The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1878-09-12
Wasllin gtOn Letter.
AsHiSGroN. DC. Sept. 6 1878

WASHINGTON. ID. c., Sept. g. 1878.
An index of the House Journal Committee re =
ports. executive aLd miscellaneous documents
has just been prepared, showing in brief the
amount of work done during the first half of the
present Congress. This volume embraces be-
tween six and seven hundred pages, and covers
l0i. reports of committees, bound in five vol
umes 4 series of executive documents making
twenty-three volumes and miscellaneous docu-
ments in seven volumes, The number of pa geS
of g text' thus ndeNed sums up to as OilO an ex-
animation OF which shows 5eaI bills and 200
Joint resolutions to have been introduced in the
House, and received more less attention
Added to these are several hundred Senate bills
No previous House ever had before it more than
COCO bills during its whole Congress. 1t thus
appears that the business has increased to almos
double that of any House since the beginnin G
of the American Republic. This is accounted
for by the increase of what is known as private
legislation that is for claims growing out of
the late war, for pensions and for property de-
stroyed claimed to be owned by loyal citizens
Other causes for the increase to be found in
the development of the Territories. the growing
Railroad and mining interests and the gradual
and natural swelling of all business and trade
OF the 522T bills and 200 Joint resolutions there
however appears but about so o of general inter
est, the remainder being devoted to individuals,
societies and corporations.
The California agitator, Kearney, paid a
visit with his tongue primed with its usual gar
bage. which it shot OF to an audience assembled
at the Capitol to hear him. An act of Congress
makes it unlawful for public speakers to hold
meetings about the Capitol, which this scalawag
foreigner had heard and thought to come here
and get himself arrested, by violating the law.
to thus boost himself INTO greater notorsety.-
The authorities, however. concluded to view
him as Il wayward boy, representing men of real
or supposed wrongs; and extend the clemency
of authority. 1t was wise. for the man is a dose
that even the shalowest thinking American
| citizen finds nauseating to swallow. When the
country first began to hear him it gave an ear
of sympathy and respect, for he was supposed
to be an honest voice from the suffering class.
But he proves to be an adventurer, vile. vitn-
perativc, crude anu unprincipied. lie is poison
to the cause of the men he claims to represent
and is mirror for those of erring principles.
a few nights ago the police made a successful
raid upon gambling house. For some time
they had been watching and waiting an oppOr-
tunity to make their unexpected and not very
welcome visit. At last it was afforded by the
colored waiter, who in his pilgrimage to an adj
joining saloon for drinks to make the dizzy
brains of the gamblers more dizzy still, became
careless and left the door unlocked behind him.
In his absence the officers stole cautiously up
stairs and gave three gentle taps upon the con-
sttutionaly suspicious door. which as suspi-
ciously opened for . pair of suspicious eyes to
peer through. But it was too late to close, for a
whole official leg and arm instantaneously
plunged through and qnite a sufficient amount
of avoirdupois in well built policemen as quick
ly made their curiosity felt upon the door.
The surprise was complete. game was
in full progress. with the stakes upon the table
around which sat some seven or eight eager par
Elephants. All were arrested. The room was
unusually well furnished, having fair claims to
elegance. DEMOCRATES,