The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1881-03-31
Washington Letter.
....WAsHINGToN, March 26, 1881.

Deen again lAVOlVeO III uouDt- 'he
are mostly in favor OF it,
and no doubt the call would have been /
issued on Tuesday had not protests
from business circles, and especially
the banks, come in thick and fast. OF
course the banks don't want a funding
bill passed, and they exert greater
influence than people generally un-
derstand. Then, too. business men
generally fear that session of Con-
gress during the spring and early sum-
mer would do much to unsettle trade
and keep the country in state of ex-
element. From New York, Boston
Philadelphia, Cincinnati and Chicago
strong protests have poured in upon
the President, and they have had
great weight. Undoubtedly the ses-
sion, if called, would extend far into
the hot weather, for the two parties are
so evenly balanced in both houses that
little progress could be made in the
transaction of business to which either
side unitedly objected. Political ques-
tions would certainly come to the sur
face, for one of the principal objects of
the Republicans in calling the session
is to investigate Southern elections
with a view to unseating number of
members claimed to have been unfair
Iy elected. These objects the Demo-
Gratis would resist even to the extent
of fillibustering against them. Then
the funding measure also is source of
difference between the two parties, the
Democrats favoring legislation that is
Objectionable to the banks, such as the
fifth section of the bill vetoed by Pres
ident Hayes. Secretary Blaine favors
tina extra session chiefly because he
thinks the veto was a mistake, or at
least gave an advantage to the Demo-
Gratis and Greenbackers, especially in
his State, which he is anxious to coun-
teract by the prompt passage of the
funding bill through Republican
Congress. These are the considera-
tions, pro and con, relative to an extra
session, to which may be added the
anxiety of aspirants for the offices of
the House and Senate. I will not un-
dertake to predict the result, since it
will be known before this letter is in
print.
Next 10 the extra session question
the oflice-seeker has occupied most at
tention of late. The town fairly
swarms with them, and the button
holding process can be witnessed ad
libitum any day or evening in the hotel
Iobbies. Every one of the Depart
ments is overrun with them, and the
President has been besieged and wor-
ried until he appears worn and de-
pressed. He commenced a day or two
since to take regular exercise on horse
| back to overcome the effects of the
pressure and care. / do not use the
term " "office- seeker" in any offensive
sense, though that is the popular thing.
Any citizen has right to seek an office
if he wants it, and there is nothing
more certain than that he will never
get what he wants, in these times, un-
less he do seek it. Every man now in
official station, high or low, has been
an office-seeker at some time, and the
majority will be again, probably. But
the the trying feature of it is that so
many come at once, and such a large
proportion aspire to places entirely out
of their reach. Fewer changes have
been made by the new administration
than was anticipated, and, of course,
there are many disappointments. II
| -, To ri ~, of old inIy C
about the man who came on for an
assistant secretaryship, dropped grad
ually down through the grades to 8
small clerkship, and finally borrowed
$40 to get out of town with. There
are undoubtedly many cases of which
this is an illustration. For the one
hundred and thirty additional clerk
ships voted by Congress for the Pen
sion Office, there We're over three
thousand applications. So the distan
reader may see that, while his right t.
seek an office is sundisputed, the chances
, of his getting it are almost as remot
as they would be for drawing lotter.
prize. 1t is poor business at best, ant
ployment in any of the ordinary avo
cations of life, will in the end do bette
to keep away from Washington.
One thing worthy of mention il
this connection is the enormous eXag
, geration of his influence felt by new
o ly elected member of Congress, 1t
amusing to observe them when the
, make their debut in Washington
. Quite a number of them have bee
, about the Capital within the lastmOntl
l saw one the other day whom l ha
+ known out West a few years ago, an
who was then regarded a very ordins
+, ry sort of person. There is nOthin
Z about him now, except his certificat
of election by 100 majority, to cor
I vince me that Providence has wrough
< any great change in him. But II
t stands several inches higher in hi
stocking feet than formerly. tle me
young man from his district tn
f other day, and, after the usual greet
, ings, asked: "What are you doin
here?" lin the Pension Office" wa
: the reply. How much do you get ?
} "Only $1,000 year" The Colons
here grew suddenly indignant, AM
turning upon his modest constituent h
: remarked: "This will never do
never in the world. Come around an
: see me, and l will go at once and hav
you promoted about $500" No doub
, that young man felt relieved, and 9
r once tel, graphed home and told all hi
friends. In short time he will fin
= some difficulty in getting his card i
: to the Colonel, who will learn in abou
5 a week that he has bitten OFF MOI
I than he can masticate, and hence doe
!, not care to face the enemy's fire, an
e the youth will keep on drawing at tn