Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1882-12-16
WAohiNGT0. LETTER.
From cur regular correspondent.
WASHINGTON, d. c., !
December l4th. 1882.

OOflS tS<o 40 INV BcLGAI5 Ab0A W
its work, and with that great and So
gacious body has come its great and
varied crowd Of adjuucts, hangers
on, camp. followers, tooters, and para
sites Of all kinds and of both sexes.
There are the Tariff, Banking, In
dian, Whiskey, Iron and Steel, Da-
kota admission, Railroad aud other
Hobbies small and great with their
various agents and assistants whose
name is legion. In addition to the
above there are the innumerable
smaller satellites. male ard female,
which revOlve siugly or ia eOuslella-
lions around tIe Congressional lum-
inaries There S. the lovely and ac-
c0mplished Mrs, Anonyma, who has
that celebrated claim You know for
her & er, q d husbands services as
eraapt8aa ia tfe gt whiskaF
suit. IH5a is Hae ypica' q imNib
Who has grown gray ln tha steady
pursuit ol some gigantic 50n ot
money 9H4laI 4HHsl#
DuL lea ey a aHH kns
the ahHa Wl
GET there aIe e typical
Jade G jon, aHd @0l0
mel, tHt&r UHs Ua sEa
vet granted ia l4s 5ae ,o0a aud
banded over DRINKS for which Jhey
are never able t8 UHy.
The second starr9gle trial ar
60 F.. t-tr.
first, and The prevailing opinion now
is that somebody Hii sci hurt this
time The counsel and defendants
in the case are numerous enough TO
form little jury oil thelr own, and
they are making desperate efforts to
get their case prejudged- Every re-
source that sllreWd counsel can sug-
gest is being employed not only to
secure delays, but to effect public
opinion. Assaults upon the Govern
ment counsel, and upon the Court,
of the most outrageous and unheard
Of nature are among the devices. A
long and varied experience persuaded
a witty FTenchman to conclude that
eve ought only to be ast0nish0d that
we are still able to be astOnished."
But he had never witnessed a Star
route trial, with its dramatic sur
prises. An ex-senator indicted, then
indignant at the delay of his trial--a
delay either necessary or proVeTDlal
but returned non est when called
before the array, finally coming into
the arena "smiling" and going out
sorrOWful Returning to the contest
with his war paint on, printing two
or three columns of battle cries, and
then falling back into the arms of
the medicine-man. There is a broad |
margin of eccentricity assigned to
eyery one in the embarrassed situa-
ton which is occupied by the cum |
ming men who imposed on Mr. Dor /
sey's too contiding, unsuspicious ma
ture, but this charity does not ex-
tend to their counsel learned in the
law. Human experience was not
fully prepared for the role played by
some of the counsel for the defense
when they appeared before Judge
Wylie and modestly requested that
gentleman to certify to his own judi
cial disqualification. The court is
crowded daily. One of these days
may find time and opportunity for
pen sketch Of the scene presented and
the prominent figure in it.
The recent braggadociO in the
French newspapers incident to the
rumOr that the United States in
tends to demand reparation for the
wrongs of American sailors in the
Island of Madagascar, is attracting
much painful attention and provok-
ing much angry comment here. The
claim made by the French that on
account of the utter impotence of
our navy that of France can ruin
every American seaport is felt TO
have much ground of shameful
truth. And here is fine opportun-
itv for Mr.. Robinson, of New York,
and other doughty members of Con
gress whose pleasant duty it has
hitherto been to periodically twist
the tail of the British lion, to turn
their attention to cutting the comb
of the Gallo rooster, which crows
so Justify. The farmer and the mer-
chant of the inland towns may often
find it difficult to appreciate the need
for a powerful and effective navy
and vet it enters closely as power
full factor into the question of
his daily expenditures. The navy
of any mercantile and maratime ma
tion is at once the pioneer and pro-
tector OF its foreign trade, and when
either OF the citizens named has to
pay few cents more for his teas or
cotfees, for example, because some
foreign power has monopolized the
trade, he begins to find that a great
navy is useful after all.
We all had chance to look upon
the well-known physiognomy of Gen
eral Butler during his late visit to
the Capitpl. His expression is sim