The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-12-15
WASHINGTON LITTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent. ]

1t would not be possible, perhaps, for
any President to construct an annual mes
sage that would escape criticism among
the varied and various political elements
here at the Capital. President Arthur
certainly has not accomplished the feat
this year, though his message bears inter
nal evidence of labored effort in that
direction. There are few who accord il
rank as an able state paper, but worse
than that large proportion of the Presii
dents own party are positively displeased
with many of his utterances. This feel
ing, slightly apparent at first has been
growing daily ever since the message has
appeared in print. The Stalwart leaders
are not only dissatisfied with the message
but with the Presidents Southern policy
which is entirely controlled by that astut,-
and INSCRIPTIONS wire worker, Secretary
B II Chandler, and has been so managed
as to squelch the staunch Republicans of
that section in order to further the pur-
poses of such schemers as Malone The
Half breeds arc best'pleased with the mes
sage. though filed with doubts of it's sin
cerity. An ironical smile played upon
the faces of listens rs in both houses of Con
gress when the Presidents expressions on
the subject Of political assessments were
read One leading Senator said half aloud:
He shouldhave put those sentiments INTO
practice before the elections instead s of
giving Hubbeli and Malone carte blanche
TO rob the poor clerks" Il will be remein
bered that the President went fishing last
summer and allowed his position on the
| assessment question to be interpreted by
Jaw Hubbell and Malone and Don Gamer
nn whose demands were made pimerative,
and there never was more general belief
that the status of ofhce holders depended
/ mil NIT ~
1t may safely be said that the message has
taken many persons by surprise. One
hears it said on the streets and in the
hotels that the President has heard the
verdict of the people and had been guided
by il. Some are disagreeably surprised by
hls recommendations and Others speak of
the message as death bed repentance"
SeEaior Miller Of New York, laughingIy
refers tosthe Presidents Recommendations
as those of convert - "A -
Congress is now getting down to lis
work, sud with that great and sagacioas
body has come its great and varied crowd
of adjuncts, hangers on, camp followers,
tooters and parasites of all kinds and of
both sexes. There are the tariff. banking,
Indian, whisky, iron and steel, Dakota ad-
mission, railroad and other Hobbies small
and great wTth their various AGENTS and
assistants whose name is legion. la sddi
ton 70 tine above there are the innumera-
TIE smaller satellites, tle and female,
which revolve singly or in consultations
around the congressional lumlnaries
There is the lovely and accomplished Mrs.
.Anonyma, who ha.s tlIat celebrated claim,
you knew, feF-her dear dead Husbands
services as great counsel in the great whis-
ky suit. There is the typical claiman,
who has grown gray in the steady pursuit
ofvsome giganticzsum of money wrongfallN
withheld, perhaps, but which every sane
man knows the gray haired claimant will
never gel. Then there the typical Judge,
and Major" and Colonel. whose mill
taryr ranks are brevets granted. in the bar
room, and banded over drinks for
which none of them are ever able TO pay.
The second Star route trial attracts more
interest here than the first and the pre-
vailing opinion now is that somebody will
get hurt this time. The counsel and de-
PENDANTS in the case are numeroas
enough to form little jury of their
own, and they are making desperate
Efforts to get their ease prejudged. Every
resource that shrewd counsel can suggest
ID being employed not only to secure de-
lays. but to affect public opinion. As
saults upon the government counsel and |
upon the court, of the most outrageous
and unheard-of nature are among their |
devices A long and varied experience |
persuaded witty Frenchman to conclude |
THAI we ought only to be astonished that
we afssstill able to be astoEished." But |
he hadSaever witnessed u Star route trial, 4
with its Eramatic surprist B. An ex-senator
indicted, hen indignant at the delay of the |
trial defaE either necessary or proverbial |
but returned non est when called before |
the array, finally coming into the arena |
Smiling" anu going out sorrowful Re |
turning to tfI9contest with his war paint |
%. REintlng Two or three columns of bat
tlesclies antla then falling back into the
arms IL the medicine man. There is a |
broad margin Of ecceutricity assigned to |
everE one in the embarrassed situation |
which Is occupied by the cunning men who |
on Mr.. Dorseys too confiding,
nature, but this charity does
not extend to their counsel learned in the |
law. Human experience was not fally pre-
pared for the role played by some of the
counsel for the defense when they appeared i
before Judge Wylie and modestly requested I
that gentleman to certify to his own judi
cial qualification. The court is crowded |
daily. One of these days | may find time |
and opportunity for pen sketch of the /
scene presented and the prominent figures
in it.
The recent braggadocio in the French /
ewspapers incident to the rumor that the /
United States intends to demand reparation
for the wrongs of American sailors in the |
Island of Madagascar, is attracting )