Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1879-01-08
EDe @1s.
Wednesday,, Jan, Q, 1879
lfrom our regular eorsspondsn''l
Washington Letter.
Wahiaglon, ID, c., Jan, @ 1870,

h., more than any other,
perhaps, realises how speedily the
gents 10 writes succeeds each other,
and how rapidly the year roll after
them. The New Year" return too
frequently by halt, II is only twelve
months TO the next one, and twelve
month TO busy ioilers, whose days are
slipping from them In but a little
time, II would SCENE 40 to- man
condemned to 10 hanged, though pos
sibly not to one going into enforced
seclusion. Goodness ! Scarcely more
than SIX weeks ago, 1t seems, met
a man who smiled good naturally,
and said IA happy New Year." and
Just now that same man was around
again. ! stab myself with u tooth
pix, to find out whether ! am alive,
or whether II IL y dream. but reflee.
that We have passed through the sea
sons of seed time and harvest, from
sumner heat to winters cold again |;
that We have seen the roses bloom
bud forth, aatter in the breeses and
fall again, within the period that seem
30 short,
The notable public events Of the
year are not numerous, yet 1t has been
a,welve. month fraught with important
national concerns. The country has
been passing through the gradual
transition from hard times TO better,
from depression to confidence and
from distrust to signs Of returning
prosperity. The harvest has filled
cur granarics fuller than ever before
while greeuhacks and gold and silver
have como together, thus removing
the last obstacle to settle business as
tivity. The "good time coming tor
which everybody is looking has not
arrived yet. The days of extavagenoe
and sudden and easy fortunes are
not likely to return soon, but there
ore signs that the timidity OF capital
is departing, and tho business enter
prises will gradually multiply, offering
q tair living to all who are willing TO
work for it. The most prominent
names on tho mortnary lists OF the
United States for 1873 are Gideon
Wells, Benz F Wade, VIM Cullen
Bryant, Jo.eph Henry, and Bayard
members of Congress have passed
away, VIZ: Representatives Leonard
OF La, WEIGH, of Neb., Quinn, Of N
Y, Williams Of Mich, and Duglass, Of
Va.
New Years day is more Of an oc-
casion, perhaps, in Washington than
anywhere else. The custom Of call.
ing is carried to a greater extent by
our society people, partly, no doubt,
from the encouragement given this
sort Of thing in throwing open the
White House and the residences of
Cabinet Officers, etc, and by the Gus.
tomary formal call upon the President
OF foreign legations in court dress, and
army officers in uniform. There is
some interest in seeing these bodies
file in and out of the White House.
1t is one Of the days, here in
the Capital, when "a cat may
look at a king as it were. The
humblest citizen may call a. the pri-
vate residence of the highest officers
Of the government on New Years day,
and if he leaves his card bearing his
address he will some time during the
season receive an invitation to attend a
reception. But many humble citizens
who visit these stately mansions think
they would not change places with
SOME OF their occupants, especially with
Rutherford B. Hayes. don't know
how it would be If they we're put to the
test, but il is creditable that there is
still in the country the sentiment, at
least, of contempt for ill-gotten power
aud gain, of contempt for the man
who smiles insipidly and sings pslams,
while he draws another mans salary.
Congress reassembles on Tuesday,
and there will lie no lack Of juicy sub.
jects. Among other things John
Sherman will probably be called upon
to explain his extraordinary accommo.
da,ions to New York bank. in the
possession of which he has rested some
forty millions Of gold without shad-
ow Of security. Mr.. Hewitt started
the inquiry into this matter before the
recess, and it created quite sensation.
1t is asserted that Sherman is largely
interested in this bank. There are a
few other things John will likely be
asked to explain, including something
about certain stone contracts in Maine.