The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1885-12-02
OLD AND NEW coNeREssMrN.
Congressional Househotds--Onc of the Sad
Sights of the National Capital.

The old members who come here appear
unusually reluctant to go to work, and they
recall the position Of the unfinished bust.
ness of the last Congress with difficulty.
They are like the man who has taken up
the second volume of novel, the first vol.
ume of which has sunk into an indistin-
guishable chaos in his memory, and finds
himself compelled to refasten the old
threads of association. II may be really
doubtful to them whether the relaxation of
recess has been to them blessing or
curse. The new members who como here
from the fields of their local fame, crowned
with the laurels of their local triumphs,
have already begun to discover that man
may be powerful in the Twentieth district
of Florida (for examplel and yet mere
cipher at the National Capital. The snub-
bings which these legislative neophytes re-
ceive at the departments makes the first
month of their experience here period of
almost unmixed disappointment and misery.
Their ambitious day-dreams of advising the
administration IRE dispelled like infantile
Illusions, and, instead of obtaining Offices
for the political retainers who have followed
them here, they have to loan them money
to get back to their homes again. Barriers
of red tape arrest their progress in every
direction and they have about as much free.
dom as cat allows to captive mouse.
Previous to the war there were seldom, if
ever, twenty Congressman who kept house
here during the session, and not over forty,
or at the most fifty, brought their wives to
the metropolis. Now, after the holidays,
there will be at least 100 Congressmen's
wives and daughters here, and it has been
proposed that they organize female Con-
gross. Every State would be we'll repre-
sented and the grave questions of etiquette
which arise here could be discussed and de-
cided. There are Scandals also, which need
Investigation, and which play an important
part in the winters chronicles. 1t is not
very long since some scandalous anonymous
letters were traced SO directly to the wife of
Cabinet officer that he was forced to
resign his portfolio, although this, the real
cause of his retirement, was kept out of the
newspapers. 1t is not to be expected, how
ever, that there should not be deal of Cos
Zip, flying to and fro like shuttle, in the
parlors of hotels and at the morning recep-
lions. People will talk, and an innuendo,
with a knowing shrug of the shoulders, will
often be the foundation for o startling
rnmor.
One of the m, melancholy sights here
10 tl,a inla Of ,I,nx
who not only imagine themselves, like Mark
Tapley, victims to " adverse circumstances. -
but labor under the deusion that the poiti-
cal party with which they have acted owes
them place. Those who were Democrats
when in Congress now want to be appointed
TO foreign missions, consulates Indian
agencies or revenue supervisorships while
those who were Republicans clamor for
positions in the House arm of subordinates.
Failing to receive the coveted situations.
they will fall back into the ranks of the lob.
bying ex-members. Having admission to
the floor of the House they will unblushingly
use, or abuse, their intimacy with their
former colleagues, and attempt to trade
upon their votes in the most shameless man.
ner. 1t was once proposed that the United
States Government should establish and lib.
orally endow an asylum for these impecuni.
GUS sx-Congressmen on the slopes OF Mount
Elias, where they might find home, food
and clothing, under penalty of imprison-
ment at hard labor should they ever after
ward break bounds and return to Washing
ton. = Washington Correspondence Boston
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