of
entertainments have taxed the energies of
the young, and the exchequers of the old,
and the forty days of rest and religion is
longed for, by both, as a soothing boon.
But the few days preceding Lent will not
be wasted, so to speak, and there will not
be night without its entertainments of
hops, masquerades, and receptions. 1t is
said that the presidential receptions, and
those of some of the cabinet officers, will
be continued during Lent, but dancing
will, of course, cease, and " tired natures
sweet restorer soothing Sleep" will begin
to repair the frayed freshness of youth,
before O'Clock in the morning. Many
young ladies who have been spending the
season here have already returned to their
homes. Fragile, delicate creatures! This
talk of the physical degencracy of Ameri-
can women is all nonsense. The feats of
Bertha Won Hillern are as nothing COM
pared with the fatigeing accomplishments
of these gentle amazons. Without train
ing, Or proper regimen, handicapped with
trains, and other indescribable parapher-
MALTA; hobblcd and tortured with high
heeled tight shoes-they waltz in sitting
furnace heated rooms, fifteen miles night,
Ono exaggeration) and then stand up and
receive or make calls, for three or four
hours the next day, to say nothing of visits
to the galleries of the senate and house.
promenades on the avenue and attendance
ut the theatre. 1t must be admitted that
they begin to look little haggard, and
there appear in their faces, at eighteen or
twenty, certain lines that are PRESENT.
ments of forty years. The heart of many
a serious girl protests against this tyrant
fashion, but what is the protest of one or IL
hundred girls against conventonality.
Men have various avenues for the parade
of their vanities. The pulpit, the bar the
hastings are open TO them; war, trade,
and hundred pursuits, afford them that
healthful excitement without which life is
the career of " weed. But woman must
keep to her sphere, whatever that may
mean, and appeal for sympathy only
through the beauty of her person, or the
elegance of her dress. That is the fiat /;
who uttered it?
The silver bill is law, and congress
will now turn its weighty attention to
other things. The scenes in the house and
senate, attending the return of the bill
with the presidents veto were lively, and,
at one time, exciting, but in no way signif-
icant. As had been expected the veto
was easily overcome ut both ends of the
capitol, the bill receiving votes from unex-
pected sources.
Hon S. S. Cox, by saying that the veto
was II charge of fraud by fraud, has
achieved momentary notoriety, but
scarcely enough to carry him down to
posterity, as, it seemed from n subsequent
remark, he had hoped.
The secretary of the treasury has already
prepared the necessary arrangements for
the immediate execution of the law pro-
vidng for the coinage of silver dollars SC
that there will be no delay in its operation
The secretary has also prepared the form
of the silver certificates, and approved the
device for the new silver dollar, which was
Submitted to him by the director of the
mint. The department will begin without
the least delay, the administration Of the
law.
On yesterday the committee in the
house, ON Pacific railroads, authorized
Representative House of Tennessee to re
port the Texas Pacific railroad BILL at the
next call of the committee for reports
subject, however, to any action that may
be taken in the meantime by the commit
tee, in the way of changing or perfectins
its provisions, and rcserving the right alst
for minority report to be made, at tn,
, same time The effect of the order will b,
10 bring the subject before the house at TIN
earliest opportunity but the COMMITTEES
r will, in the meanwhile, continue its con
sideration of the matter, and u formal vot
upon the adoption of the sub committee
favorable report will not be taken until Il
least one other meeting shall be held
There is no doubt, it is thought, that
majority of the members will ratfy tn
action of the subcommittee. The ney
bill reduces the subsidy asked for to abou
$1700O,OO0, and an average of abou
$4,000 per mile. Under its provi,
ions branches at New Orleans, Memphi
and Vicksburg are proposed Notwitl
standing the recent anti-subsdy vote j
the house the advocates of the bill seer
quite confident of its passage.