Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1883-01-05
WASHINGTON LETTER.
tFrom Our Regular corrcspondent.l

Congress is nominally in session this
week, but there is no quorum and no trans.
action of business worth talking ahou'
Performances like that of last week rela-
tive to the holiday recess go far to destroy
whatever lingering respect might exist in
the public mind for our national legisla.
tnre. Resting under popular vote of
censure, burdened with n rush of grave
duties, starving claimants knocking at the
doors for justice, and the country laboring
under war taxation and the boarding OF
Treasury reserves, both houses dallied and
trifled with the adjournment question,
both shirked responsibility and both
practically left the question to settle itself.
The house, after weakly protesting that it
was in favor of working through the holi.
days, compromised with its own sense of
decency and agreed to take recess. The
Senate, sternly refusing to agree to the re-
cess, quietly dIssolves into n small mass
meeting, and Senators who voted against
the holiday vacation betakc themselves TO
the depots, grip-sack in hand, and are on
their way out of town before the vote is
cold. Some voted "No" on the recess
resolution with railroad tickets in their
pockets, while carpet bags containing a
change OF socks, paper collars and copious
TASKS OF whisky reposed under their seats,
There ia no vehement popular objection to
holiday recess. Custom has made this
form of congressional evasion of duty fa-
miliar to everybody. But the hypocrit-
ical pretence OF an intention to work wbicl,
half conceals precipiiate fight of the
pretentious Congressman does arouse
certain popular disgust which great indus.
try hereaster can not allny.
The dannrfmant rIor ,p,J
ont OF humor with Congress, and law Mt
its door the ills of which they now com.
plain. 1t has been the custom for years
to close the departments at 12 o'clock dur.
ing Christmas week, thus giving the em-
ployes n han holiday. But this wear
owing toihe act Of Congress, 1t is said,
some OF the Cabinet officers decided not
to follow the custom, and the clerks who
have to stick to their desks are according.
ly unhappy. Some busybody, turning
over some ancient and dusty files the other
day, discovered law in existence com.
manding Government employees to work
ten hours day in summer and eight
hours in winter. Much CONSERVATION Was
caused at the Treasury, where there is
great difficulty in getting them to work
five hours and half dav. The law had
been enacted in 1886. Nothing further
has been heard about it, but while IL is
unquestionably true that the hours of Ia.
bor have been shortened everywhere since
| 1886, yet five hours and half is NOT much
work-and although the pay OF Govern.
ment employe is not high, yet as a rule
the work is triling. One way to reform
the civil service would be to make il less
attractive to that large class of the com.
munity who are always ON the lookout In
get something for nothing. They have a
pinched and hungry existence, it is true
but they do an amazingly small amount OF
| work. There is somewhat of a nervous
feeling among certain clerks in the inter.
nal revenue bureau in consequence of the
proposed action OF Congress atolishInp
internal revenue taxes. Abolishing the
taxes will throw them ont of their places
Some of them smelling the battle from
afar have already instituted movements
for getting transferred to other branche,
of the Treasury Department. Certain cen
sns Office clerks, who some time aimee were
afraid that the finishing up CT the censu,
would displace them, have gained hope
that the censns bureau will be maintained
ns a regular bureau and will be attached
to the bureau Of statistics OF the Treasury
Department.
The United States Supreme Court was
the arena for mn old-fashioned forensic
display Just before the holiday adjourn.
ment. Mr., Conkling was here and made
another of his greatest efforts" in the Gel.
ebrated tax case OF the Central Pacific
Railroad. II is now two years since the
ex-senator has heen heard in extended
remark in Washington, and the Supreme
Court chamber was crowded with ladies
and gentlemen anxious once more TO listen
to him. Probably Mr. Conkling never
spoke with better or more effect. II II
understood ilnt il the railroad wins The
case his fee win be $4,000 IIe delivered
n constitutional argument OF several hour,
length, and told precisely how the four
teenill amendment came To he adopted. and
labored very hard to make il n,,,lv TO ll,,
case of bis clients When he had linisl,e,
orr elegant Attorney General "tnok il,i
floor" "nnd in about half nm hour n,,-et al
that the ex Senator had said Mr.. Brew
sier's argument pleased the lawyers inside
the bar Of the court M mucl, as Mr. C0nk
ling'S remarks had pleased The spectator,
on the outside. An amusing in,i,lent oc
CURED Just as Attorney General Brewster
wnS i"khing his argument, the olosin,
speech in The cnae. Sitting behind hin
were ex-senator Conkling and Judge Ban
derson. 1T California, wl,o were opposed :,
him IN the case. One Of the gentlemen
made some remark, apparently play np
an some word used by ihe Attorney Gener
nj. Mr.. Brewster overheard il, and refer
red 10 II in his speech, NJ the same tim,
turning 10 Mr.. Conkling with the remark
"it'was il,eir parting sh0t.p Mr.. Conk
ling, strengthening himself up in his chair
snid, "Slake not thy CORY locks at me