Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1879-02-28
Pickings at the Capitol.
Especial Correspondence Of the Sentinel ]

strong and decided opposition in the ranks of
his own party; that their confirmation has
been secured by purchase, no well-informed
man in the city will for moment deny. Your
correspondent does not mean to say that
money, actual cash, has been transferred from
the private Golfers Of the White House into
the pockets of honorable Senators, but it is
openly said and firmly believed That promises
OF future promotion and patronage obtained
votes for the ADMINISTRATION side. la other
days bargains Of this kind were regarded as
corrupt, and even suspicion that such
methods had been attempted has overwhelmed
more than one leading and noted statesman
with such on,-burst of popular indigna-
lion as almost TO blast the bright anticipation
of future preferment Aaron Burr, that splen-
did character, that brilliant meteor, was ac-
cused during the famous contest in the House
for the election of a President of intriguing
against Jefferson and making promises 10
secure his election TO the Presidency, and on
this account Burr's popularity began to wane
and his star went down never 10 rise again.
1t will readily occur 10 many OF your readers
that Henry Clay lost the Presidency mainly
because he MAS charged with having made
John Quincy adams President in order to get
the first place in the his cabinet. In l849 an
Indiana Congressman failed of election to the
Speakers chair because IL WAS proven that he
had bargained with certain Free-soilers to
give them prominent places on leading COM
mittees in the ayent they aided TO secure bis
election.
These facts are cited to show that 10 the
earlier and better days of the republic that
bargains TO secure office met with emphatic
disApproval. 1t is an open secret here that
John Sherman few Sabbotbs ago, instead of
being at church. where such sinners should be,
was visiting from hotel to hotel in search of
doubtful Senators, whose terms are soon to
expire, in order 10 assure them that a vote
for Hayes or certain copfrmations would Sc
cure the GoverLorship OF u Territory or a
mission abroad at SIT 900 per annum. Strange
to say it IS believed that this bold bribery had
the desired effect. There are many honest
readers Of your paper who will say, as they
scan these lines, surely these things are not
true, this is only one Of the sensational stories
of the day. In reply we can only say
watch future developments and see if these
men are not provided for by the admnist-a-
ton. Official patronage is powerful engine
of corruption, and no man should 60 unre-
buked who uses his office or the knowledge
and Influence it brings to secure personal ends
or obtain financial success. The course Of
those in Office should be closely observed, and
if any official, high or low, State or National,
by virtue of his office puts money into his
pocket outside Of his legal fees, or secures in
fluence save by the proper discharge of his
duties, such one is making merchandise OF
his position and should be required to step
down and out at the earliest opportunity.
Come with me, it is another beautiful day,
the air is as soft and as bamy as Spring, out
into the mellow sunshine the stream Of hu-
manity is pouring. Let us hasten to the
Rotunda see the tide GIBBS and flows stronger
than when we were here before. Both Houses
are in session. Yonder are the two Chapains
10 close conversation. They have just per-
formed high aud sacred duty. The repre-
sentatives Of fifty millions of christian peo-
Pile have with uncovered head listened TO an
earnest application addressed 10 their behalf
to the Great Jehovoh, and heard poured into
their ears these words of import, MAY all
their actions and their legislation tend 10 thy
greater honor and glory" What beautiful
example-what a splendid light to hang at
the Roadway of great nation
"Princes and Lords may perish or may fade,
A breath can make them, as q breath hath
made"
but the great truth of christianity lives on I'M
dimmed by the lapse of centuries and will
live on until Orion from its countless numbers
of evolutions shall have been ground to dust.
Who are those strangely dressed females,
do you not know them2 Have you never
heard anything of their history, nothing Of
love and mercy. They are the "Liule Sisters
of the Poor from morning until night,
through the driven snow, the chilling blasts
of winter, under the scorching rays Of sum-
mer sur, ever on the go,are looking up the aged
and infrm, ever begging from door to door
for the crumbs with which to support them.
How calm and sweet must be their repose AZ
ter the duties OF the day shal have been
closed How sweet and unbroken their sleep 2
Sister in thy closet, before thy little altar,
pray for me God will hear thy gentle voice,
God viii! answer prayer.
Here seems TO be different order yes,
they are the Sisters of Charity-their calling
is no less noble, their lives no less sef-sacrhc-
ing. Down in the fetid atmosphere of the
dungeon. in the damp and dingy cellars, I'M
der the frightful paraphanalia of the scaffold
they are ever found watching. nursing, pray
ing they tell their beads to the night-winds
where brood pestilence, famine and death up
on the field of carnage, midst the roar of mus
kerry, the bursting Of shell, the continuous
booming Of cannon, hey are found ministering
TO the wants of the wounded and the dying.
Go to The battlefield, where every inch of
soil has been baptized with the red baptism of
blood, the victorious army has marched on to
hotter and fiercer fields of conquest, they have
| left behind them their dead and dying, the
gorged vultures are already tapping their lazy
wings DER the borrid scene, there too is the Sis
| ter Of Charity. She is looking for some remnant
of mortality. Hush a soldier is diving
Sister, water Down upon her knees she gives
The cooling draught. Sister, lisen--he is
dead What a commission of love she has TO
bear to the widow and the orphan How care
| fully she will guard 1t, how tenderly she will
deliver ii Sister, when am dying come to
me, take my hand in thine, wipe my severed
brow. Sister, pray for me God has prom
ised TO answer prayer-he will hear thy gentle
voice.
See those three or four more than half
grown girls They are begging. In this me-
tropolitan city, where a hundred spires rise TO
Heaven above the countless roofs, under the
shadow of each IL has within the past ten days
been declared in awful accents Of inspiration
that the poor are to be our first and special
care. Give them your mite. Here il is, take
it. Though no French cooks prepare food
with which to stimulate your appetite, though
you may sleep upon beds harder than the
downy carpets over which carricatured bu-
manity waltz, though the winter winds and
summer sun may have implanted freckles upon
your cheek, though the Levite passes YOU by
aud the good Samaritan never comes be vir-
tuous and you will be good-beng good, you
will yet be happy.
What an interesting and happy couple; they
are just from the h, meneal altar that place and
that period in life where woman stoops 10
gather hopes-to blossom. II ia a pleasing
ceremony in the eye of Heaven. Christ whilst
on earth once hallowed it with his presence,
and God adds 10 II the choicest fruit Of bis
benehcence. Young man. you have this day
placed in your keeping sacred legacy. Guard
it enderly, watch it with care. A Young
con6ding, innocent and loving woman has
| left all, given tn all for YOU The home OF