Arizona weekly citizen., 1884-01-05
Washington Letter.
Regular correspondence of the CrTIzENl
 DECEMBER 24th, 1883.

DECEMBER 24th, 1883.
 Christmas merry making began in the Capital some days ago, with the din of the bad boys fearful weapons, firecrack- CTS and toot horns The city is gt its gsyest and best, in full holiday attire. Shop windows are garlanded with green the markets are arrayed in all kinds of Christmas cheer, and the turkey and sausage dangle everywhere. Christmas buyers crowd the streets and in some of the stores an ingress and egress was al most impossible. Business has been at its heIght with pOstmen and expressmen the being busy all day Sunday receiving and delivering matter, and for days long lines of people have crowded around the stamp windows and letter drops of the postoffice, while inside were wagon loads of envelopes containing Christmas cards which required fast work of emplOyes to prevent being overrun by the con stant stream that come in. Saturday, department clerks, district employees, school teachers, the police and fire de- partments were paid off, which gave Q fresh impetus to Christmas trade. Be hind these busy outside scenes may be spied equally active indoor arrange ments for an event just seven days after Christmas. In their elegant West End homes, ladies or fashion are getting ready for New Years day. Exquisite reception toilets are ID prepara- ation and 1 am told that re- ception rehearsals or drills are common in winch fair debutantts figure as the raw recruits and are taught lu squads how to present and bear themselves seemingly when receiving charge of callers. Nor are the sterner sex idle; army, and navy officers, and diplomatic swells are having their gorgeous uni forms brushed and renovated until they look newer than when they were new. The White House reception will of | course be of first importance m official circles, the army, navy, diplomatic corps having precedence ID the procession, next senators and congressman, after which can follow the rest of the world. But that wonderful intangible, incom- prehensible, indescribable body known | as "Washingt0n society will go through the same eyClutIOns, with less IaEean- try, to be sure, and perhaps with trihe more comfort and social enjoyment.
 The week preceding this event will be an arduOus one to President Arthur. He has been entrapped by Brooklyn and l Philadelphia societies and has engaged to eat extensive dinners, after each of l which he will have to bear up as best he can under the inhictiOn of prolonged | speeches from chronic after dinner ora tors. But 1t IS Co be hoped be has, ere | this, become reconciled to all the duties of Presidents life.
 The departments wIll be closed on Christmas and New Years days, and pos sibly afternoons during the holidays, | thereby giving the wOrk-worn govern ment clerks coveted respite.
 Congress met to-day to listen to the announcement of committees, but it has now adjourned, for | see the capitol from my window, from which the stars and stripes have been lowered. The marble halls will be deserted until the 7th of January, 1884. Many members of Congress left for their homes without waiting to hear the committees au- nOUnced, but others live here and wl!i remain through the holidays.
 The record of the first month of Con- gress may be easily epitOmized. Both houses have organized; over two thou- sand bills have been introduced and sp- propriately referred. The temper cf congressman on certain great questions, such as the tariff, civil service, temper ance, woman suffrage, and the like, has been indicated, some problems of per sonal influence and following tested, and familiarity with the new dutIes gained. As usual, the real work of the session will begin after the recess.
 Some Senators object to the stringeu- cy of the new rules which erect Q Chinese wall around the Senate Cham Der that it k hoped no Tartar lobbyist will be able to scale. The new rules are certainly a move iu the right direction, and the sooner they are adopted by tbe House the sooner will that body per form its legitimate legislative functions, and the sooner will it be freed from the taint and scandal of lobbyism. Tine Few rules adopted by the Senate ex- clnde from the floor Of that body a large number of persons who have had access for the promotion of schemes that were not for the public good.