The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-05-24
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Especial correspondence of the statesman.l
WASHINGTON, May Is, 1883.

Especial correspondence of the Statesman.l
WASHINGTON, May Is, 1888.
More than casual observer may
observe the irish questionis agitating
this country. Our state department
is in constant communication with
the British government, and many
things of vital Importance are trans
acted which are studiously guarded
evidently bending TO the behests of
England. and nothing but the fear of
public opinion prevents Frellnghuy-
s,n from doing all that John Bull de-
Sires, even to allowing the lost Irish
politicians to be carried out of the
country to be convicted by packed
jury. Assistant Secretary of State
Davis and the other subordinate state
department officials are compelled to
be scrupuloHsly reticent, and when
questioned by the newspaper men ap-
pear to be densely ignorant, never
having heard of so-and-so before.
A great many 1rish-Ameri-
cans have. been in the
city off and on in the last few days
and their anxious looks show that
they distrust the relations between
our government and that of Great
Britain. -. b. :i,,z..,. -
Gen. Duncan S. Walker, counsel for
sheridan, one OF the editors of the
Irish World, published in New York
appears to be more cheerful than the
rest. He says that in the end he is
confident that the British government
viii not demand the eXtradition of
his client. The negotiations which
have passed between the two govern
nents are said to relate not to the ex-
tradition of the alleged Irish conspirac
tors alone, but to Negotiations. for a
new extradition treaty, Gov. Ben
Butler, of Massachuse Is also one
of the counsel for Sheridan, and, like
Gen. Walker, seems to. think that
Sheridan cannot be, remov-
ed from this country. But
the genial editor is nevertheless
frightened. and reports from New
York say he is making himself ex-
The last congress did something to
suppress gambling in the District,
which hitherto has been permitted to
flourish unrebuked Recently the po-
lice arrested number OF persons who
were engaged in a game Of poker at a
restaurant in an Eighth street saloon
and the owner of the restaurant was
charged under the gambling law
with allowing gaming table to be
set up in his house. The, persons en-
gagged in the play were, as the counsel
for the defense said, "some of the
first men in the city and were only
passing away pleasant hour" They
escaped with the forfeiture of their
collateral, but the restaurant keeper,
who was not even in his house at the
time the game was being
played, and who did not know
even that 81 it was & being
played was reminded by Judge Smell,
the august police court functionary,
that congress had put teeth IN the
law and had provided for fine and
Imprisonment and then sentenced the
genial saloonist to twenty days in
Jail and $10O fine. If this new law is
to be enforced in this way some in
genuity will be required next winter
on the part of gafne-lo7fng congress-
men, for it is truly wonderful how
Washington life can create a thirst
for gambling, horse-racing, drinking
and fast life of all kinds. a, man may
be elected a representative from a
rural district and come to Washing
piously inclined and with a strong
determination to resist the fasei nation
of life here. He holds out we'll for
the first month and then gradully be-
gins to lose his country. pfety and by.
the time of adjournment the same
man can be- seen in many places he
ought not to be in and which he
would scorn even to think of when
he first received the majority of the
votes of his fellow citizens. Another
winter here and he will dip into any
kind of amusement. Garfield was a
fair specimen of the rural congress-
man.. When he was first elected he
was overlooking with purity and at
tended church with the regularity of
Baptist deacon. But those VINO
knew the dead president say that
during the last few years Of his life
he became tired of the restraints of
the church and was as eager as any
one to enjoy the worldiiness at the
federal capital. =,
Washington has been unusually
gay in the last few days, caused by
the meeting here of the army of the
Potomac. The city was crowded with
aged veterans and visitors from all
parts Of the country, and the streets
were much livelier than at any time
during the session of congress. The
festivities are ~ over: now, and at
the time of this writing many of the
old warriors have departed for home,
and the streets are much less busy
than yesterday. Those that still re-
manned developed the chance to visit
the various points of interest about
the city, and it was almost impossible
to hire hack after twelve o'clock in
the day. The old flag room of the
war department, in which are exhib-
tied thousands of Confederate flags,
was point of much interest to many
of the ''vets" who had hand in the
capture of many of them. An Italian
veteran of the Garibaldi guard, which
is remembered by nearly all connected
with the Army of the Potomac,
attracted much attention, He wore
the old peculiar red shirt beneath his
coat, with a badge hanging from it.
The veterans are vastly pleased with
Washington; when they were here
before the majority of the1 streets
were not paved and mud and dust
reigned supreme, but now they can
gaze upon the proudest thorough
fares In the world. fii l'sSs = --''.'4
Many ex-Confederates were in the
city to view the parade on Pennsyl-
vania Avenue, and loudly ,cheered the
boys in blue that they had met on
many hard-fought battle field. The
meeting of some of the ex-Con-
federate and Union officers. who had
not seen each other since ante bellum
days was truly affecting. ga - ~
Mail will hereafter EraH twice a
week from Yorktown to Charco on
route 81, 143; three times aWeek from
San Saba to Brady on. route 81, 25T;
three times a week from Franklin to
Headsville on route 81 ,316; six times
a week from Richardson TO Pleasant
Valley on route 31,347; twice a week
from Cleburne to Freeland on route
81 ,596. Special mail service has been
discontinued to. Cottonwood, Callahan
county. The Star mail service on
route 31,402 from Blossom Prairie to
Rosalie win be continued after
June to end at Fulhright. The
decrease distance is nine 1 miles.
The postoffice at ColeYille,. Cook
county, has been discontinued. The
mail viii be sent to Dexter. At Post
Oak Grove, LaYaca T. county, mail
will be sent to Halletsville, and at
Russell Gap, BoSqne county, the mail
of which will be sent to- Meridian
On r0ntA 1880 from GakAsvilla tn