Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-03-01
wAsHrNerox LETTER.
tFrom Our Regular Correspondents,

from Our Regular Ccrrespondent1
There will be notable assem-
blage at the White House Shrove
Tuesday evening. The President
will hold the last of his official re-
captions for the season, and Sena-
tors, Representatives, Cabinet off,
GERS. Supreme Court Justices, Army
and Navy officers have been invi-
ted to meet the members of the
Diplomatic corps. Heretofore the
foreign legations, in full court dress
have been the cynosure OF all eyes
on such occasions, but recently the
Navy officers appeared in their
stunning new uniform. and those
gaily caparjsoned sojourners were
effectually eclipsed, and, it is sup
posed got some new ideas about
clothes. Notwithstanding the fact
that the American Navy is without
ships, as has just been humilitating-
ly emphasized by the purchase OF
one and gift of another from Eng
and. for the Greedy relief Arctic
expedition, this same Mayor land
is unrivalled outside the circus ring
as thing OF beauty, and realizing
this to be so Secretary Chandler has
ordered the officials of the Navy to
present themselves in Especial full
dress" at the Executive reception
Tuesday evening. Though Lent
has begun, a list of gay entertain
ments have been arranged up to
Ash Wednesday eve, the brilliant
social session intending to die roy
ally, crowned with flowers and
full of punch. No one who has
not spent a season in Washington
can have an adequate conception OF
the garrish. excessive extravaganza
that pervades official and social life,
and the season just closing has new
er been surpassed in brilliant, dis
sipation. 1t is to be hoped that
our too festive statesmen and jurists
will now devote more time to their
legitimate duties. Social pleasures
take UP entirely too much of the
time of Congressman, Cabinet Off
GERS, Judges of the Supreme court,
and others in public and official
life, whom one would suppose to be
lifted by age and dignity above
such vanities. When members of
the Cabinet are seen drinking punch
and champagne at two O'Clock in
the morning, it is not surprising
that the work in the Departments
is so far in arrears, and that those
having business with the govern
ment offices have to wait until they
grow old before they can have
their cases attended to. The exam
pie set by those high in authority is
followed by the entire clerical force
of the Government. Such satur-
MALTA of dancing and feasting is. to
say the least, inimical to work be-
cause it is ruinous to health. Worn
out bodies with pale faces are seen
at every turn IN this dissipated Cap
ital, and it is high time public opin-
ion should do something to stop
the rout that so seriously interfereS
with public business.
The Senate continues TO discuss
the financial problem, having de-
voted more than a week to debate
on the Macpherson bill, involving
the relation of the funded debt to
the National banking system. 1t is
thought a favorite vote will be
reached on Tuesday, and being a
Democratic measure that it will
also pass the House. The last bill
passed by the lower House of Con-
gress, was the Military Academy
appropriation, after long and en-
tertaining, but unimportant discus
sion on the good and evil features
of West Point as an educational
institution, in which quite num-
Der of Representatives participated.
Mr.. Ellis favored paying the pro-
fessors of West Point handsome sal
aries because, he said, it was the
great institution of the American
people, more important than others,
and mentioned list of men educa-
ted there, who, he claimed had
our flag with victories,
and far more than repaid for the
moneys expended on the institution.
Mr.. Holman who is not addicted to
speech making, was in
cited to make some remarks at this
point. He asked if Mr.. Ellis could
not mention a multitude of names
illustrious in the employ
ments of peace-thought the grand
purpose of this Republic was to Sc
cure the blessings of peace and that
the judgement of the people would
be that Harvard, Brown, and
Princeton were no less important
than West Point. He thought the
Academy was at best but
a precautionary mea5ure-a point
around which the nation might
rally in its hours ofadversity, while
other institutions, colleges, and uni
versities, and above all the grand
of the nation, the COM
mon schools system, lifted the
whole body of the people, in their
advancement to a higher plane of
social and political life,
February, 18th, 1884.