The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1883-03-17
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent.
Washington, March 6. 1888.

seventh time sine die. and Washington
has already yielded mp much of its
greatness. for many Senators and men,
bers are already at their homes, others
are on their way thitlier. but
some from northern sections will linSer
here for several weeks yet. 1t is the
first long vacation that the majority of
them have seen in prospect for several
years, and rejoicing is very general.
There is but little expectation of an ex
ira session of the forty eighth Congress
being called but yet the past has shown
that such a contingency may arise.
The most interesting events Of Satur
day We're the passage Of the tariff bill,
amid a good deal OF excitement in the
House +: the retirement Of Senator Da-
Wis. and the election of Senator Ed
munds to the presidency Of the Senate
Contested election cases and routine bu
siness occupied a large part of The time,
and Il good many measures u minor i'm
portance sli 'ped through.
The rush of visitors to the Capitol in
creased each day Of the week. cu!mina
ting Saturday evening ahont ten o'clock
on the House side where hundreds of
people waited in vain to get only Il
peep inside the galleries. A great con
cessi"n to womeE's rights was finally
made by a resolution passed instruct
ing the door keeper to admit ladies to
the reporters gallery. This encroach
ment upon the exclnsiveness so long en-
ioyed by the habitues of this .sanctum
sanctorum" aroused their Indignation,
and they forthwith complained to their
papers OF infringed prerogative<. But
the ladies enjoyed tSAseats all the same.
The proceedings in either end of the
Capitol have not been Of a nature to in
tere>t these immense throngs that have
packed the galleries this week. and a
majority Of them would have been puz
zled to tell what they found attractive
in the halls of Congress. It WAS only a
good example Of the greglrious nature
Of humanity.
Between twenty aud thirty thousand
people visited the National Museum
this week to examine the United States
fish exhibit ready to he shipped to the
World Exhibition at London. 1t is
the most complete exhibit that has ever
been collected. and comprises all spe
c:mens Of fish, from the tiniest min
now to the sperm whale. The speci- |
mems are generally Of papier mache:.
md are executed with wonder full skill. |
The exhibit includes everything illus
the habits Of fishes, aud all facts
that fall under the head of an exhibit.
The propagatory tank was most inter
'sting to visitors. showing the process
# Matching. and the history Of salmon
vas shown from the act of spawning
o that of being canned. The opening
# the exhibition was at night when the
museum was illuminated by electric
ight. and three thousand five hundred
were present by invitation. This
'as the largest gathering that had col
scted in the building since the memo
able Garfield inaugural ball, and torci
~ recalled that occasion when the
resident. worn and haggard by a long
avs pageantry, and the exacting role
+ his fame aud place. entered these
with his weary looking wife on his
rm.
Washington is the only city of the
|nion, whose people really regret the
Of Congress. Business
considerations are the chief reasons
Thy the breaking up discomforts Wash
'gton life. but it also severs pleasant
ocial ties and separates friends. The
Of the week in Congressional
partook of the nature of fare
7ells. The air was full Of the ones
ions "When do yon leave Z" "yVhere
ill you 60 !" "Shall l see you next
ummer !" or 81 will meet You here
ext winter" Some of the Senators
nd Representatives contemplate Euro
can strips for the summer, Others will
isit the Pacific slope. Some will take
heir families to Fortress Monroe and
Nh pOinf Gon,EArk Ca.