The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1880-03-10
Washington Letter.

The meeting of the Democratic Nj
tinnal Committee here last week at
tracted the interested attention of poll
ticians of all shades, and its effect has
been to leave Il better feeling among
Democrats than has existed since the
last Presidential election. \ large
Der of representatives of the party We're
present from various localities and the
evidences of spirit and determination
prevailed among them had an exhila-
rating effect upon Democratic Congress
men and others here. The lively tie
gree of interest manifested i'm locating
the Convention is of itself an indica-
ton of IA spirit of hOpefulness, and the
expressions of the various delegates be-
token positive confidence i'm the success
of the party. The expressions were not
wild assertions, based upon the general
idea that the party must win because il
sought to- but the leading Democrats
took Il practical view of the situation
and agreed universally that they would
win if wise action and counsels pre-
vailed. Whatever may be said about
the significance of the selection of place
for holding the convention, it certainly
has none in relation to candidates. The
interests of no candidate was consulted
and none of the candidates took posi-
ton i'm favor of any particular place.
But while this is the Democratic stu
alton, things among the Republicans
are getting pretty badly mixed. Mr..
COnkling's New York Convention has
done the work mapped out for it. and
now the strikers wait for John Logan
to bring Illinois to the scratch. There
is no disguising,th the fact that feeling of
alarm Is taking possession of a portion
of the Republican party. a candid
Republican office holder, who j. for
Sherman first and Blaine next, said to
me this morning; al am afraid we are
going to be wrecked" The situation of
the party is certainly desperate. The
Senatorial Syndicate that is running
Grant rough shOd over the heads of the
people, are determined upon two things
to beat Blaine at all hazards, and to
secure Il man who will obey them. Ii
matters not from their standpoint
whether Grant can poll the largest vote
or not. They know him 10 he II man
who cares nothing for any methods but
his own, and to recognize no restraints.
They know that at the critical moment
he will, if necessary, declare himself
elected, regardless of the vote, and pro-
coed to seize the reins of government.
This is not mere bunkum. Let any
man hear the talk | have heard among
the advocates of Grant right here in
Washington and come to any conclu-
sion if he can. The candidacy of Grant
means Republican rule by fair means or
foul. The lesson taught by all these
signs is that the approaching contest
will be a hot one.
Just after my last letter was sent the
news came from that poor old Brumidi,
the Italian fresco painter, who has been
painting frescoes in the Capitol, was
dead. Every visitor who has been
through the building for many years,
has seen the old man ut work and i'll
speeding the results of his labOrs. No
change of administration no change
of library committee i'm Congress or in
Office of architect of the Capitol ever
affected Brunidi. He was subject To no
authority, and as nobody knew exactly
how he came there, so nobody ever
thought of interfering with the work
he carried on behind his perpetual scat
folding. He began in the Committee
room of the House Committee OH Agri
culture under sort of underlined en-
gagement and has been at il ever since.
Wherever there was blank wall there
Brumidi set up his scaff0lding. In the
rOtunda, in the corridors, in the COM
mittce rooms, in the cellar, he and his
workmen were continually engaged.
The dark passages i'm the basement he
covered with most elaborated flora and
fauna Birds, beasts and fishes cupids
gOddesses and distinguished Senators
were all alike subjects for Brumidps
brush. He was the author of that en-
traordinary composition which excitcs
the wonder of the rural mind in the
dOme'of the Capitol, and for Il long time
before his death he was engaged upon
vast scheme of decoration which WAS
perhaps his most important work and
which is left unfinished. 1t WAS his
cherished wish to be able to complete
this work with his own hand, but the
fall he sustained i'm October suspended
it for while and he explained the
plans and designs to "a workman of his
own selection who will probably carry
them out.
He was u most singular man.
Though he received from the Govern
ment $50, 800 for one piece of work
the painting on the canopy of the dome
and has earned large sums at work
elsewhere, including the decorations of
st. Stephens church, New York, and
the Cathedral i'm Philadelphia, he died
without money enough to pay his flu
neral expenses. A friend of mine
showed me yesterday singular receipt
written by Brumidi in which he ac-
knowledges the sum of $50 from Mr.
Follansbee "for payment of half the
wall of my house, where he have
builded his house next of mine, and
calls myself satisfied"
Congress is doing well now and is
getting right down to work. One of
the measures which stirs up the bowels
of Radical wrath is bill by Senator
Butler of South Carolina which pro-
vides that it shall not he lawful for any
office-holder under the United States
to contribute money for political pur-
poses. No head of department shall
collect or permit to be collected, money
for such purposes. This provision also
includes persons having contracts with
the United States, National banks and
other corporations chartered by the
the United States. For violation of