Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1881-12-03
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular correspondent.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 80, 1881.

ASHlNGTON, NOV. ou, 1901.
There is life enough about Wash
ington now. The clans have been
gathering rapidly for some days and
buZzings are heard which indicate
the renewal of hostilities on Capitol
hill. The chaotic condition to which
vacation, neglect, dust and aband-
onment reduced even the grandeur
under the Capitol dome, has sudden
ly disappeared and new life has TAX
Ell possession of the corridors so
long deserted save by the looker-on.
During the past week employees
have been busting and brushing and
new Congressman strolling here and
there, familiarizing themselves with
the various ways and by-ways of the
building which they expect to make
tremble with the thunders of their
eloquence. The attendant retinue
of clerks and assistants are in their
places and strangers and otfice-seek-
ers are everywhere. The Senate
chamber is as complete and tidy as
a lady's parlor-warm, nice, dry,
CHEEKY, comfortable-and the Hall
of Representatives is scarcely be-
hind; all is as elegant as for a bridal
party.
The renewal of activity is not con
fined to the abodes Of Congress. 1t
is everywhere about the city-the
hotels, the boarding-houses and all
other places of resort. Congress
makes Washington. For several
months, except at the time of Pres
ident Garfeld's funeral, the hotel
corridors have been deserted and
lonesome places, now they are filled
day and night, and one has only to
visit the different headquarters to
meet hundreds of familiar faces that
do not belong here, and see groups
of office-seekers, Congressman and
lobbyists button-holing each other
for dear life. One evening when the
speakership was at it's zenith of I'M
certainty, 1 saw in the lobby of a
prominent hotel, three candidates
for Speaker, two for Clerk of the
House, one for Sergeant-at-Arms
and about twenty five aspirants for
lesser positions. There were also
two ex-governors and several ex-
congressman, aiding the candidates
in their attacks on the poor unsus-
pecting members-elect, of whom a
goodly number were in the crowd.
The congressman is an important
parsonage at such a time, and when
it is all over and everything settled,
he must feel lonesome-as though
he had lost his best friend.
President Arthur has at last gone
into the White House to live. All
is as neat and bright as a new pin,
since the old house has been fixed
up. The President will occupy for
a sleeping-chamber a room that has
rarely been used for that purpose
by his predecessors, though General
Grant occupied it for a short time.
It is very spacious, measuring about
thirty by twenty feet, and is owe the
private dining-room. 1t is fully as
arge as the Red Parlor down stairs.
During Gen. Grants two terms this
DOM was known as Miss Nellie's
DOM" being that occupid by his
pnly daughter. The chamber is on
he north side of the house and with
he smaller room adjoining occupies
he northwest corner There will be
one but formal entertainments CIV
n at the mansion this winter-that
to say dinner parties and public
vening receptions. No one will be
here on whom the ladies a call
ociably, as they have been in the
abit of doing heretofore.
Don PEDRO.