Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-03-05
IFrom Our Regular Correspondent
Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. 81, 1879

House, the conference of the greenback
representatives, the fight between Don
Piatt and NJ Garrahan, n lively forensic
encounter between Banning and Garfield
in the House, and some very emphatic
expressions upon the federal election laws
by Beck, Bryant, and Thurman, in the
House.
There seemed but one opinion among
the large and illustrious assemhlage at
the White House as regarded the idea of
giving so moral an entertainment. and
that was cordial delight. The scene sur
passed anything ever witnessed within the
time-honored walls Of the home of the
presidents, within the memory of this
generation 1T least 1t is rarely that so
many of social and political distinction
have assembled there on the same evening,
and on no former occasion have the deco
rations been equalled. All the rooms on
both floors were thrown open, thus giving
the entertainment the character of one on
a grand scale in a private house, with the
advantage of being in one where there
was ample space. The American court
was seen at its very best.
The invited guests we're shown up the
public staircase on the east, where in the
offices was perfectly arranged system of
cloak rooms for gentlemen. All the bed
chambers in the private part of the house
were used for ladies' cloak rooms, and
many attentive maid servants were liz
attendance. The long central hall up
stairs looked scarcely less attractive than
that below. Flags and flowers were used
in adjoining it, and tea tables set with the
finest egg shell cups and saucers were
temptingly placed. The visitors descended
by the grand staircase on the west in the
private part of the house. Thus all con-
fusion was prevented. Indeed, there was
no confusion anywhere, even among the
carriages, which were in line from the
northern entrance for several squares out
side the enclosure. A special entrance
was arranged for the diplomatic corps on
the southern side through a window in the
red parlor opening on the southern portico
The decorations exceeded in beauty any
attempted ut the executive mansion
hitherto. The largest hot-house plants
and exotcs in bloom were grouped in all
the parlors, the east room, corrodor and
dining rooms. In the hall. where the por-
traits of several Presidents hang, flags
were draped above the busts. in the inches,
and over the glass screen, which separates
this from the vestbule without. The
mirrors were trimmed with smilax, and
SO were most of the chandeliers. The
mantels were converted into mosaics of
choice blossoms imbedded in moss. Hang
ing baskets were suspended between the
doorways. The large central window in
the east room was draped with United
States flags, including that woven of one
piece of silk and presented by the weavers
of Lyons in memory Of Abraham Lincoln,
inscribed in letters of gold. The marine
band was stationed in the outer vestbule,
and played very beautiful collections
throughout the reception.
The conference of the greenback repre-
sentatives, which began last Saturday at
the Metropolitan Hotel in this city, has
resulted in an address to the country,
which is signed by De La Matyr. chairman
of the committee 1t sets forth that money
loaning interest is "a gigantic power,
embracing the national administration,
the machinery and leadership of the re
publican and democratic parties and more
than two thousand National Banks, form
ing banking system yet in the infancy Of
its power, whose operation has transferred
the regulation of the volume of paper
money from the government, where the
constitution rests ito these corporations,
whose directors are not responsible 10 the
people. Back of this organization, inspir-
ing and controlling it, is arrayed the col
lossal money power Of Europe. 1t has
controlled legislatures and executive Off
GERS, largely subsidized the press, and en-
dangered the purity of the judiciary"
To avert q dread crisis it is the duty of
the national purity "to overthrow the
powerful banking system and restore to
ne government, where the fundamental
law places 1.-THE sole power to issue and
regulate money" 1t is a gigantic task =,
to be accomplished only by the united
efforts of those who suffer Impellel by
this conviction, the grecnback members
elect to the next congress- have resolved
to act together in organizing the next
House of congress, etc.
The assault of NJ Garrahan upon Piau
was because of Piatt's long, bitter, and
successful opposition to the New Idria
mining claim which NJ Garrahan has for
twenty-five years kept before the Senate
NJ Garrahan felled Piatt with n stunning
blow, in the Senate lobby, and, while he
was unconscious, pounded his face into n
Jelly. Piatt was carried home, and this
morning, when interviewed in be |, said
he had been surprised and kicked by IL
jackass. Some senators whom Piatt has
castigated most numerically in his paper,
the "Capital," gathered around NJ Gar
rahan and congratulated him. 1t is ex-
pected that more will be heard of this
affair.
The two houses of congress appear TO
be irreconniliable on the matter of the
federal election law. No compromise is
probable, and an extra session is almost
unavoidable. G.
An interesting case has just been con.
Guided in the Cincinnati courts. In 1877.
a Mrs. Cerode moved from Louisville to
Cincinnati, bringing with her a slave