The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-05-31
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

who sojourn here. The Congressman
whose idle and dissolute life leads him
into an manner OF excess, invariably as
signs as the cause Of his physical pros
-aii6u the malaria of our river flats
aud tide avamps. lie may have been
upon q weeks spree, aud with head
swelled with whisky and its effects,
yet ne win gavely tell us Washington
IS as malarious and unhealthy as Cuba,
aud thatthe capital should be eremoved to
O more healthy latitude. Wevery much
doubt whether any cily Of the Union,
with as large a population, can show
less sickness than Washington. The
Infamous flats coy-- b~rf-. RI
acres, created by the causeway Of the
Long Bridge in the Potomac, which lie
right before the White House and are
barred by the ebb Of the tide, would
seem sufficient in themselves to engen-
der epidemic disease. Yet The natural
advantages Of the city in other direc-
tions serve as admirable correctives,
and, as a consequence, we fatter our
selves we have as much cause to Ice
thankful for our general good health as
other cities. il we except the terrible
mortality found among the young Of
the colored people, then our mortuary
report would present q far better show
ing than that Of any Northern city.
Nearly three colored children die 90 one
white, and this dlspraportion tends TO
give serious look TO our death statis-
ties, and 90 warrant many writer's in
assertion that Washington is akin to
Rome i'm unhealthfuluess.
Our society people were much exer-
cised recently over the announcement
in an evening paper that Senator Mitch
el's daughter had made q marriage
eiopemeut But prolonged gossip was
prevented by the subsequent publica-
tiou of q letter from one of our leading
Episcopal ministers stating that DE bad
married the couple in the presence of
the brides parents. The marriage has
been opposed in the past by Mr. and
Mrs. Mitchell becau-eoi theirdauehter'
youth, she beiSg but sixteen, and that
of her husband who is buttwenty. Yet
finding opposition unless they finally
gave consent, so our sensationalists had
all their woudermeut checked by the
quiet home wedding Of the children at
the home OF Che Senator
A most pointed col,0quy took place
in The House ON Tuesday between the
members on the subject Of economy,
aud Speaker Randall, who left his chair
20 participate iu SO, had need Of all DIS
powers of reply before 30 was ended.
Economy is now The suhjee. matter Of
. all discussions, and, of course, Tuesdays
debate was fuli Of TO- 1rr. Randall was
asked why be had voted in former
Congress to give himself $500 salary,
why he anerwoTd voted for The repeal
Of The law by which be grabbed that
amount, and why be TOOK care not 20
refund any Of it lie replied that he
believed his services worth $500, but
as his constituents Thought differently,
be accepted their wish s- the higher
power which had To- be obeyeI, hence
F his vote 90 repeal; but as BE believed he
had full honest right to keep what
had been paid him, be used 10 ior paying
his dehis, and his people never blamed
him for so doing. His defense was
manly ono. and was we'll received on al
sides. Tr aii these personal til,s in
. Congres- there IS q great deal OF bitter
ness and acr'moue displayed, and Tues
days dehate was certainly no excep
tiou. All tre lead -s took O. hand go it
and many brick Yves thrown by th,
participants, who nre or determined t'
put the opposite party t9rs an com5o
/ i'm next falls election, which now is th'
object Of every move upon orr Coucres
sional chessboarI.
Nr. Bandalrs recent letter to Obi
politicians urging the redistrictlng q
that state I'm order 90 ensure the election
Of additional Democratic Cougressmel
simply shows to what extent the ques
tion of the fall elections eugrosSes th
attention Of our Statesmen. We hea
it on an sides "whoever obtains contro
Of the next House will elect the mex
President" hence every debate, ever,
, law passed, aud every action in Congres
has i'm view, first, the effect upon %
fall election, and, SECOND, The Whit
House.
IL The coafes sions Of the participant
p I'm the so-cailed Louisiana frauds hav
disturbed the political equilibrium here
for either. dismay on the Republican
! side or joy Of the Democrats, we hav
, not been able 20 perceive it. The
hardly proved nine days. wonder, an
no one now in Congress seems O. care
, pin for them. One thing seems assured
those who in Congress voted to sustai
the results Of the electoral commissio
will not now join any one to re-ope
the vexed question. 1Ir. Hayes cam
into power upon an undouhtei CON
4 promise, and we have seen no one VIII
r was party % Il that is now Inclined :
2 undo his action. The electoral commii
s sion bill was found so fuil Of flaws
the fual contest that by compromis
( only could the counting OF the votes Z
b secured, and the generally expresse
= sentiment is that, right OF wrong, Hay,
4 Is President, aud must remain so.
10 FELIN.
: Washington, ID. c., May 8. 1878.
n Sound travels in water about 70,