The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-03-14
AFFAIRS TN WASHINGTON.
rro,,. Our Regular Correspondents,

'so'''' P'eShVS ihVV Tue oppusite, OF, "nHt
is almost as frequent now, into sorne
member of his own party, or when some
question bearing upon the late civil war,
the reconstruction laws or the electoral
commission Is brought up. But this ex.
element is galvanic, momentary. and the
apathy of the majority, the galleries and
1t Is believed, of the country, says plainly
in the slang Of the day, "Give us q rest"
Occasionally when Mr.. Cocger and Mr.,
Cog, the funny men of their respective
parties, try to be amusing, the House
laughs from force Of custom, while the
galleries wonder il that is the standard
of wit and humor n the next to the
highest legislative body in the land
3r Cox has a reputation for wit, and he
labors heavily under the conciousness OF
the reputation. He has written some
fiat essays in Harper'' Mayasine on Amer
ican humor and humorlsts, or some such
title. but If he ever said really sugges.
tive and witty thing, the record is nc
where preserved. An essential of wit ID
spontaneity and Euddenness; one of the
elements of the absurd is surprise. Nc
one can be amused IL he is made to an
ticipate end inspect officially the iabori-
GUS mining that precedcs the explosion
Wit is climax with The intermediate steps
knocked from under. All of Mr. Cox's
efforts are elaborate. 1t is known before.
hand that he is TO make srt-so called
funny and az he proceeds with
the grace Of a woodenleggcd jig dancer
the groundliugs may laugh, but the judi
cious must grieye, both on account of the
poorncss Of the performance and the ex.
ecrable taste that selects Legislative
body for such displays.
From the large amount OF business be.
fore Congress much of it Of character
that ought not to be buried over--it Is
probable that the session will be contin,
ucd far into the summer. Some appro
priation bills, especially those of the
Army aud Navy, viii moi be passed with,
out long and aggravated discussion
Many thoughtful representatives. of both
political parties arc Of opinion that the
expenses of both these divisions Of tho
public service can and ought to be ma
terially reduced; but it ia doubtful if &
reduction can be effected. for there is al
ways such an insinuaton Of personal ant
selfish interests into what should be ques
tions of purely public policy, that the
ideal Of independent judicious Legislation
is never attained. The Republicans viii
not IN body vote for the Banning bill
because they know that the Democrat.
will appropriate all the glory of econom
.ical legislation, and will be able to &c
before fhe people and boast in coming
campaigns. On the other hand some
democrats ~w;.! decline 10 vote Tor the
bill, because they have relatives ar.
friends in the army whose salaries viii
be reduced by the proposed law.
A close inspection Of the secret spring,
ed motives Of Legislation and legislator
here !, calculated to chill enthusiasm
and suggest reflection, in those who have
been taught, from school histories, and
by 4th of July Orations, that the oun,.
n,um bonum Of nun,an government has
been reached in the United States, and
that the will of the people is accom-,
pii5fied through popular suffrage. The
greed and meanness Of men find expires.
sion here just as In monarchial forms.
and there is the trouble that respousibili.
ty is not 60 easily fixed, and many O
petty lawyer that is sent to Congress has
nc o.har s;m thsG to 80 'ax shings," by
the distribution of patronage, that he
may be elected again, or, if ne has no
hope of that, to mako the most 4noney
possible during the brief harvest that he
is here. -
There is aow in progress most dis
gusting scramble for a few petty Offices
that are under the contSol of the House
of Representatives. The scramblcrs, as
n rule, are 50 yiciens .ha. .ha.. :::::ea os ohhaTao-
ter are forced through self.respect out Of
competition. ltis known that there are
in waiting no less than twelve candidates
for the Office of the Door Keeper of the
House, which, they hore, WI be- made
vacant through the inveatigation of the
present incumbent. The committee has
concluded the work Q: examination, and
will soon. make q report upon the con-
duct of Col. Polk it is not known what
that report will be, but famished gang
OF political beats are alresdy preparing
for rough and tumble race for the
place and itsa spoils. There Is nothing
more contemplate than the savage greed
exhibited by Democrsts for the pittauce
of patronage that the House has at it's
disposal. Il is fact that will be patent
to any one who will take the trouble to
investigate, that out of the thousands of
apple, ats for the fifty-fonr places at the
dispGai Of the Door Keeper, not more
TINA q ernEe are men wh24 .~sao;s;Ed .~sao;s;iEd be eligi.
bls TO o place with salary Of thirty dol
lars o. month in any lncality where
known, OK would be hired on their merits
for, Legitimate work. They are mostly
bankrupt gamblers, con.
fidence men, and every variety of beat
and bunmer that happens TO have the
Of some member cf Con-
gress whom he kas helped, it is needless
to say how, to elect.