The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-02-21
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular corrcspondent.)


Take it all in all this has been a rather dull
winter in Washington. The number Of stran-
gers in the city Is smaller than usual. II may
be that the smallpox scare has kept them
away; but both in the Capitol and IN the salon,
on the avenue, at RECEPTIONS and at hops there
appears to be n smaller number Of strangers,
and less political and social excitement than
there has been during any previous winter
since the war. There has been the usual mum.
Der of Presidential and cabinet receptions !;
the hotels have given weekly hops; the thea.
tiers blazcd with the usual complement Of blase
stars there has been no lack of brilliant we'd
Idings' and no scarcity of "reigning belles;'
but still il seems to me that neither Vanity
interesting as heretofore. 1t Is a common re-
mark that President Hayes's receptions do not
draw as we'll as those of his predecessor, and
there has not been an occasion during this ses-
sion sufficiently big TO overcrowd the galleries
Of the House or Senate
But the remaining weeks of the Congress
iOnal session will be more exciting. There
are several subjects almost ready TO be sub
mtted or reported back which will enllven
debate and relieve the routine. In the Senate
contrary to general expectation, decided OPP
position is manifested to any action looking to
the assertion of an American policy with re-
gard to interoceanic communication. The
Gordon resolution will come up early next
week for consideration, and the indications
are that the very animated discussion which
was begun IN the Democratic caucus will be
continued. The House Committee on com
merce are nearly ready to submit their inter
state commerce bill, and this will enliven mat
tiers In that end of the capitol. To-day or to-.
morrow the Senate Committe on census will
report back adversely number of nomina-
tons for census supervisors, and this will lead
to partisan debate in executive session. The
Republican Senators will, as rule, sustain the
nominations of the President and endeavor 10
have them confirmed. There are several of
these nominations that will he bitterly contest
ed. The fight over Summons, of Georgia,
which was begun before the committee, must
be settled in executive session. Senator Wal
lace Is dong his best to defeat the confirmation
of Sherwood, nominated for supervisor of the
Philadelphia district Speaker Randall is
just as earnestly laboring in behalf or Sher-
wood, though he is Republican. Wallace
and Randall are rival leaders of the Pennsyl-
vanla Democracy, and this contest over Sher-
wood transfers their dispute to congress. There
are other matters, too, to add interest to con.
grcssional proceedings; such, for instance, as
the proposed investigation of Minister Sew
ard
Day after tomorrow the Lenten season, al
ways strictly observed in Washington, will
commence, and the fashionable season will
end in climax of terpsichorean festivities and
masquerade balls Blessed be the benignant
philanthropy that invented Lent. The mad
turmoil of fashion has ravaged the face of
beauty until the fair "debutante" of last Au-
tumn is already pale and passe. In no other
country is youthful dlssi patton carried to such
an extreme, and 1t is impossible to avoid the
conclusion that the older civilizations, across
the Atlantic, are wiser than ours IN keeping
their daughters out of society until they have
been married, and in preserving for husbands
that material freshness which the American
young lady dissipates upon Tom, Dick and
Harry.