Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1883-03-16
WASHINGTON LETTER.


iOops
With Congress gone the capitol building
Ia dreary place, like some banquet hall
deserted" AZ usual the closing scenes of
the late session we're sugge.tive of Icdlam
or something worse. To an outsider who
happens in during these last hours or days
1t Is n matter OF perfect amnEemeht how
any business can he transacted nj all, though
a great deal is done. Everybody wrangles
over everything, aud this year as l47 men
we're leaving the legislative halls never to
return they naturally wanted to have say
or get through a pet bill. But with lall the
disorder IL is good nntured crowd and
becomes hilarious over the smallest attempt
Mt wit. Mingled will, the yelps Of laugh
ter come the shouts OF members who are
anxious to be heard. "Mr. Speaker, de.
sire five minutes only" The gentleman
from Wisconsin will come 10 order" "For
Gods sake let me get through what am
saying" "Mr. Speaker, am not to be
driven from this ,""vole Vote ~ and
torrent OF motions, amendments and
heaven knows what. Az for submitting
anything to the yeas aud nays it has go,
to be almost an impossibilily. The yeas
answer vigorously. hut when II comes TO
the nays they bawl il out so loud that fifty
men could readily he taken for n hundred.
Then comes the standing up and sitting
down to determine the yeas and nays.
Cries of "Get np everybody !" are followed
by "Sit down sit down p and even then
the tellers have to be resoried 10 sometimes.
The only exhibitions of ill-humor last
Sunday morning came from the friends OF
the whisky bill who sto!idly refused to let
any other measures come up out OF order
40 long rs theirs could not; and the eight
gentlemen who vehemrntly shouted M to
the resolution of thanks TO speaker Keller
The proverb that o'hng evil should be
spoken of the dead is not observed by the
public or the press in commenting upon
The forty seventh Congress. Is shoricom
ings are raked mp remorselessly, while the
good that it did is lightly passed over.
| There il, however, room fnr something
commendatory to be said OF the Congress
Just expired. It's last days were compara
lively free from the passage OF jubs aud
schemes such as too frequently slip through
in the rush and hurry proceeding final nd
| journment. 1t is true thousands of meas
ures were permitted to fail, hut the chances
| are that there w8s great deal more to be
condemned than approved in the lot. Some
| OF the wisest sta atesmen maintain that too
much legislation is greater evil than too
little, aud upon this theory the course of
Congress in quietly allowing several tious.
and bills TO go TO the wnsie basket il, in
fact, benefit to the country. Among the
lost bills are many Of undonbted merit,
such as the shipping bill; that 10 provide
an intermediate court for the relief of the
United States supreme court, the educa
tional bill, and others OF like importance
One of the most serions omissions was the
failure to enact definite law regulating
the count OF the electoral vote and provi-
ding for the Presidential succession. The
next Congress will be divided between the
two parties, the republicans controlling
the sera.e and the democrats the house
hence there is but little prospect that i
will agree upon any law prescribing how
the electoral votes shall be counted, ant
thus the country may he exposed TO tn,
danger of another complication and parti
san controversy over the decision of th,
next Presidential election.
: Amid the babble aud tumnlt of the clos
: ing scenes in the two houses of Congress
thoughtful person might have been moved
with many serious reflections. Any on,
given TO sentiment could have found foot
!, for melting thoughts in the contemplation
: OF senator Ferry's vacant chair Sunda,
morning. Two months ago lie was re
z garded ns n very fortunate man. He wa
! supposed to be fixture in the senate, hi
reelection being looked upon as a certain
ty, and his wealth was esi imated at owe
d a million. Two or three weeks later it be
D came evident he would have trouble in re
= curing n reelection, and few days after
b wards came the announcement that hi
o riches had taken wings. Accumulate
u misfortunes prosrated him, and on Sur
i day, while the last act Of the forty severt
Congress was being played, lie WAS lyin
on bed OF pain a lew blocks distant,
physical as well as financial wreck. III
absence from the senate, Of which lie ha
been an honored member for twelve year
was scarcely noticed. He wss not MISE
from his seat by hall dozen of his oil
associates. He had not been IN the chan
ber for weeks, and was well lnigh forgotte
d Sunday evening after the adjournment
|. left Washington, accompanied by his 81
l. ter and one or two devoted friends, pc
'r haps never TO return to the scene of !,
g. former greatness. How different h
I. worldly aspect from that proud occasic
|. when at ihe head of his fellowsenaloi
,e as the presiding officer Of that body al
y the acting vice President, lie marched in
IF the joint session of the two houses TO pr
ID side over the proceedings OF the elector
count and affix his signature 10 the reco
r which made r. b. Hayes President.
'e DON PEDRO.