Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1880-06-23
Prom our regular correspondent
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, d, @, June 10, 1850,

NN'Es"~" ''"T
and departed. II was the most de-
cent and orderly winding up OF q SEES
sion ! have ever witnessed. Instead
Of noisy and disagrccable nIght'ses-
sions, aud q grand scramble, the busi'
moss was'kept we'll Ia hand and cleared
up without haste or confusion The
closing days witnessed the attempt so
usual, to "put through" some little
Jobs, but they oil tailed, The lobby,
what there Is Of 1t, goes away dis'al'''
fed and unhappy. But the lobby
since tho Democrats have controlled
Congress is bu: a small affair, without
influence enough to be worth eompar'
ison with that Of q few years ago.
during the era Of good stealing when
Garfield and Blaine and other radical
luminaries were pockcting stocks and
$4,000 fees. The present Congress
has been strictly honest, rs was its
predecessor, and it Is amusing TO hear
the friends OF 'Hiberal appropriations
groaplng over the parsimonious habits
of tho democrats and contrasting
these with the glorious days when
broad and liberal minded statesmen
used to snake things howl in the
last hours of the session, and when
the House, instead ct adjoarning early
on the last day, used to sit all night
and rush through jobs to the tune oil
sometimes millions in the closing
hours. II is not surprising that the
jobbers, bummcrs and lobbyists are
solcmnly persuaded that the country
would 90 to the dogs should the dem.
ocrats elect their president.
But while the happy relief from The
lobby and its enormous JOBS 10 n
source Of congratulation to the Amer
lean people, there is still one feature
Of a closing session which touches the
heart and en!ists the sympathies OF the
just man. There were many care
worn, anxious faces among the throng
in the corridors Of the Capitol on
Wednesday, many TO whom the fleet
ing hours Of the session were filled
with deep concern and anxious sus-
pense. There were some who have
long been supplicants for their jast
dues, for money honestly owed TO
them by this rich and powerful gov
eminent, and which they need to lift
the heavy burden OF poverty and dc.
climng years. Many of these will go
to their graves long before their
claims will be adjusted, not because
OF any inclination on the part of Con-
gress to do them wrong, but be-
cause it is simply impossible, amid the
over increasing pressure of snch bust
ness, to find time tor the consideration
of half the claims presented. Until
there is some tribunal created tor the
express and sole purpose OF investiga-
tion and deciding on claims to which
miscellaneous claims, having
no connection with damages or loss
inflicted by acts or incidents of war
we must 60 on doing cruel injustice
to many good citizens, keeping the
old, the poor the wretched out of
small sums that belong to them.
Some of these are claims thrown out
or systematically rejected by the de-
partment shat should pay them, and
the funds misappropriated to some
other purpose, while the only appeal
is to Congress. 1t is national shame
that these things exist, and the sooner
remedy is found and applied, the
better it will be tor our selt.respect as
apeople.
The republicans formally opened
their campaign with serenade to
Gen. Garfield here on Wednesday
evening. By parading a band through
the streets, with red lights judiciously
burned along the route, pretty large
crowd of radical statesmen and mig
gers was gathered up. There was no
lack of numbers but the enthusiasm
was thin except when the name Of
Grant happened to be mentioned. 1t
was a Grant crowd. There is no diff
ficulty in getting up crowd here tor.
besides our large population OF nc.
groes, who run at the beat of drum,
all the government: clerks belong to
what are known as the different state
organization. These always turn out
upon such occasions. 1t is their bust.
ness. They are government employees
and does not the republican party own
the goverumepti Of course 1t does.
One Of thsss associations had more