The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-12-04
Washington, Letter.
[From Our Regular Correspondent

[From Our Regular Correepondent.l
WASHINGTON, D. c., Nov. 90, 1879.
Thanksgiving Day came in with de-
lightful weather, which had the haze
and temperature of Indian Summer in
it. The Departments were closed and
the army of employees had a day for
enjoyment, that could not be surpass-
ed in its clear autumnal brightness and
balminess, but much private work was
not suspended, for the preparations for
winter demand unceasing effort. Many
of the congregations of our churches
provided feasts for the poor of the
church homes and asylums, and never
has the loving charity of woman been
more apparent than in the bounteous
Thanksgiving dinners which were
spread before the afflicted in the Wo-
mans Christian Home, the Washing
ton Asylum and the Children's Hos
pital. The caterers to public amuse-
ment were generously patronized, for
the difference here, as in New Orleans,
between religious and secular observ-
ance is so slight, that many who con-
gregate in church in the morning to
join in prayers of thankfulness, flock
to our theatres in the evening to laugh
at some comedian, or to be instructed
by some such tragedian as John Nc
Cullough, who is now playing here to
crowded houses.
There has been strong revulsion Of
feeling in favor of Gen. Malone, who
led the debt readjusters column in the
late Virginia election. He is candi-
date for Mr.. Withers' seat in the United
States Senate, and, If supported by the
Republicans, as we'll as the readjusters
will be elected. Cool heads here begin
to think that one who, like Gen. Ma
hone, has an undoubted Democratic
record, and has done as much as he to
keep the carpet-bag and scallawag ele-
ment from crushing the State, is not so
bad after all, and that his assertion
that he has only the honor of Virginia
at heart, must be met with considera-
ton. This vexed Virginia debt ques-
tion certainly has two sides to it. and
it is to be hoped this election of Sena-
tor may show US the true policy of the
State.
AS Congress meets on Monday, Dec.
l, the hotels, lodging houses and hash
mills of Washington are filling up,
not only with members, kings and
queens of the lobby, and patriots in
search of Government pap, but many
of the political corpses of the country,
whom wise constituency, after q trial
in one or more Congresses, have wisely
concluded to leave at home by substi-
tuting better men. Among the latter
the most lively is the cock-eyed states
man from Massachusetts,, Ben. Butler
What cat, with its nine lives, is
among animals, the invincible General
is among politicians. You may SUBJ
merge him in sea of votes and club
him with all sorts of villainous stories
and lies, and he comes snilingly to the
surface. Congressman Morse, of Mass
achusetts, states that Gen. Butler will
never again run for Governor, but in
tends to invade his (Morse's) district
next fall and run for Congress. He
hopes, however, that appoplexy, chol-
era-morbus, or something else may in
terfere; but we fancy that he, like
many another politician, will have to
accept the inevitable and submit, for a
more irrepressible and persistent fight
er than old Ben. has never been seen
here. The political world is his oyster.
The Secretary and Agent of the
Louisiana State Lottery Company has
filed bill in the Supreme Court of our
District, against the Postmaster Gen.
eral, to restrain the Post-office Depart
ment from interfering with the deliv-
cry of mOney-orders, registered letters,
etc. A rule has been granted to show
cause why the injunction should not
issue, returnable December 4. These
proceedings are instituted in the Court
of this District in order that the case
may be speedily carried, for final ad-
judication, to the Supreme Court of
the United States, and the lottery men
expect to be sustained there, as Were
those who resisted our trade mark sys-
tenn and obtained the decision declar-
ing it unconstitutional. We shall not
be surprised if the Supreme Court
rules as technically in regard to lotter-
les as to trade marks, for it is a stickler
always for legal hair-splittings, with a
leaning over against equity. Wiping
out the 5000 trade marks of the country
worth millions Of dollars to the pro-
prietors, shows what lawyers can do
when they act as judges.
The last Congress authorized the re-
moval of the City Post-office from the
General Post-office building, opposite
the Patent Office, to such other quar-
ters as designated commission should
select, which, after canvassing the city,
rented the Seaton House." the i'm
mense 5-story hotel fronting Louisiana
avenue and g street, near Seventh
street, and recently occupied by the
Pension Office. It is now ready for
occupancy, and the work of removal
is in progress. Only the basement and
first and second stories will be used at
present, though the other three stories
will undoubtedly be taken for some
other governmentalp purpose, inasmuch
as the rental of $1,000 per year covers
the whole building. The postal de-
partment has grown to such proper
tions that the present quarters are
wholly insufficient to accommodate the
needs of the General Government and
the city, hence the necessity for the
above change. Yet we shall miss our
daily visit to the prettiest Government
structure in the District. The delicate
order of architecture of the General
Post-office, is attractive, and few see it
without being struck by its superiority
in artistic beauty and design.
The President has pardoned Edward
Fl Pack whO last siln, m or vuoo cant fo