Arkansas weekly mansion., 1884-01-19
WASHINGTON LETTER.
[From our Regular Correspondent.

WAsuINGrON, ID. G.. Jan. 16. 1884.
Anon" the social "reminiscences with
which Washington yet regales itself is
"Cabinrt Day" Il day upon which all the
iuss and feathers Of the Capitals best So
riety are admitted TO the residences of the
heads of departments, and pay formal de-
ir> to the Wives and families of those
whose Influence il necessity in the gem
al # .nnyihins nnhi, ;h
The Inauguration 0t Cabinet day during
the second aGmini-tration of " ashington,
Is a u,1tter of cor .:cture. but it is known
that Mr. Hamilton, rs Secretary of the
Treasury. always entertained Il tender re-
gard for his friends, and on Cabinet day
the friends who blocked his hallway uu-
able TO gain admission to his entertain
ments, were seldom denied admission to his
good offices in the bestGwal of the limited
patronage then at the Secretary's disposal.
The first of these socially official. and OIL
cially social gatherings of the season took
place on Wednesday last, aud despite the
inclemency of the weather, the scal-skin
sacque brigade was on in As formidable
numbers as ever. Mrs. Frelinghuysen,
whose repute for lavish entertainments is
As wide AS the spheres, surpassed all pre-
viOus attempts in this direction; for be ii
known she iS obliged TO cater successfully
on this particular occasion to the represent
ativss of all the crowned heads and effete
monarchiet of both CArstendom and Hea-
thendom. Mrs. Secretary Lincoln. aided
by Miss Cullom, daughter Of the Senator.
also held u grand rece ptioD; and so did Mrs.
Chandler and Mrs Brewster and Mrs. Tel
ler, and the social squad were unhappy
even when the midnight hour bade them
to depart.
Congress has not got down to any hard
pan business As yet, but in the House last
Wednesday there were strong symptoms OF
animation caused by an excOriatipg speech
from Mr.. Belford, OF Colorado, in " hich he
seized the Committee Of Ways and Means
by the throat and boxed its ears tearfuiiy.
He charged that the entire list of commit
tees had been made subServient to that and
the Appropriations Committee, so that no
bill could be reported from any other COM
committees. or that of Mr.. Dana's Presi-
Dental candidate, Mr.. Holman. The origin
of Mr.. BeIford's ire is traced to the report
Of the Mississippi River Commission upon
will call for a round million to start upon
and any number Of millions afterwards,
though possibly there is not in the whole
appropriation levy a work so important to
the commercial interests of the Northwest.
Mr.. Belford carried his point in having the
matter referred to the River and Harbor
Committee.
Beride the bills already introduced look
ing to the pensioning of everybody who
/ has ever done any fighting for his country
from the Revolution down, We bave here
Mr.. VOORHEES, in the Senate with bill that
will make increased havoc with our Treas
ury surplus. 1t is bill ts equalize the
bounties of soldiers who served in the
Union army in the late war. 1t is the
10e0LlCAl Dill LQat " as pasScu oy tne
third Congress, and Mr.. Grant, exercising
his talents a mathametician, discovered
! that the equalization business would result
in the ef1e ctua al demorali alton o the Treas
ury, and so he put the Executive veto upon
| it. OF course every possible motive but
patriotism can be charged up against a
| Democrat for introducing bill of this
| character, but am inclined to think that
| Mr.. VOORHEES, is sincere in his belief that
! the country ought to pay her honest debts
now that she has got the money on hand
| to do it with. The only serious difficulty
| to be encountered in the executing OF this
/ equalizatio law il the utter impossibility
! to guard against the frauds which will as
surely result from this attempt to do justice
rears bill, which has filed the public ar
! chives with perjured aff1davits that may be
measured by the cord.
The Senate already largely made up OF
nillionaires gains another when MIR. Payne
takes the seat of"G Gentleman G orge," who
retires on account OF civil service reform
1t is q good place to say that the bulk o
the Democracy in Congress or out don''
care a sumarkee whether it is voted up oil
down, out or in, while the Republican,
have control of the steering apparatus o
this Government. But when they once ge
hold Of the helm it is safe to predict tha
the life Of any civil service reform measure
publicaps out and Democrats in will not b.
worth groat. Meantime, the Civil Service
Commission have about completed the re
port Of the laws workings since it wen
into effect last July, but 1t must be 80 me q
ger in its record of SO short an experienc
that it will hardly be of much value, excep
for the recommendations 1t contains 10
, Congress may or may not pay any atte entior