The Washington critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1885-1888, 1885-12-16
wAsuINGToN. D. O., DEC. 10, 1ss5



If the country felt any fear that the
present session Of Congress was going
TO cover itself with dignity two feet
deep and be solemn and lugubrious,
with no object in view but proslic
Business with big b, it can throw
that fear to the winds. Both Houses
yesterday got down for the first time
TO o regular discussion The Senators
discussed Rum in It's various forms
and effects and had q lively time
of It, The House, though not
as hilarious as the Senate, yet
showed great promise for the
future. 1t is TO be the same old
"circus," for out of as dry discus.
sion as that of the rules there came the
regulation invitation Of one Member to
TO another that the latter come outside
and put him out Mr. Gibson of West
Virginia, who wanted the rules changed
ard discussed the Congressional record
not the publication Of that name by
thc-way--of Mr.. Randall, indulging in
some personalities. He said that Mr..
Randall, by thrustng himsclfinas fac
tor in the proposed changes of the rules,
made him elf q ft subject for personal
discussion. Mr.. Randall said that Mr..
Gibson ought to know that instead of
thrusting himself forward he had done
exactly the reverse. lie did not deal
in personalities himself in the House,
and added, Significantly, that if any
body wanted to deal with him person
ally he ought not to do 1t there. Thus
are the engagements at both ends of
the Capitol opened, with every promise
of an unusually brilliant season.
THE decision of Judge Smell In the case of
the car-driver who was charged with man
slaughter in causing the death of little
Becliie Bunyca on Capitol IGlll no doub0
covers many cases, but is not applicable to
all. In the present instance while no one
believes that the driver was guilty Of Grim
inal negligence, It is equally apparent to
those familiar with the circumstances that
the parents OF the child are not ameuable
10 the scoldng of the Court. Neither the
father nor mother nor child was at fault. 1t
is only proper In adiudicatiug the i'm
peIilled !mmunitics and rights Of citizens
that proper discrimination be made be-
tween those who wantuuly hazard their
safety and those who do not. The real
blame is with the iudeiensiblc system Of
railway management that not only compols
the driver OF u slreet-car to look ont for his
horses i'm one direction, his fares IN another,
and his passengers IN all directions, but at
the same time holds him, and not the com
pany, responsible for Intervening accidents.
IT is high time that reform was instituted
in this regard. There are arguments in It's
support as deep as the deepest depths OF
gref, as strong as the strongest blows OF
human aG Teton.
SENATOR INGALLS, had the clerk read yes
terday the list Of beverages that can be pur-
chased In the Senate restaurant, which Is
kept by Senator Frye's temperance inn
keeper from Maine, Although the brilliant
ard popular junior Senator from Kentucky
was only sworn In o. the 4th OF March last,
the list shows that he has already made his
impress upon the upper Congressional
branch. Among those beverages was
"Blackbun's Reserve" 1t is not showl
by the menu whether this is particular
Kind Of drink or whether 1t Is a supply kept
on hand for the Kentucky Senator alone
when everything else runs out. When the
clerk read out "Bhckbun's Reserve" there
was general laugh among the Senator's
hut there were no cries Of mot for Joe.n
Quite upon the other hand, the universal
shout was, "Good for joe" Thus 1t viii
be seen that some of the boys are with Col.
onel Blackburn in his movement.
The energy and promptuess with whlcl
the case Of Louis Sommerield was disposed
OF, ard we may fairly include Nardelo's
case in the same category although involv
ing more points Of difficulty it naturally
corsEmed more time, are mucf TO he com
menie'. We thus see how possible 1t Il
for justice to be administered with dispatcl
and kept free Of the laws expensive delays
when there is mind TO have It so. To b
sure, the guilt of sommerfeld was as GOO
as self-eyident, but even IN clear cases lils,
these, It is seldom, outside Of Judge lynch
court, that a man is put on trial and con
Victel Of two murders in one day. At thi
rate of progress, assassination IN the Dis
trict Of Columbia viii soon become IN
Fashionable.
EX-SENATOR BAENuM of Connecticut say
in an interview Published In yesterday
star that hG has recommended no one TO tn
President from outside Of the District for an
local office; but on the contrary favors Dis
uct men for District places The ORTIZ
is glad TO know It., aud having given put
licity to a statement quite the contrary o
this, and desiring only to be fair and Just Il
all things, choerfully gives place b Mr. Bar
NUNS general denial Of the story. 1t
proper to add, however, that our origina
publication on the subject was not at al
Of sensational character, but was base,
upon information derived from highly rC
spectacle sources and Of which we had n
reason to doubt the entire authenticity.
WlrH the death Of General Robert Toomb,
passes from the stage Of human action on
OF the strongest and most rcmurkabl
characters in our history--in some respect
the most unique. If ne has left no gre.
impress upon the age, 1t was not for the lac
of great qualities. His were many virtue
and phenomenal mental powers, His grea
est fault was a sturdy independence Of pul
lie opinion that sometimes oyer-asserto
itself In common parlance he stood 4,
straight that he leaned backwards,
THE lady members Of the Thalla Opel
Company, now playing at the New Nationa
are remarkable for their majestic physici
proportions. In uyoirdupois and ulutud
nature has been truly generous in her glf