The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1879-01-09
A WOHANy LErGE8 FROM WAS&a.
IA ING GON. 20.

A WOJANy LErGEss FROM WAsas.
O. lN6 aONs -Es.
\ MARY Clemmer in the Independent
Next to proves and power, the Anglo
Saxon human being loves an occasion.
See him "a he comes fighting down the
ages. at his tournament, on his banners hy-
ing. Was he ever 80 beaten, 90 dusty, 80
nearly dead that be could not stop to make
display? / trow not. And the ceorl
shouting for judgment if not justice, in the
village moot OF far-of Frieslsnd or SchIes-
wig is to me in very truth the father Of the
man Who to day screamed and eesticulated
in the sovereign "paTliament" of the United
States of America. He il . mostly creature.
l do not mind his bluster nor do despi,e
it altogether lit il simply disagrseable
! and unnecessary. He il far from icing 20
great - he thinks HIMSELF but then be l.
not altogether small. lie il simply a man
of the crown-rsce of the earth, With all its
strength and weakness. II l succeed in
setting hin, before the people for Just what
he is--for nothing that he is noI-I shall
be content. -aI-
Firt of oil; give him an occasion in
whose encircling nimbus he may display
himself. 1t may be in the name OF the
party, of his country, even of his God !;
but all the while at bottom it is himself
thst he is airing and showing to his ques-
tioning and admiring countrymen Next,
set before him possible kingdom, of which
he may yet be king. The kingdom may be
small the throne very "shaky." He will
struggle no less hard to mount il. He must
'bos-" somebody. II not the people, then
his wife. Ii not her, then his horse or his
dog. He seldom, rules his children. They
are too much of himself. This Anglo
Saxon without monarchy Il 1t . disad-
vantage. England is his Paradise. He
can at least, ASSERT himself enough to heat
doubt, rs the fOlk-moot Of Schle wig.
On the whole, he is severe restricted
in Washington. Here, BY dint Of vast e1
errion, he manages to exist. At times he
even hOurishes; but not for long. The
land is too full Of creatures just like him
self. The eager hordes behind him are
pushing for his place, and some morning
he suddenly finds himself swept back from
the head wave at Washington into the
waters OF private life" that never
give back their dead. Be it the longest, his
time is short in the restless capital of this
seething republic. What wonder that the
very brevity of uncertainty of its tenure
excites him to almost miraculous activity
of action and utter .nce. He is not peer
by birth no, nor by breeding Any day
he knows the common people" may
snatch him back to their bosom, where he
belongs. But the immunities, the prestige
of Office are precious while they continue
the more precioua because their contin-
nance is most precarious. So, what wonder
that he makes the very most of his little
day, and displays to the utmost his powers,
whether they be Of rhetoric, of Judgment,
or of iuriprudenoe?
As said at the beginning, he loves an
occasion; and here his occasions are few.
II he Be . cabinet minister, they are con-
fined to . few receptions, state dinners, and
. yearly report unless be ventures TO start |
Oh on "trip" across the country, or 10 the
-Talspoosa," carrying with him on sfree
passes" . small hoss Of repertorial friends. |
To be sure, if b is . member of the House,
he may shrek perpetually, and the winds
Of heaven will bear his cries about II
smiled as read in the January Atiaatie, in
Gh.ries Dudley EWaz1srs ASPECTS OF |
American Life" ths paragraph: |
perhaps We have never considered Why
it ID that the American Cougress stands 20 |
high in the opinions Of this country and Of I
world. This 10 Gks sjnsus the emphasis is |
minel: When . man oDeteDplates the
possibility Of coesrsssional carver be sess |
himself seriously to prepare for that exal.
I'D station uiI1 He studies geography, I
that OF his native land:
he stndies histssy, aaA Amefiesu histoty
he masters American politics;
be deyotes laborioas days and nights 10 the |
acquisition of . knowledge Of political
to . study of the laws Of finance
and Of trade; be makes himself hmilisr
With the eourse Of legialaiisn . Is a9scts
sisal Interests Of the country for he Knows
he is to deal with imperial concerns and
hat his votes will have farreaching il
duence in vast republic" etc.
Nj. spoGord, the Librarians Of Congress, has
done all this and more, and he could tell
very many membes of Congress have mo-
1ons ANYTHING Of the kind, he providing
year after year the necessary Information
'ut OF which these members make their
,peechee, and spfesd III. mselves and Mr..
Spofiord's knowledge in their Discussion Of
The "imperial concerns" of the country.
There are . very few men in every Con-
,re-s who do and know all Mr.. Warner says
me me0b4 of CongfeN does 10 make the
American Congress 70 "high" body in the
Eyes Of the civilized world but these
statesmen are about a. rare a
he century plant flower. At first sup
posed Mr.. Warner vas INDUCING in his
vsoale indigenious irony; but reading mors,
discovered he was In earnest-that Charles
Dudley Warner, despite his forty odd year,
b still babe IN the woods. must assert,
not grinly) that II Mr.. Warner had lived
10 Washingtou even len than ten years be
sosld never have written that paragraph,
un'es he wished to indulge in choice bit
- transparent 1ceion. ~
The member OF the House may pull up
and sAcut jass a often = he hss
lung power 10 break in upon his brethren
bst in the Senate deeofum usually prevails,
and the Senator who has something on
bis mind" announces that on such day
hs will make . speech on . certain rubject
This is the one supreme occasion upon
which the Senator may disport himself.
He finds . plenty Of real drudgery in his
room finds the long drouing
days Of the session often uiae beyond en-
dufance. The legitimate respltes Of his
plans are not feW and revivifying He may
haze many opportunities, but this is his
one occasion. Ii IL possible that the exi
gent theme touching the veal OF thousands,
striking to the very roots of human govern
0ent, may ovespover any personal consid-
Grafton; that his speech may pervade hin
till he forkets himself. I have heard euch