St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-06-21
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent.
JUNE 10th, 1884.

mas yielded to Chlcag0 IN pOliClcai llLef-
est. All eyes have been turned toward
the city on the lake where some imagine
the next president has been nominated
No doubt the next president will have
gotten his nomination at Chicago, but
has he been nominated? That is the
question. The excitement over the
nomination has caused people to forget
for an instant, the abundant matter fol
excitement here. No town with dozen
discarded or still hopeful presidential
candidates, moving about, can be dull
and when We have, added to these
bank failures, a defaulting government
officer, the House, Senate, and lobby III
session, there can be 20 lack of matter
TO make paragraph, point a moral, OF
patch up a sermon.
Colonel Burnside who took $4,000
from the P. O. Department, has been
long conspicuous III society and politics
here. His accounts had not been audit
ed for three years. 1t was known that
lie had lost money in stock specula-
ton, and this suggested the prOprlety
of an investigation of his three years
a1nsettled accounts. A deficit of $45,0 ,000
was soon discovered, Big local sensa-
tion! Hurry Col. Burnside to Jail!
But remember the Republican admins
.tration that neglects TO audit its ac-
counts for three years that embraces
Burnside, Grant, Kellogg, and all the
other Star Route thieves is the party of
purity, honesty, and moral ideas. Is
there no tribunal before which this
mammoth hypocrite, and unspeakable
thief can be brought to trial /? Yes, and
ft holds its quadrenial session this year
of our Lord 1886, and unless the tribun-
al shall prove to be less powerful than
the thief as was the case in 1876, or sue
eumbs TO bribery (soap) as it did in 1880,
there will be general auditing of ac-
counts and some remarkable disclos-
ares. If the Republican Office holders
reluctantly raise terrible stencil with
d homeopathic tooth brush what may
not be expected when the Democrats
enter the Augean stables with pitch
forks and wire brooms?
Very few have yet left Washington
for sea-shOre and mountain side. Con-
gress is still in session, and the fact that
nere will be the great campaign centre,
base Of supplies, and source of soap of
the Star Route party during the summer
and fall will not allow any suspension
of interest in the res gest0 edictG at the
National Capital. This city has grown
to be a much more tolerable summer
home than it was ten years or even five
years ago. The streets are shaded with
Young and luxuriant trees, The parks
and lawns with fountains serve to tenn
g1er the summer heat, and the conver-
sion Of the Potomac swamps into solid
ground interpersed with lakes, though
not complete, has had an appreeiable
effect oal improving the general health
There has been little or no complaining
of malaria in Congress during the pres
.ent session. Our legislature must find
some other scape- goat for gluttony and
intemperance, malaria has been almost
-dissipated.
The halls of Congress are no doubt
very imperfectly built before the i'm
portance OF pure air was appreciated,
and the condition of Congress was once
said by Senator Conkling to be like rats
in an exhausted receiver. It is now
by a system of pipes to supply
onr national legislators with air drawn
from the top of the Capitol. The air
they breathe, the meat they eat, and the
liquor they drink is by q wonderful
transmitted into legislation
and government. How important then
that the constituents Of their physical
d yell as Of their political life shall be
pare.
There are ominous signs of detection
ID the Republican ranks here, and much
opposition to the candi-
sates. On the other hand there is bois-
;erous enthusiasm and talk of "hur-
.ah csmpaignn like that which bore
Harrison to the White House. But
hose who rely on noise, and magnetism
iorget that the nation has passed its