The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-07-29
Washington Letter
WASHINGTON. July 2s. 1885.

=
The painting of the Electoral Com
mission, like the theft It commemo-
rates, is as troublesome as BapquO's
ghost. Ever since the purchase by the
Government of this picture il has hung
on the wall of the Senate Library
Committee room at the Capitol The
friends of the fraud have pOt decide d
where to hang il permanently, and |
they know there will De good deal Of
opposition to encounter when tney !
offer to put it in some honoled place. !
A few days ago the picture fell with |
crash, anu upon striking the floor, /
swayed over, one end resting gpoH the /
committee table. The frame was Ut !
telly demolished, hut the painting
escaped injury. Had the Commit
been in session at the time of the fall
some of its members would have been
killed or badly injured / believe the
srtist vas paid s. 500 for the painting,
which represents the scene in the Su
preme Court during the sitting of the
Electoral Commission. The room is
densely packed with people. Mr.. Ev-
| arts, now in the Senate, is making his
speech before the Commission, and
real portraits are given OF all the nota~
| BILE men who were present and partic-
ipated in that great historical iniquity.
When the Library Committee pur
chased the picture several months ago
[ met Democratic Congressman who
was full of Indignation over it. In
the first place" said he, " 1t is not
good specimen of American art. No
private collector would have it in his
| gallery, but besides that it represents
the most disgraceful occurrence i'll
| American history" He thought we
l ht inc llf fnl haARn "a ~
the Capitol with a picture OF the battle
of BladensbuTg, or with the murder of
Lincoln or Garfield, as with this de-
lineation of the theft of the Presidency
"I feel very much like offering res
Olution," continued he, "to have IL
altered so as to represent Judge Black
AS he poured out his vials OF wrath
) upon the Commission, and then have
it hung in the Supreme Court room so
that Joe Bradley might see it daily"
On turning around l heard Repub
lican Congressman express q very diff
| ferent sentiment on the subject. Said
he, I" 1 am glad the picture has been
4 purchased at last. 1t is a valuable his,
torical painting and is worth all that
the Government paid for it. Interest
in it will increase as the years go on. y
: 3" Yes," L thought to myself, Interest
f in it will increase as time goes on and
assigns to the crime it represents Its
real place in history"
Congress will probably adjourn mex
Ell week since the House is ready, but il.
p action in the matter is too uncertain
to be venIuring prophesies The Sen
ate's proceedings have been made 1--we
e ly during the week by the oleouar
e garine debate personal controversial:
I between Republican Senators, and 10y
IA long speech from General Logan il
vindicatlop of Senator Payne, of Ohio
He spoke with great facility for three
hours, sometimes rising to eluquence
IN defense of the committees decision
e that there was nothing crooked appar
entity in the election OF Senator Payn,
;, within the Senate's jurisdiction.
Discourtesy among Republicans il
- Congress has been quite marked q
: late. The happy Republican family
@ has become quite demOralized. Las
week the principal quarrel in th'
: Senate was between Senators LOgaI
j and Edmunds; ; this week it was be
4 tween Senators Miller and ingalls,
The latter gentlemen became very
wrathy and poured invectives upon
each other numerically. They occu
5 py adjoining seats in the Senat
y Chamber, but no longer recognize on
!, another's existence. And it was al
: about butter-bogus butter, real butte
: aud oleomargariue.
y | was pleased to hear Congressman
d say few days since, :" guess we cal
;, stand little reforming ourselves.
He had been talking about the recen
/ vote in the House against giving til
y Capitol employees AN extra month
q pay. Yes" continued he, "whil
we are reforming these employees som
of us can see mote III our own eye
Every member knows that 1T does no
Y cost us ~ cents mile to travel by raj
from home to Washington and return
1t costs less than four cents, and thS
l. Is high rate, SO that we get a gratuit
J. of sixteen cents on every mile W
It travel.n The mileage allowed Ser
l, atOrs and Representatives each sessio
u costs the people over Sll2,000, or
d quarter of million each Congress
)I Fully $500, 900 of this is a gratuity an
g it is not surprising that some of theI
u felt the inconsistency of drawing tn
unearned money just two weeks aft'
they had refused to give their ell
4. ployes a fifth of the sum. Then Con
! gressmen are allowed $125 each f,
I stationary during each session. 81
to few members use half this amour
le and yet they are allowed to draw I'll
IN value in cash. The sum will amour
IL to over So, 600 this session. With ;
to much more for the short session
g. brings their total gratuity from tt
l. people to over $500, 900, or nearly Sl0t
Dt apiece for the term.
a