The Penn's Grove record., 1882-07-01
WASHINGTON LETTER,
WAsmINaroN, JUNE "a, 1882.

more fugreSS has been m@de by Con
gress during the last few days than in
the whole month previous. The hot
weather and the necessity of booking
utter Congressional fences about this
season of the year Combine to inspire
the ass mbied wisdom of the Nation
with thoughts Of an early Adjournment.
The Ways and Means Committee seeks
to fix upon July 10Th as the final day of
the session, and it is now thought that
all the remaining appropriations II
be disposed OF by that time. There
are several important measures other
than these which ought to be acted up
on before adjournment. but they have
been postponed and played withso long
that there is now little chance of pass
ing them. Though Congress has ht en-
in session nearly months no meas
ures of National Importance have been
passed, except the act for the suppress
sion of Mormopism and the doubtful
Chinese legislati IL. The great questions
of civil service Improvement, internal
taxation and the tariff have simply
been neglected or temporized with.
1t is Il palpable fact that our present
race OF statesmen do not courageously
take hold of the living practical ques-
tions of the day. Our legislators are
not statesmen but politicians whose
highest conception of duly is there own
interests, and who look upon the sur
plus revenues as belonging to them, to
be log.rolled out where it will do the
most good. Because If this, and their
seemingly irresistible penchant for
bungling and tinkering and doing act
ual mischief, the pnblic generally
periences a SENSE of relief when the SEES
sions end. An illustration of the stu
pid way in which legislation is ground
out is furnished in tie Japanese In
demnity bill, which, as it passed the
Senate, required tie President to pay
Japan $3.50, 900 out of his own, pocket.
The bill was debated for weeks, ana
finally passed in this laundering shape,
with the additional disgrace of a refus
al 10 return all that shGuld have been
returned, after keeping the money
wrcpgfully taken over twenty years,
until the principal and interest runs
into millions
An amusing incident occurred in the
Senate On Monday. The bill to extend
the characters of National banks was
under consideration, ard Senator Voor
(hees was delivering a carefully prepared
speech, which WAS being listened to
with marked attention. Outside Il Sc
we're rain and wind storm was raging,
and a small sparrow flew in one of the
open windows and found its Nay to the
Senate chamber. The little bird hop
ped about quite lively apOn the rail
which euciicles the gallery. at the same
time chirping away at a great rate.
The dl9nified Senators immediately
withdrew theirattention from the speak
Ell and eagerly watched tie antics OF
the sparrow. In vain the Senator
from Indiana eideavofed to hold the
attention of his hearers; they were too
much taken ny with the bird. He fin
ally directed one Of lie page boys TO
go up into the gallery, and captule the
sparrow, and then proceeded with his
speech. After it was all ovel some
Il remarked, "Well, i wouldn't have
thought that a sparrow a o at
tractive than "a speech from Dan Voor
hees. '
Department grief is Il noticeable feat
IRE of the Capital. Whenever a form :
er head of an executive department is
called to rest the department is closed
the day of the fuaeral, although it may
take place a thousand or two thousand
miles away, These opportunities to
''testify respect cannot come too tie
qnently for the employees, aud it is
quite a common thing for the employ
Is of a department TO calculate how
many prospective extra holidays are in
store for them by counting up the mum
Der Of ex-heads of their department
who are yet to die. Ex-Governor Den
uison, who died few days ago, was
formerly Postmaster General, and the
department is consequently draped III
mourning again, that put OH for ex-
Postmaster General Maynard having
been taken down but a few days be-
fore. The employees give vent to their
glief on tie occasion Of his funeral 10y
attending pienics and excursions.
Dom PEDRO.