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

WASHINGTON. March 2.
As Lent approaches the riot of gaiety
increases, and fashionable Washington
nears the climax of refined dissipation.
For two months a 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 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
he 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 degeneracy of Ameri-
can women is all nonsense. The feats of
Bertha Won Ilillern are rs 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; hobbled and tortured with high
hnalal finht ehnac-thaNy Nxrult1 -, c,ininor
furnace heated rooms, fifteen miles night,
mo 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
at 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 a
hundred girls against conventonalty.
Men have various avenues for the parade
of their vanities. The pulpit, the bar, the
hustings 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 tp
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 at 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 notorety, but
scarcely enough to carry him down to
posterity, as, it seemed from subsequent
remark, he had hoped
The secretary of the treasury has already
prepared the necessary arrangements for
the immediate execution of the law pro-
viding for the coinage of silver dollars, so
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 perfcctine
its provisions, and rcscrving the right also
for II minority report to be made, at the
:, same time. The effect of the order will be
10 bring The subject before the house at the
earliest opportunity, but the committee
: will, in the meanwhile, continue its con
sideration of the matter, and formal vote
upon the adoption of the sub committee
favorable report will not be taken until a
least one other meeting shall be held
There is no doubt, it is thought, that
majority of the members will ratify thu
action of the subcommittee. The new
bill reduces the subsidy asked for to about
$17,000,000, and an average of abou
$4,000 per mile. Under its provis
ions branches at New Orleans, Memphis
and Vicksburg are proposed, Notwith
standing the recent anti-subsidy vote il
the house the advocates Of the bill seen
quite confident of its passage.