The Indianapolis journal., 1883-04-20
SECTION THIRTY-FOUR.
A Dreadful Law Which the Washington Resi-
dent Regards with Grief

dent Regards with Grief
| Correspondence New York Herald.
There is within the lids of the revised
| statutes a dreadful section. the mere thought
of which causes the average Washingtonian
/ to turn blue. 1t is numbered thirty-four.
/ Let me explain. Congress is constitutionally
| bound to assemble at least once year here
| in Washington, and the President is obliged
/ to live here while Congress is in session.
| But neither Congress nor the President, to
| the everlasting regret of host of people, re-
mains here all the time. And if it
should come to pass when Congress
is about to convene that, from the
prevalence of contagious disease or
| the existence of other circumstances it
would, in the opinion of President Arthur
be hazardous to the lives or health of the
members to meet at the seat of government
then that dreadful section comes in; for i'll
such case it authorizes the President by
proclamation to convene Congress at such
other place as he may judge proper This
is what the calf-bound volume declares may
be done 1t was dreadful act of wisdom
passed by the Third Congress, having the APP
proval of George Washington, A, D. 1874
when the government had no particular
seat after it'had been carried from New York
to Philadelphia and before it reached its
final resting place on the banks of the
Potomac. What would happen in the dire
event OF such proclamation would be to
the average Washingtonian, hereinbefore
mentioned, but prolongation of the condi-
| ton of affairs which has tenn porarily settled
down uponus.
To the curious inquirer who asks, "What
is Washington without the presence of Con-
gress and the chief magistrate?" the deserted
caravansaries, the empty dining-rooms and
dismantled establishments return a melan-
choly answer 1t is true the work of the de-
partments goes on about the same; the clerks
draw their pay with undertaking regularity,
spend portion for the necessaries of life,
and, with much persistence disburse the
remainder among the lottery companies,
building associations, and other combina-
tions invented for their amusement, improve
ment and poverty. But what are the pick
lngs from a lot of indifferently- paid clerks
to an enterprising people rendered prefer
naturally sharp by many years of grasping
for the loaves and fishes and slices which
come in with Congress and take its train?
They may be likened to an ante-prandiai
beverage, whose only effect is to whet the
appetite.
From these premises, and by a natural
ratiocination, the Conclusion is reached that
the average Washingtonian would like to
have Congress in session ali the time. Such
is the fact. True, it has been asserted that
what is Washingtons loss is the country's
gain; it has even been asserted that outside
of the city's limits the great heart of the ma
ton heaves a sigh OF relief when Congress
adjourns, and that the great industrial inter-
ests of the country, agitated and uncertain
while it is in session, settle down serenely
when it is ended, as though danger had
been happily passed. A grave and reverend
senator from Nebraska, or at least as grave
and reverend as could be found in
his section in his day, Upton by name,
when advocating a long holiday recess, stated
that he had just arrived in the Senate cham
Der fresh from the people, and he knew the
country was never SO happy as when Con-
gress was away.
I'm Gods name," exclaimed the Senator,
shall we deprive the citizens of the whole
nation of holiday blessing by refusing to
adjourn over for several weeks?"
But this feeling is regarded by the average
Washingtonian, 1.-The one who keeps the
hotel" as the result of malice, hatred and
all uncharitableness on the part of those
who desired to have the seat of government
transfe rred to the banks of the Mississippi or
to where Californias waters roll down the
golden strands. Be this as it may, Mr..
Edmunds, acting Vice-president by grace of
the independent party who recently quite
fill ed the seat, and who really is grave and
reverend senator without guile, once said
the law of compensation exists to bless
everybody; and so if Washington is blest
twelve months in two years and the coun-
try "tothered"-as Joe says in BLEAK
House'-and vice versa, why, then the fit
ness of things is illustrated and no one need
complain.