The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1880-01-17

Our Washington Letter.

Our Washington Letter.
The Vagrant Negro Population q
Washington-Arrival Of Ute Chiefs
The Poor Indian Sentiment Congress
sional Notes -Greanbaok Oonyention
WASHINGTON. D. e., jan IL, 1885,
EDITOR CHIEF:
Under the shadow of church
within stones throw Of the palatia1
residence Of the British Minister, and
but short distance from "Castle Stu.
art, " now in ruins, q young grocer was
murdered Last week for the paltry
sum Of four dollars. The occurrence
elas created u profound sensation, and
on Sunday the scene Of the tragedy
was visited BY thousands, who looked
upon the blood stained pavement, and
tR.used upon the insecurity of life even
| - this age of civilization, and in a
populons capital. Why this murder
should be moro talked about and writ
ten about than the many others that
have been committed in the city is
not easily explained, except upon the
we'll. known fact that communities will
apparently tolerate the grossest out
!awry for long time, but will faally
b. shocked, Is some deed of peculiar
atrocity, into wfeaking vicarious ven
geance "n the perpetrators. The mur-
derers are supposed to be four Ne
groes, now under arrest. 1t is to be
hoped that 10 other city has such IN
excess Of worthless, idle, vicious COL
ored people as Washington. Nine
terths of the business of the Police
Court is supplied By this class, and it
is known that many Of them, too lazy
t" work, commit petty crimes for no
other purpose than to secure f:Ud and
lodging in Jail, from which they
emerge sleek aud fat, prepared for
new adventures. Able. bodied colored
men infest the street corners, with
shoe backing apparatus for an excuse
for a livelihood, content to earn fifteen
or twenty cents per day, and happy
in the lack of employ ment that enables
chem to joke aud gossip with their
friends, when the weather is too cold
for the preferable pastime Of doing
in the sun. These la=aroni can not
be induced, by the offer of wages, to
tackle heavy work, aud not Italy or
Spain eau show more idle or worth.
less class. The four that have been
arrested formed singing quartette,
which, during the past summer, pa
raded the streets ct night, sereuadiDg
on the corners, and parsipg hat for
pennies at the end of their perform
ance. No one who has lived long in
Washington but il familiar with the
hideous music Of these noisy vagrants,
and they should have long since been
arrested as distur('ers of sleep.
Ouray aud his Ute chiefs arrived
yesterday, and have been quar:ered
in a second class hotel. They come
to secure better terms than hanging
for the murderers and ravishers of the
Meeker family. When We consider
the ignorance and savageuess of these
people, it seems absolutely absurd
that we should make treaties with |
them or consider them as politically
intelligent entities. There has been
a great deal Of sentimentalism, now
happily declining, in the press, and |
pulpit, and Congress, about the rights
and wrongs Of the "poor Indian." If
the history of civilization for the last
6OOO years teaches any thing, the les
son is that the tools belong to those
who can use them, aud the soil of this
beautiful earth to those who SOW and
reap. With sentimental people the
tiger may have q right to his native
jungle, but the same necessity that is
him with bullets, charged
"ith explosive poison, and transform.
ing the jungle into a garden, is at
work on our frontier, and has been
at work for three hundred years, in
oenefcent slaughter of tigers from
Jamestown and Plymouth Rock to
Colorado. The fittest will survive in
spite Of obstructive romantic senti-
1t is the law of Nature,
The law of God. L
Congress met on Tuesday, con-
graduated itself on meeting, and ad-
|ourned. The day after the holiday
recess is "blue Monday" to Congress
men. Wednesday business COM
In the House an excellent
Of tho Rules will have imme-
1iate consideration. It 10 the work
'f such accomplished gentlemen 40
Speaker Randall, Mr.. Frye, Alex. n.
Stephens, Mr.. Blackburn, snd others.
It reduces the number of rules from
L8 to IS, simplifies them, aud makes
hem consistent with each other.
Their discussion will oeeppy q week I