Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1886-08-06
Letter from Washington.
WASHINGTON, August 8, 1886,

| the western country was uurihS the
latter half of July sweltering under un-
precedented hest (for the temperatures
reported were those Of India) here in
the District the thermometer was only
once or twice and for short time above
the nineties. St. Louis went to Ill de-
grees of Fahrenheit, and it is asked,
what would Congress have said and
done had Reavis's plan for the removal
Of the National Metropolis been carried
into absurd effect? They would, at last.
have been very DESTROYS to get back
again to the banks Of noble Old Potomac.
Congress appears to have taken order
for adjournment on Thursday tie 9TH
instant. Two or three days ago the
Washington Post described the 10th as
peculiar Congress. That is true, and
fears are expressed that its effort upon
Democratic success in the fail elections
will be correspondingly unpleasant.
Still, let US hope for the best, though
there must be radical change in DEM
ocratic management and even in the
Democratic feelings and purposes, or
the bottom of the tub must fall out.
The people will sicken of sending big
Democratic majorities to the House
of Representatives to do no better than
has been done this Congress. One of
the plainest errors OF the Democrats has
been the fetish worship of pretended
economy, which has taken the form of
hidebound, stingy meanness. If the
Treasury is too full and filling too fast,
let the excess 60 in the honest direction
of paying the private creditors of the
country. We are not as rich as we
claim to be when we owe debt, or a
lot of debts, which we are neither truth
full nor manly enough to acknowledge.
Our leaders hoodwink themselves by a
policy made up of selfish cowardice and
actual distrust of Providence and the
people. An amusing illustratian of this
took place the other evening when the
House by stretch of generosity allotted
couple of evenings CATER o'clock) to
u consideration of the private calendar.
The bill up was for the payment for
work done in the harbor at Portsmouth
opposite Norfolk six or seven years ago,
and yet unpaid. The work was acknow-
lodged good and faithful, but owing to
stormy weather could not be completed
within the stipulated time. A member
remarks, eff 1 mistake not, tits bill
was up in the 10th Congress and was
defeated" every likely" said Ben
Butterworth, "1 zoe oped the money!"
which brought down a laugh, though it
should have been blush of shame.
The bills introduced into this Congress
are said to be Il, S67, with 264 joint resolu-
tons. OF these only about $50 have been
enacted, the rest going over to the flag
end after the Christmas holidays, about
nine weeks. Com mittees have COM
planned of the vast accumulation Of
claims; but it has begun and ended in
words; none of the proposed remedies
have been undertaken. Congress is no
place for holding Magistrates Courts.
Let there be proper tribunals erected;
justice. shamefully delayed, be satisfied
and then Congressman, disencumbered
of work which they loathe and al
most never efecLually perform, will
have time and all uneXhausten fund
of physical ability to give to proper
statesmanlike service.
The feeling throughout the District
relative to the rejection of Matthews, of
Albany, Mr.. Cleveland's nominee for
the Recordership of DEEDS for the Dis
trict of Columbia, by the Senate Dis
| trict Committee, is unanimous in ap-
proval. The strong Republicans took
ground against Matthews because he is
not District man and has no proper
title to a District office. Some Demo-
Gratis voted for him out of compliment
to the President, in fact, the vote was
for Matthews Democrats Is, VanWyck,
of Nebraska L; against Matthews 80.
The name OF VIM. H. Smith, colored
Librarian of the House of Representa-
tives, is much talked Of for the place.
But the matter is in doubt.
The Editor Cutting in the hand Of the
Mexicans at or about Ell Paso, seems to
have lost interest both with the Tex
ans and the rest of the people, but
new and very hot excitement has arisen
about the man Arresures who was en-
ticed across the Rio Grande into Mexico
and murdered there. Each side of the
river is in fit of fury against its oppo-
sites.
On Sunday last Mrs. Cleveland made
formal entrance into the membership
of the Presbyterian Church here, choos-
ing DR.. Byron Sunderland's First
Church on AZ Street. Her rscommen-
dation came from the Central Presby-
terrain Church of Buffalo. Ceremony
and compliment were not lacking. Mrs.
c. was attended by her mother alone.
A warm debate sprung up yesterday
on a paper surreptitiously introduced by
Mr.. Baker Of New York, censuring Bit
terly the Democratic majority OF the
House. Reed of Maine, and Reagan Of
Texas joined in the fray, when Randall
of Pennsylvania did his best to defend
the party. The ill-mannered paper was
returned to its author.
The Library Jury have finished lis
work, piling up the cost to about
$3.50, 900, or $50, 900 more than the bill
allows. But the buildings are worth
more than that. The injury done to the
business Of many of the parties will be
next to ruin, Of which Congress must