Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-01-24
THE TRIALS OF 4 CONGRESSMAN.
A Member slowly Writing Himself TO
Death-Efoxv Good-Natured Com
gres>man's Correspondence sus
Grown Till it Now rhreHtcns TO Bury
Him Alive-A Talk with the VEcsin'

at isn't all the perfume of flowers and the
smiles OF fair women TO be member of Con-
gress. We don't feed on locusts and wild honey
and sleep on down." said a weary member as
he tilted back in his chair and brushed aside
the heap of letters piled upon his desk. He
had a haggard look in his eye and his right
hand hung limp at his side with a pen between
the fingers. "lf anybody thinks it's clover let
him try it! started out with the idea that il
was my duty to answer every letter ! got. Well
have involved myself in problem Of geomet-
rical progression" and he pointed in a despair
ing sort of way at the desk before him. the
ample waste basket by his side and the floor
about him-a full of letters. They are accu-
mulating every day. Every one answer brings
two more, and answer them all. Just think
OF it. 1t makes my head swim. When l first
came here used to GO out little went TO
the theater occasionally. or to an entertainment
or reception, or TO see a friend. Now
} go no where. Each year / am more closely
confined. 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-
We stopped going out. | leave my committee
room at the Capitol only to 20 to my desk at
home. | swallow my dinner whole as il were
L write late at night-iater each night The
progression is working out. and nIy mails big
ger each day. Presently / shall have to sit up
all night; then reduce my meals to five minutes.
give up smoking. Write. write. write, on
well-think It's terrible doom: slowly TO
write ones self TO death. The pile Of letters is
up to my neck. Soon it'll he over my head
daylight viii be shut out-and-then-i
mo. sir. We don't live in Clover" And he
drew In a long breath and settled himself down
in his chair as if resigned to his impending doom
why, 1t started this WaN-it always nas a start;
any member will tell you--it started this way:
AS soon as got to Congress | got a letter from
one of my constituents CONCENTRATING me upnn
nay election. and saying that he knew now there
would be some legislation; the Constitution
should not be violated; must Introduce a hill
IN the House to prohibit fishing IN my district
with three hooks to one Une-twaS I'M
constitutional. answered that letter hewailin.r
the utter disregard OF Congress for the national
fisheries, and explaining the utter uselessness
OF attempting class legislation. That settled it,
/ got four letters from that neighbOrhood by
returning mail. and they kept on Increasing
until the entire population was represented by
autograph letters. My promptness to answer
any ana all letters was heralded all over the
country. and l was asked to pass all sorts of
bills from one to regulate the length of PRAYERS
TO one Tor the suppression of kissing at pound
parties. One man wanted to know whether the
rope Guiteau was hung with was hemp or cot
ton. | referred this letter to the Department
OF Justice. The Attorney General indorsed il
TO the warden OF the jail. who returned il to me
with amnute official description OF the rope-the
material. length and manner OF make This con-
trlouted largely to increase my correspondence
Every body who had something to write about
that no one else would notice was told nv adj
dress, with the assurance that loved to write
letters. large number of my letters now are
applicants Tor places under the new admin
lstratlon- Che man wanted place that would
take him to Canada; he did not know what
particular place. His doctor had told him that
1t would benefit his health 10 live there and if
would just look around and find place there
for him with pretty good salary attached he
would like it. But, by the way he had child
rem Just growing up. might take this into
consideration and get him located where there
were good free schools
Another fellow wrote that he would leave il
to NE to pick out his place for him. but |
mustn't get the salary below 81 200. Hethought
Id be better judge of good places than he
was.
Some men may refer these letters to the
waste basket, but it don't do. They must he
answered. | must write goodbye 1 mustn't
waste more time talking III have to sit M
late to make up for it, | must write The walls
are closing around me-
well, my good fellow, what can | do for
you: and he turned to suppliant in soldier
Clothes. who stood at his elbow with persiStency
in his face and glazed cap in his Land
I'm an American by adoption. In SO /
married an American woman with a mule-her
grandfather left it to"
But at this point the petitioner was thrust
aside by Mexican pensioner. who wore three
medals and had been personal friend of Win
SCOTS, and wanted his pension increased.