The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1880-02-14
WASHINGTON LETTER.


ton, etc. etc.
From our Regular Correspondence
Washington, ID. C. Jan. 26, 1880.
A more erroneous idea never
prevailed than that the position
Is d slnecure. The real legisIa-
tive work that the average mem
Der does is small, but his work as
Il claim agent is oIerous in the ex'
IRENE. a rural constituency will
be satisfied with the public Ser>
vice of.their representative if he
makes Il Or two set speeches
during d session aud they will be
delighted If he gets the better of
some other member in repartee ;
but III personal service, the cons
stitaeht Is more exacting. The
member is expected to look af-
ter the interests of hispeop'e at
Washington. Formerly forty
years ago, the constituent had no
interests here. but now, this one
thinks that he is entitled to 4 pen
sion ; another imasines that his
intention will I've worth mil
lions of dollar to Uncle Sam, and
bis member is expected to Intro
duce it aud urge its adoption by
Congress, the President, and Sec
retaly of War. The inventor is
willing to sell his millions saving
device Tor $ 100000 Then there
Is the "co.d water alld bran bread
>oclety' and I'LL intimate variety
OF other soclelAs with schemes ior
eXpeIltlng the millennium that
Their patent member Uf Congress
is expected to sciiampion, and for
which he Is expected to secure
>onitkihd OF recognition by The
government, preferably AN app.o
i'fiatlnii. Ii IL ignores any OF
-iiein, lie daies it al the penalty OF
losing votes and losing Ills place
at the next election. The ma.
who has a claim against the gov
eminent Tor services dulins the
war, Tor property taken. or for
anything eieSe, rarely ever thinks
ot putting 1t iii tie Aau,is oi All,
OF The numerous law firms or
c!aim agents IN the city. lie en-
closes Tie papers relating to the
matter to the member from his
uisiilct or Une ui til. Senators
nom Ills stdtt. and urges that his
CUISINES be hutied through.
Should the Congressman fail to IS
tabil>h the claim and get the
money, he frequently, because of
his laiiuie, Makes an tueuiy oi
Tie cIiiniatt. who forthwith, de
ciatts ainI works for some other
a>t'lia:It tor COncresslona. bun
of>' \ in:Oai.ieiit nelHber OF the
lower iio,>e recently said 80
Ooisic>sH.an who tries 20 meet
Az tile demands upon him has the
WORK OF three nen to perform. ~,
the first place he has his duty u,
on ;lr iinor. Ii he keeps trace OF
ali tue bills and paliic measures.
aN.! iahors for tile OF his
own he has aS muc!, as n one
ihai o1ght to do. Then ne has
his cOiinll'tee Work. Not oilly
iGe work OF the committees to
which iic may belong, but there
are matters referred to all the COZ.
mittees which he ought 10 look al
ter. He has besides his Departs
ment work. There Is not a De.
pa%r,tnent, # the Government.
aye, scarcely Il division OF any d.
d~ariinent: lii which. some Of lis
constituents haven't something
that%in'erests them. Applications
tor appoint,nentsstop position, claims
pensions, and the many stages
through whi.h these matters
have to go" The correspondence
Of IA member of Congress. TOO. en-
tails a great deaf of Labor. Let
]er> fem constituents must be an
>~ereu promptly. aud in ORDER to
DO this there Is scarcely a menbe,
vino Is not compelled to emuioy
a secretary OF nii aiDangpnSis. Up
ou.aiI average, IL fakes three hou!s
each day al least. for d member
10 read anii reply 10 The letters he
receives. The impression thai
congressman have nothiug to do
ort ei.Jo.y themselves is aitogeih-
Ell wrong. They have their trou
Dies aud aunoyahces as wei! as
other people, and, Hpon the whole
do not deserve half the cpilsnre
they get. Besides these de
mdnt's Oh his lille III member, Of
Congress escapes aeuandS on his
purse. He receives many letters
: from his district requesting coa
trlbutlOnS to various charities.
Some OF his constituents, coming
10 Washington for pleasure or Oh
bus!nsss find themselves stIande,!
without money. tara immediately
t" their member, who is expected
to pay their hotel bills, or bny a
ticket home. When TIL. muItlpl1
civ of these demands u,o,, tl,,