The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-01-23
Washington Letter.
From our regular correspondeutl

anu ite sesSiobs Drohcu ny tlle ceIe' |
monies of mourning. The mortality |
among Congressman this session Is
really alarming, -Four members of
the House have dropped out of the
arena, within the short space of three
weeks, all of them Democrats, and
three of the number among the most
useful and highly esteemed members
of the body to which they belonged.
1t was reported three or four days ago
shat the venerable Alexander Stevens
had shuflicd off this mortal coil, but it
proved only one of the rumors that
are so readily started upon the slightest
foundation at such time. Alexis
little withered frame still forms a
living casket for one of the brightest
intellects the country has produced,
and their is no telling how many stout,
apparently healthy men he may out
wear.
The Female Franchisers ended their
annual pow-wow, and went home
after resoluting ambitiously and dis
coursing eloquently to moderate audi
ences in Lincoln Hall. The meeting
can not be said to have accomplished
anything directly, beyond a whole
Some agitation-and it takes power
of preaching to rouse much enthusi-
asm on this subject, even among
the women themselves, The weather
was stormy, and Mrs. Stanton took oc-
casion to remark that it was fitting
that suffrage conventions should in
variably meet on rainy days, while the
heavens wept over the wrongs of
women. This matronly and magnifi-
cent lady is the one over towering
pillar of strength to the movement for
women's disenthrallment. The con-
vention comprised a fine lot of girls,
old and young. If there is still a
popular delusion that the suffrage
women belongs to distinct species,
that she is acid and bony and dowdy,
let that delusion hide its disgraceful
head before the facts. They are
neither all "old maids" nor all men
haters, though they do sometimes give
the sterner sex particular fits. But as
a rule they are womanly and refined,
and seldom go back on the gospel of
good gowns. For instance, Lille
Devereux Blake, blonde brilliant,
staccato, stylish. She is the woman
who "dares" to wear the most pro-
nounced whim of millinery and look
pretty in it. Mrs. Stanton, in matron-
ly silks and softly falling laces Miss
Anthony, in rich and rather sombre
black, relieved by tint of white lace );
Mrs. Gage, with white hair q la Mar
tha Washington and suit of garnet
silk and velvet; the professional
women, in dresses that were fitting,
graceful and individual. The brightest
and prettiest of them all, Miss Phoeby
COZens, was not present this time.
Doubtless she was too much occupied
with her law practice is st. Louis.
The administration of Justice in the
District of Columbia is becoming a
serious matter. 1t seems impossible to
punish capital crimes here. Two con-
victions for cold blooded murder have
been found within a few months and
have resulted, not in the hanging of
finally hung juries. The second case
|
had been tampering with another
mans wife concludes to put the hus-
band out of the way, and turning up
his coat collar to avoid recognition,
walks out in broad day light, meets
him unawares and deliberately shoots
him dead in the street. There were no
words, no qnarrel and no provocation.
He is tried and convicted. His coun-
sci obtained new trial, fixes up a
jury partly colored and they disa-
gree, ten for conviction, two for ac-
Quital. The same record has
been made in other cases, notably a
trial for one of the most heinOus
crimes on the calander. All this is
the result of negro juries, and an in
sufferably weak or corrupt administra-
ton of the laws.
And coupled with this we have q
drunken judge, whose decisions are
alike burlesqe on law and an outrage
upon decency. His name is Hum
phres, and it is no libel to say that he
is habitually drunk on the bench. He
is one of the judges of the Dist Su-
preme Court-not U. s. Supreme
Court-and comes from Alabama. 1t
is said Senator Spencer got him ap
pointed during Grants administration
|
been his custom to get liquor from q
neighboring restaurant, brought in by
q cOlored attache of the court in glass
set in an empty cigar box. He is often
in maudlin condition as early as 10
O'Clock in the morning, and caeates a
good deal of amusement, when he does
not make too pitiable exhibition of
himself and retards justice. Two or
three years ago an attempt was made
to impeach him, but politics defeated
it. If the Democrats elect the next
President he will be put out. a mem
Der of the bar recently told me that
the Judge now gets his liquor in q
smoking tobacco box and when il ar
riyes he retires to a little ante room,
and takes his refreshments like true
Alabamian.
Preparations for taking the Census
next year, are occupying the attention
of Congress, and the bill introduced
by Mr.. Cox, of New York, Is well de-
vised measure. Since ths passage OF
the act of 1850, under which three
censuses have been taken, the condi-
tions of the country have changed,
better methods of enumeration have
been devised, and there has been an
increasing public demand for a greater
variety of statistical Information to be
obtained in connection with the CEN
sus. 1t is important that the work be
thoroughly done, and that it may
furnish fresh array of "hggers' on
various subjects from which good
deal of illumination, so as to speak,
| NAV he drawn The orpllment from