The Dawson journal., 1884-04-10
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent.

WASHINGTON. March 81, 1884.
Last week inaugnratsd the begin
ming Of the end ofthe session, in che
struggle for consideration among
rival bills which have been made
especial 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 . continual
fight for precedence among the five
hundred bills that are reported favor
ably and are waiting the inclination
of the House. There are seven
overdue special orders, two pend
ing contested election cases, snd
ten appropriation bills, not TO speak
Of the threatened tariff bill, all OF
which have thu parliamentary right
of way and are liable TO be called up
at any moment. Hence the chance
Of even 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, Congress will be
obliged to nit for about nine years to
pass only these Ave hundred bills.
And Congress will die of old age
now in less than year, and will
only pretend to attend to businesses
for six months of that time. Is is,
however, usually during the last days
of the session that most of the act
ual-bill passing is done, but the flick
er of energy excited by the touch of
the hand of death is but poor COM
pensation for the sloth Of The long
months of leisure wasted in adjonrn-
mentS, talk, dead locks, rollcalls and
alleged eulogies. Fifty ora hun
bred bills, generally Of 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 chrome slow legisla-
ton, for over one Thousand favorable
reports and Senate bills were pend
ing in the House when the gavel
came down like the stroke Of fate
on all plans and hopes.
The era of political and social &c
tivity still goes on at the White
House Last week marked the ninth
OF the state dinners to Representa-
tives in Congress, and this week the
President will probably entertain
General Grant, as the latter is 80 far
convalescent as to be able to go
abont with considerable freedom.
Though Mr.. Arthur takes daily
horseback exercise, it is evident that
these many social duties are begin
ming to tell upon him. He likes
nothing 80 well as to sit down by
himself in his private room in the
evening, and spend the time in read
ing the principal journals of the
country, for it is said that he is much
i'll the political discus
sions and occurrences recorded in the
press just now. This private room
very small and cosy, containing only
a writing desk and few easy chairs
1t is situated III the northwest cor
ner of the second story Of the White
House, and is connected with his
sleeping chamber. The President
never has been devoted to games or
light amusements since he came 10
the White House. He cares very
little for cards, and does not plav
whist at all. lie understands poker,
and used to like that better than any
other game, but he does not play it
10 the White House.
On dit, that there is a dividend
household ut the Executive Mansion
on the Fitz John Porter question.
Mrs. Haynesworth is opposed to re-
storing Porter, and Mrs. McElroy il
in favor of it; so the President ia
between his sisters. Mrs. Havnes
worth 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 devoted her time b her family,
to reading, and to political questions
of the day. She is = well-read we
man and an able talkcr. Mrs. McEl
roy, is, 60 many, more attractive and
persuasive. 1t is said that she is
the fAvorite sister Of the President.
She is stronger physically, than her
elder sister, and certainly possesses
! the tact and crare Hhit.h snahl.. h0,.