The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-12-08
Washington Letter.
From our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 81, 1888


WASHINGTON, Dec. 3D. 1888.
The representatives Of fifty millions OF
people are all here. I am looking down
from the gallery of the House of Repre-
sentatives upon the writhing mass--the
statesmen, the demag0gues, the men OF
ideas. and the men of schemes. The hour
has not yet struck, that little ,yra I, the
gavel, has not yet called The House to OIL
der, md such II confusion of men ana
voices on the floor has seldom been seen
and heard since Babel. 1t IL udy in
contemporary history 20 see and knoH these
men. They are representatives, and rep
reseDtuuvc of every divers fed interest OF
people AID country, now known among
statesmen and philosophers, at home and
abroad, to be the greatest and the most IN
tcrestiDg experiment IN the annals 0i ma
tons. They are also representative OF lhe
political success or failure, hope or despair
Of ten thousand individual or corporate Ia
terests Never before IN the history OF this
planet have 80 many people, 20 much
wealth, 50 great hetrogeneiy Of energy,
thought and enterprise, assayed 10 live and
move and have their being in harmony
under one government and that too not OF
The sword, or scepre. 1t is remarkable
and edifying to those who are capable OF
thinking OF it. Now the sharp rat a-tat OF
the gavel breaks upon the confusion OF
voices below and miracle Of silence per
vades the chamber, broken only by the
voice of the chaplain IN prayer. The roll
cali follows, then the installation OF the
new speaker and now the House Is ready
for business.
The frs. thing that impresses an old
habitue of the House gallery Is the remark
able changes IN the frontier line that d.
vldes the Democratic from the Republican
members. The Democratic line has been
extended far over toward the right, and the
Republicans have the appearance of being
crowded into corner. 1t is time, indeed,
for the Republican party to be crowded out
entirely 1t has had Its day; has worked
its RUN, and ruined Its work. 1t has stolen
everything from the Presidency to postage
stamps. 1t has tramped on the cOnstitu-
ton, packed the Supreme Court, debauched
the civil service, demoralized the army,
and wrecked the navy IN gulf of iobbery.
The youth and miraculous elasticity OF
the country has alone preserved il from the
deathly grasp of the destroyer. Great
heavens! to think of the decline of party
whose history must be that it commenced
with Greedy and ended with Malone. But
to return to Congress. The remnant OF the
Republicans there will have to do some.
thing more than wave shirt with counter.
felt crimson spots. The House IS over
Democratic. Under the new
It's total mem bership IS 1926,
Of whom 1914 are Democrats in good and
regular party standing. The orthodox Re. |
publican strength is only 119, leaving a
remnant of 10 without fixed party ties. |
Thus II will be seen that on every thing
outside of unanimous consent or two thirds
legislation, the Democrats have a good
working majority, and therefore they will
lot labor under the disadvantage which
lampered them when last in power. of try.
ng to rule by majority when was gen.
srally less than Il quorum.
The larger part Of the Democratic mem.
Ders represent the west ami SOUTH and party
will be apt to reflect the prevail
ng views OF those sections. This will be
so with Mr.. Carlisle in the
hair to make up the standing committees
md direct the proceedings, Many OF these
measures will excite lively opposition on
he republican side, and hence we may
ook for an interesting session, IN the
curse Of which the Issues in the now ap
preaching presidential campaign will be
,learly worked out.
In making coDjectures as 10 the chair
nanship of important committees in the
lew House an element of uncertainty en-
ers into ali calculations In conversation
asst night Speaker Carlisle said that the
would be organized with view
olely to the fitness of the Members for the
'arious subjects OF legislation That would
Command the attention of Congress, and
Without undue regard TO their relations to
Inn IN the recent contest.
How TO GER SICK. Expose yourself day
nd night, eat without exercise, work too
lard without rest, doctor all the time, take
ii the vile nostrums advertised, and then