The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-07-28
WASHINGTON LETTER.
[From our Regular Correspondent.

residences, because her wide and we'll
shaded thoroughfares admit all the breezes
that distribute themselves from the open
Virginia border and the always breezy
Chesapeake. Years ago it was ntt
unusual thing for Congress to
extend its long Sessions way in
to August, but that was before the
Inauguration of the Newport aud Sara
toga exactions upon fashionable society.
Nor was it then customary for the Presi-
dent save on rare occasions, to leave the
city during his term of Office. despite the
fact that the White House was located
where malarial fever and concomitant
| diseases were constant menace The
interminable journeys required for mem
bers of Congress to reach their homes
| before the railroad epoch, kept many of
them here during vacation, and Gadsby's
and the more prominent hotels did quite
as lively business in the sweltering
season as during the Congressional term.
1t may be, however, that our latter-day
statesmen are not athletic stand as much
of summer heat as the Websters ard Clays
and Calhouns of forty years ago. when
iced tea and other cooling refreshments
nursed through straw were in their
infancy. Washington then as now took
the lead in everything pertaining to mat
tiers of social intercourse, and the ineVi-
table dinner party was never allowed to
interruption during the hottest days of
the heated term. though dancing was at
decided discount between the months
of March and November. There were
no swell parties at the capital in those
days, simply because they would not be
tolerated. They were all a matter fact
sort of people, who were too close upon
the revolution to countenance snobbery
even in its mildest form; yet some OF
them live to see their degenerate sons
and daughters with such strong tendency
toward the aristocrat mannerisms of
Europe as to make us fear for safety of
our boosted democracy and hOmespun
civility.
The Indian problem will come in for
its annual airing at the coming session from
Congress, by some strong recommends
ton Secretary Teller looking to the aboli-
ton of those customs and habits of Mr. Lo
which have hitherto operated as hind
RANGES to any approach to civilization.
While it may be admitted that Con
gresSiOnal enactment has no little potency
in many directions, there Is cause for
apprehension that statute prohibiting
the perpetuatiOn of those customs that
absolutely make up the existence of the
Indian will have about as much effect
as the Pope's bull against the comet
Deprive the Indian of those saltatory
amusements found in the sun--dance, the
scalp-danCe, the war-danCe, and the hOr
ribly superstiious conjurings of the
medicine man, and he is deprived of al
that he conceives is worth living for. II
strikes a most demoralizing blow at his
social condition and in so much stands
in the way of any attempt to invest him
with any sentiment favorable to a civil
liked life. The long haired philanthro
pists who at a distance of a Thousand
miles view the Indians as a man and {
brother and who gather their notions o
his condition from all sorts of impossible
legends and pOetical IomanCeS, are salts
| fed to continue him in his character o
: the nations ward and encourage him il
the capacity of an able-bodied loafer
who never in the world will get on
of the way of civilization SO Ion!
as there is a government to feed ant
clothe him, Had it not been for this mis-
, taken public sentiment at the east, {
long stride toward civilizing the horde
savage would have been made years ago
when the government resolved to max
the Indian go TO work and earn his living
The same measures should be AGAR
adopted and Thoroughly enforced, so tina
if the Indian is really susceptible of being
brought to a condition of civilization
may be demonstrated Th9re would b
something tangible and utilizing in al
. enactment that would compile an Indiar
to 90 to work and abandon his lazines!
and his PREDATORY and warlike habits
b. which, being done, he would become {
member Of the body polite, throw Of
his miserable condition of mendicancy
4 and cease being, as he now is and eve
has been, a government pauper tn
present public impression is decidedly il
s favor of the Congressioal abolition of tn
e policy that makes Migrants of the India
Y tribes everywhere, and that being don
=. the habits and customs that the lnterio
; department so solemnly depFecates wi
, depart with it,
t The visit of the President to tn
II Yellowstone Park country is new an
h perhaps good departure IN the line c
:. Presidential junketing 1t will unfold t
1t the executive eye region whose vastnes
u will astound him and whose picturesqu
= beauty will delight him. The counte
abounds in game of all sorts, while il
lakes and streams are overpopulated wit
~ fish that were never fretted by the whit
mans hook or reel. The hunting an
fishing, therefore, may Reasonably
expected to occupy the best portion {
= the time of the Presidential party. thong
er it is given out that the visit is one rattle
Sc of business than of pleasure, To max
Ie the most elaborate preparations, incIudin
means for the safety of the PresideT
10 against possible incursions by Indian
and invasions by office-seekers. Tf
st commissariat will compare favorabl
ps with that furnished by Marc Antony fC
p his female compatriot Cleopatra, so tn
i0 there need be no apprehension in regal
i to the Presidential gastronomy. Rela.
E. of couriers at every ten miles will kee
to the President avised of the continue
> existence of the government, but the
10 will be matter of two week durir
th which he will not get hold of newspi
i per of any kind, which is a deprivatio
lis pc rhaps that he willcordially acce
Dom PEDRO