Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1878-01-15
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WAsHrNaroN. january 1st, ISL

WASHINGTON, January LIST, 1878.
Dear Spirit We wish you Happy
New Year-this we have wished about two
hundred other people to-day. Notwithstand-
ing Congress has taken recess there is still
great many people here. Some are here on
business, others are here because they cannot
get away-railroads won't credit, &c.
The events of the past year are too fresh
in memory to need repetition by us. After
an extra session and part of the regular ses>
sion of Congress gone, not one Statesman has
been developed who comprehends or under
stands the wants Of the country. We have
great many Of the Golden Golf sort who, in
the most eloquent and elaborate arguments,
desire 10 con vince us that it is the easiest
thing in the world to pay off an Indebtedness
of ten thousand millions Of dollars (for this
is near the debt of tho country, public and
private with two hundred millions of dol
lars. Don Quinote, in his widest fancies,
never conceived as foolish things as do the
financial Dons of to-day. The whole sum
and substance of the matter is simply this:
they want gold for their bonds purchased with
paper, and after sucking the life-blood of
the Nation they now demand the CARCASS
For sixteen years have these vultures, the
bond holders, Toasted on the vitals of labor,
and the Government made for the protection
of the people has been, and is at this time,
through the assistance of the Secretary and
his damnable policy, making the poor poorer
and the rich richer. he is the modern
Pharaoh, demanding more bricks in the shape
of taxes, but giving the people no straw to
make the bricks strong. He, with his Golden
Gods, must fall the people cannot and will
not stand this policy of stand and deliver, for
it is nothing moro nor less than highway
~ ,rl
mates between its citizens can prosper
Take up the daily list of failures, and we need
not ask our neighbor why this state Of affairs
exists. 1t is written in very plain bold lets
tiers that the Financial Policy of this Admin
istration is lending all its power to bankrupt
the country.
Our Congressman and part of our Sem
atorial delegation have gone homo for the
holidays, and we hope they have spent
pleasant time. The Hon. b. F. Martin has
been doing his level best for his district. He
is ever ready and willing to lend his assist
ance to the people of his district, and par
ticularly the people OF Jefferson county. He
succeeded in having Jefferson boy, relative
of Hon. A r. Boteler, put on tho rolls as
page, aud bright little fellow he is. We
hope Ben may succeed, himself. Col. Ben
Wilson has been, and is still hard at work
on the Mexican question, and can almost
speak Spanish like native. He is whole
souled, genial gentleman, and one of the
hardest working men in Congress. Hon.
j ohm E. Kenna is one of those unassumng,
pleasant men, and has a kind word for every
body. We predict he will make good re-
cord in Congress. Hon. Frank Hereford
made speech on the Silver question before
the adjournment, and commanded marked at
tention from the older members of the Sem
ate He showed himself familiar with the
subject upon which he spoke. West Vir-
ginia certainly has an able representative in
Hon. Frank Hereford. Senator Davis is hard
at work on his investigation of charges made
in the public debt statement, and when his
report is made it will show a sad state of
bookkeeping under Radical rule. Senator
Davis is one of the solid men of the Senate,
and noble, good man, ever ready and will
ling to assist any one from his State. After
the 10th of January things will be very live.
ly here; there several big steals to put
through, and the lobby is hard at work fixing
things up. Mrs. Hayes will hold her Satur.
day receptions on Friday, the others to re-
main the same : Wednesdays for the Cabinet
officers, Thursdays for Senators, Fridays for
Supreme Court Justices, and most any other
days for young men who want to join the
Mrs. r. B. II. Temperance society.
TS