The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1885-04-01
TRIALS OF A CONGRESSMAN.


" 1t isn't all the perfume of flowers and
she smiles of fair woman to be member Of
Congress. We don't feed on locusts and
wild honey and sleep on down." said q
weary member as he tilted back in his chair
and brushed aside the heap of letters piled
upon his desk. He had haggard look in
his eye and his right hand hung limp at his
side with pen between the fingers. :" If
anybody thinks it's clover, let him try it !
started out with the idea that it was my
duty to answer every letter got. Well,
have involved myself in problem of geo.
metrical progression" and he pointed in o
despairing sort of way at the desk before
him, the ample waste basket by his side and
the floor about him--all full of letters.
They are accommodating every day. Every
one answer brings two more, and answer
them all. just think of it It makes my
head swim. When first came here used
to go out little. went to the theatre oc-
casionally, or to ON entertainment or re-
ception, or to see friend. Now I go no.
where. Each year / am more closely con-
fined. The walls are closing in around me,
and, like the man in the Iron Stroud, /
am waiting for them to close in and crush
me. I've stopped going out. leave my
committeeman at the Capitol only to go to
my desk at home. | swallow my dinner
whole, as it were. write late at night
later each night. The progression is work
ing out, and my mails bigger each day.
Presently shall have to sit up all night !;
then reduce my meals to FIVE minute give
up smoking. Write, write, write Oh
well--think! IT'S terrible doom slowly
to write ones self to death. The pile of let
tiers is up to my neck. Soon it'll be over
my head-daylight will be shut out-and-
them
No sir, we don't live in clover" And
he drew in q long breath and settled him.
self down in his chair as If resigned to his
impending doom. Why, it started this
way--it always has start; any member
will tell you-it started this way; As soon
as got to Congress l got letter from one
of my constituents congratulating me upon
my election, and saying that he knew now
there would be some legislation the Con-
stitution should not be violated must in
troduee bill in the House to prohibit fish
ing in my district with three hooks to one
line-twas unconstitutional. answered
that letter. bewailing the utter disregard of
Congress for the national fisheries, and ex-
planning the utter uselessness of attempting
class legislation. That settled it. l got
four letters from that neighborhood by re-
turning mail, and they kept on increasing
until the entire population was represented
by autograph letters. My promptness to
answer any and all letters was heralded oil
over the country, and was asked to pass
oil sorts of bills, from one to regulate the
length of prayers to one for the suppression
of kissing at pound parties. One man want
ed to know whether the rope Guiteau was
hung with was hemp or cotton. referred
this letter to the Department of Justice.
The Attorney General Endorsed 1t to the
warden of the Jail, who returned it to me
with minute official description Of the rope
the material, length and manner Of make
This contributed largely TO increase my cor
respondence. Everybody who had some
thing to write about that no one else would
notice was told my address, with the assur
ance that loved to write letters. A large
number of my letters now are applicants fol
places under the new administration.