Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1883-02-16
WASHINGTON LETTER.
from onr Regular Correspondent J
Nsa,.,Nasrnr L..l, 10 10

The social activity Of the capital, utter
short but most brilliant season, vus brought
to a close with the events Of the last week.
The early advent Of lent this year re,luc,c
fashionable rociety somewhat prema,urely
10 sackcloth aud ashes; but the retirement
cannot I've unwelcomc, for the votarics of
r!easure nre among the hardest toilcrs in
Mother Enrths vineyard. Aud now the
bellies who have with great persisiency
ilourished in the germans and appeared
night after night in decollete costumes, di
viding up dances with different partners
and slipping champagne and snifling bon
qnets worth their weight in geld between
the desoiutory iapses Of tho conversation,
will don their meekest and most unos,en
tatious attire, take out their gilt.edged
prayer books and put in ah appearance
regularly at every evening service, taking
their iull part in the li:an,es, and acknowl.
edging their full den,erits OF things they
ought not to have done and OF leaving NJ I,
done those things which they should have
uOtt. NV Inv bit tHt UcNOlEt D VI tOCIcly
in Washington nre religiously or devotion.
ally inclined, or conscientious about the
keeping of religious seasons, hut il IL fish.
ionable to observe lent aud the fashion il
the more generally followed because of the
ab-olutc physical requirements which II
meets. Among the noted weddings closing
the round Of events are those of Miss Bay.
ard and Miss Brewster, the siep.,lnughter
Of the attorney general wl,a has taken his
name. In all the social evolutions OF
Washington few have been 80 strange as
Mrs. Browsier's fate. A few wears ngo she
was poor treasury clerk supporting three
or four children by her daily labor. She
wns always lady, being The daughter of a
distinguished man, Robert ]. Walker. She
live,l u lite Of great rcclusion. aud il con
sisted Of working days chiefly, and very
hard working days nj that, The day after
her divorce from Mr. Des I.andes was pro
nounced she married Mr. Brewster. lie.
Gently her scamp Of n frs, husband has
died. Miss Brew.iers wedding is 10 he
very fine. 1t couldn't be anything else
with old Benz Brewster's we'll known pro-
clivi'ies. Hisb big yellow coach will convey
the bride TO and fro and there will he n
hurricane Of style anil fashion.
Nearly every state has in Washington
an associntion-ibatis is all the citizens of n
state who are herein Office, or in ans ca
pacity, band together 10 run The politics OF
the state rs lar as they can, and to have
social rennions during the winter. The
Ohio association convivialnted and bibula.
ted one night last week, when the town wa,
secured for Ohioans. The result was .
reasonable Success though Ohio ia not a.
largely represented at the capital ns IL wa,
1 st,s 4 -
Mrs Hayes. But the affair turned ouI
pretty well. Among the first TO arrive wa,
Deacon Richard Smith leaning affection
ntely upon the arm Of Mr.. Bulterworth
Judge Lawrence, comptroller of the treas
ury and president" of the association, n
soon as His eve fell upon the truly goot
man, charged down upon him and de
mnnded speech. Mr.. Smith was ex
tremely coy -he couldn't-he wouldn't-
! he had a cold-but the association refuse,
to take no for an answer, and 40 he snbmit
ted few very sensible remarks that wer
very well received. Judge Shellabargc
also spoke. He is the partner of judy
Jeremiah Wilson, and they constitute on
nf the best law firms in town. At prese,
they are engaged in trying to keep II,
{ world from finding out what humbng {
lawyer Colonel Ingersoll is, in the S,ar
, route cases
Some idea of the cost of the conteste
i elections annually thrown into the Heus
OF Representatives may be gained by
glance at the bill introduced in the HoIIs
to provide for the payment OF The expense
OF contestants and contestees OF seats in Il,
present congress. 1t is the custom to allo
{ lump sum to each party in the contes
provided lie has a reputable claim and ca
show reasonable bill of costs. The bi
now pending provides the reimbnrseme,
o of twenty.eight contestants and defendant
the sum total appropriated for their linden
r ihcation being over $4,000. or conrs
there is wide difference in the costliness,
OF the several suits but the discrepanci
= are somenimes very great. For exampl
/ Chalmers, of Mississippi. who had nothir
, but the governors certificate to rest h
claim upon, is allowed 81, ,l0l for the CO
I of his futile attempt TO prove his right
!. seat. Campbell, the "Gentile" claimar
, from Utah, who held that he was electe
heca'lse his opponent (who had all Il
votes) was ineligible,ge Sc, ,96I for his ma
! ruled ont because lie is a Mormon, IL Hllo,
d ed 81 1856 for proving that Campbell W.
I not elected. The house has sole power
making these appropriations; and, a
though some of them appear caprIcion
> the house invariably exercises it. ow
judgment, without reference TO precede,
I. or prudential considerations. These bill
OF co,is are independent Of the doub
salaries paid in many cases-pay to bot
contestants.
A terrible commotion has been arouse
here among government employees by Il
proposition in congress In len0tbeo N
hours OF work in the various depar.m ent
!, The clerks are all up on end l,owling iii
mad. AT present they are required 10
at their desks at o A. N. and remain till
p. M.-seven hOnrs. But the honr b,
tween II and o'clock Is Inrgely devote
to lnncl, and recesS in most of the Office
so that the real working day consists
, only six hours. Considering the fact tl
: much of this time IL, in many Of the Office
devoted to newspaper reading, gossip an
general Iounging,. government position
Z strike the casual observer as being a tole
e ably "soft snap" and the addition of n
: hour to the time OF daily service woul
not appear to he an appalling hardshi
4 Yet II Is trlie that the life of governn,ci
:, clerk is not such an ex 'stence of luxurioi
y ease as fancy sometimes pictures il. The
3 is a good deal OF the atmosphere of dredl
n cry about it and trying spirit-destroyin
e confinement which some organizatio,
could not brook. Then, too, those wi
\ honestly devote their seven hours to har
e work in close hot rooms day after day d
. ab"ul all that ordinary constitutions ~
: equal to-. Still the purpose of congress
: apr arently, TO add the hour.