Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1881-03-31
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular COTrespondent.l
WASHINGTON. March 20. ISs

The chief topic Of interest here for
some days past mas been the question OF
an extra session. \ week ago it was re-
garded as settled affirmativelv. but dur
ing the present week it has been AZ. in
involved in doubt. The politicians are
mostly in favor OF it. and no doubt the
call would have been issued on Tuesday
had not the protests from business cir
cles.-and especially the banks. come in
thick and fast. OF course the banks don't
want funding bill passed. and they
exert a greater influence than people
generally understand. Then, too. busi-
ness men generally fear that session of
Congress during the spring anG early
summer would do much to unsettle trade
and keep the country in a state of eX
citement. From New York. Boston.
Philadelphia, Cincinnati and Chicago
strong protests have poured in upon the
President. and they have had great
weight. Undoubtedly the session, if
called, would extend far into the hot
weather. for the two parties are so evenly
balanced in both houses that little pro-
gress could be made in the transaction of
business to which either side unitedly
objected. Political questions would GER
principal objects of the Repu blicans IN
calling the session is to investigate South
ern elections with view to unseating a
number of members claimed to have
been unfairly elected. These objects the
Democrats would resist even to the extent
of filibustering againt them. Then the
! funding measure also is asOurce of differ
ence between the two parties the Demo-
Gratis favoring legislation that is objec-
tionable to the banks. such as the fifth
section of the bill vetoed by President
Hayes. Secretary Blaine favors the ex-
ira session chiefly because he thinks the
veto was a mistake. or at least gave an
advantage to the Democrats and Green
i hackers, especially in his State. which he
is anxious to counteract by the prompt
passage Of funding bill through Re-
publican Congress. These are the con-
sideratiOns, 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. l will not undertake
to predict the result. since it will be
known before this letter is in print.
Next to the extra session question the
Otfice-seeker has occupied most attention
of late. The town fairly swarms with
them, and the button holing process can
be witnessed al libitum any day or even
ing in the hotel lobhies. Every one of
the Departments is overrun with them.
and the President has been besieged and
worried until he appears worn and de-
| pressed He commenced day on two
since to take regular exercise on horse
back to overcome the effects of this
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 il he
wants it, and there is nothing more GER
tain than that he will never get what he
wants, in these times, unless he does 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 trying feature
of it is that so many come at once. and
such large proportion aspire to places
entirely out of their reach. Fewer chan
ges have been made by the new admins
tration than was anticipated, and, of
course, there are many disappointments.
1t is now in order to ring in that old joke
about the man who came on for an as.
sistant.secretaryship dropped gradually
uON uHlOuSi thANo w d oLlOil SlCt N
ship, and finally borrowed $40 to get out
of town with. There are undoubtedly
many cases of which this is an illustra.
tion. For the one hundred and thirty
additional clerkships voted by Congress
for the Pension Office, there were over
three thousand applications. So the dis
tant reader may see that while his right
to seek an Office is undisputed, the chan
ces of his getting it are almost as remote
as they would be for drawing a lottery
prize. 1t is a poor business at best aud
any young man who can obtain employ
ment in any of the ordinary avocations OF
life, will in the end do better to keeE
away from Washington.
One thing worthy of mention i'll this
connection is the enormous exaggeratior
of his influence felt by newly elected
member of Congress. 1t is amusing tC
oi serve them when they make theil
debut in Washington. Quite number
, of them have been about the Capita
J within the last month. | saw one the
, other day whom | had known out West
few years ago, and who was then re
garded very ordinary sort of person
There is nothing about him now excep
, his certificate of election by 1870 majority
|, to convince me that Providence ha,
wrought any great change in him. Blu
he stands several inches higher in hi
stocking feet than formerly. He met ;
| young man from his district the othe
/ day, and, after the usual greeting, asked
: What are you doing hereY I'm tn,
{ Pension Office" was the reply. How
much do you get Z" "Only $1,000 a year.
The Colonel here grew suddenly indg
, nant, and turning upon his modest con
stituent he remarked: This will never d,
never in the world. Come around ant
= see me, and will 60 at once and hav
you promoted about $780," No doub
, that young man felt relieved. and at ono
telegraphed home and told all his friends
\ In short time he will find some Difficult
f ty to getting his card in to the Colonel
who will learn in about week that h
has bitten off more than he can masti
cate, and hence does not care to face tn
enemy's fire, and the youth will keep Of
drawing at the rate of $1,000 year til
further notice.
How it was Done.
"HOw do you manage" said lady t
Inr frinnh ttA 60 hon nd