Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-12-30
WASHINGTON LETTER.
OF a Woman as Clerk Of
House Committee on Library Makes
Woman Suffragists Jubllant.
Representatives who rail TO Uso ouepidors
The Subject OF n National Coat Of
Arms Renewed.

/ Spccioi correspondence OF inc 6azette
WASHINGTON, Dec 27.--The recent APP
pointment OF woman as clerk Of the
house committee on the library, is an in
novation against which there is some
complaint in the ranks Of the army Of
candidates for the position, but the
woman suffragists are fuollant, and con-
slider that they have gained point with
out the aid OF the ballot. Until the pres
emit time women clerks have been EN-
ployed In the departments only, and with
the exception Of one or two who have
filed positions as telegraph operators in
the corridors Of the capitol, they have
not been tolerated under the immediate
shadow Of the Goddess of Liberty.
A recent report OF the committee on
ventilation and acoustics in the house, In
which they recommend the daily cleans
ing Of the yentilating pipes, will perhaps
not tend TO materially strengthen tue
opinion entertained by some as TO the
dignity supposed TO attend the meetings
OF so august body as the house of repre-
sentatlves. In its report the committee
says; "The great American habit of ex-
pectoratlng is fully exempliaed on the
part OF the members of this branch OF the
lawmaking department of the govern
ment, and your committee reluctantly,
mournfully, but firmly confesses It's ina
bllity TO devise measures which will put
an end to his Teprehensible practice--a
practice that lowers the dignity of this
august assembly aud imperils health
and well being Of the servants OF the re-
public. Affection is directed to the fact
that there are in this chamber 2l6 nickle-
al al ft,r Il ha
nihcence Of the nation with the sole de-
sign of being employed for the purposes
for which they are provided, but for
they are ignored, and the pprforations in
the brass ventilators employed as the re-
ceptacles of expectorati0n."
Mr.. Goldsborough Bruff OF this
city, who is now in his eighty
third year, and Is one of the
oldest employees In the government
service, having been engaged as de-
signer and craftsman in the treasury de-
partment during the past slxty-three
years, has addressed to congress an elab-
crate memorial upon the subject Of ma
tional coat of arms. MIR. Bruff
says that in the period OF our
country's infancy the art of heraldry
was unknown, and IN consequence
the new republic was unable to
obtain proper device for its
national slgnet He proposes q "de-
vice of an armorial achievement and
reverse OF great seal for the United
States in congress assembled, as follows
Arms--Paleway Of thirteen pieces,
argent and gules, chief, azure, the
escutcheon on the breast of the American
bald eagle displayed proper, holding in
his dexter talon an olive branch, and In
his sinister bundle of thirteen arrows,
all proper, and In his beak scroll in-
scribed with this motto, Il pluribus
uuum. For the crest-0Yer the head
of the eagle which appears above the
escutcheon glory or breaking through
cloud, proper, and surrounding thirteen
stars forming a constellation argent on \
an azure field" His communication has
been referred to the committee on
library.
few days before Christmas the dis
trict commissioners received a letter,
written by little girl in Missouri. The
letter was addressed to the "Mair," and
In 1t she Inquired In uncertain and badly
spelled English why it was that her faith.
err, who served through the war, could
not get his pension when so many others
could. She stated that her father
was sick and too poor to employ
Il lawyer. The letter was forwarded
to the commissioner of pensions, who or
dered special investigation of the case,
and on Wednesday last the commissioner
notified the little lady by mall that her
fathers pension had been granted, with
full allowance Of back pay The letter
was probably received on Christmas eve,
and there was at least one joyful house
hold In Missouri upon Christmas day.