, 1884-04-06
LETTER.
From our Regnlar Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, March 81,

rum u ANihuhi Correspondents
WASHINGTON, March 3LzJss4,
Last week inagurated the beginning of
the end of the session, in the struggle for
consideration among rival bills which have
been made special orders The bill for
the retirement of the trade dollar was
among those which got the best Of the
scramble for precedence and came before
the House, From this time forth there
will be a continual fight for precedence
among the five hundred bills that are re-
ported favorably and are waiting the in
clination of the House. There are seven
overdue special orders, two pending con
tested election cases, and ten appropria-
ton bills, not to speak of the threatened
tariff bill, all of which have the parlia-
mentary right Of way and are liable to be
called up at any moment Hence the
chance of even a favored bill is small as
against the field. Besides, at the present
rate of progress. which is about fourteen
bills and resolutions in three months, Con-
gress will be obliged to sit for about nine
years W pdaS ulnl tutSt hNt hhllhlNh bllE'
And Congress will die of old age now in
less than a year, and will only pretend to
look to business for six months of that
time. 1t is, however, usually during the
last days of the session that most of the
actual bill passing is done, but the flicker
Of energy excited by the touch of the
hand of death is but poor compensation
for the sloth of the long months of leisure
wasted in adjournments, talk, dead-locks,
roll calls and alleged e%ulogies. Fifty or a
hundred bills, generally of a small and
unimportant character are squeezed
through at the last moment by luck or
good management, but the great body Of
work falls by default. The Forty-seventh
Congress furnished an example of this
chronic slow legislation, for over onethous-
and favorable reports and Senate bills were
pending in the House when the gavcl
came down like the stroke of fate on all
plans and hopes.
The era of political and social activity
still goes ON at the White House. Last
week marked the ninth of the state din
ncrs to Representatives in Congress, and
this week the President will probably en-
tertair General Grant, as the latter is 50
far convalcscent as to be able to 60 about
with considerable freedom. Though Mr..
Arthur takes daily horseback exercise, it
is evident that these many social duties
are beginning to tell upon him. He likes
nothing so well as to sit down by himself
in his private room in the evening, and
spend the time in reading the principal
Journals of the country, for il is said that
he is much interested in the political dis
c%ussions and occurrences recorded in the
press just now. This private room is very
small and cosy, containing only a writing
desk and n few easy chairs. 1t is situated
in the northwest corner of the second
story of the White House, and is conncc,
ted with his sleeping chamber. The
President never has beer devotcdto games
or light amusemcnts since he came to the
White House. He cares very little for
cards, and does not play whist at all. He
understands poker, and used to ike that
better than any other game, but he does
not play it in the White House.
On dit, that there is a divided house
hold at the Executive Mansion on the
Fitz John Porter question. Mrs, Haynes
worth is opposed 20 restoring Porter, and
Mrs. McElroy is in favor of it; so the
President is between his sisters. Mrs,
Haynesworth is the better politician, but
Mrs. McElroy is a stronger partisan.
The FIRST Is a clever woman who has never
cared for gay. society, but who has devo-
ted her time to her family, to reading and
to the political questions of the day.
She is Il well read woman and an able
talker. Mrs, McElroy is, to many, more
attractive and persuasive. 1t is said that
she is the fayorite sister of the President.
She is stronger, physically than her elder
sister, and certainly possesses more tact
and grace which enables her to fill the
position of hostess so well.
Active preparations are making for the
completion Of the Washington monument
The work ofsetting stone will be resumed
at the beginning of May, and it is expec-
ted thatthe height will be raised to five
hundred feet by the middle of August.
All that will remain then will be to erect
the pyramidal marble summit of 80 feet,
making the monument $50 feet high.
The present unfinished top of the monu-
ment is surmounted by a belt of electric
lights, which can be seen from almost any
part of the city.
The third trial of the suit of Hallet
Kilbourne against ex Sergeant-at.A Arms
Thompson has resulted in a verdict of
sS7, 500. The verdict in the first trial
was for 800, 900, and in the second for
$50, 1000. Mr., Kilbourne deserves credit,
whether he gets any cash or not, for fore
ing Congress to squarcly try the question
of its right to exercise the functions of a
court of %justies. ri
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