Morning journal and courier., 1886-02-08

the weather at ths Nnu0mat Capital
sympathy for Secretary Hsysrd--
scenes IN Congress Congress
mas mttshsli-Fhe way Represents =
lives are HBpertuned.
wAsHIHaToN, d. G., Feb. 4, 1880.
10 the Editor Of the JeuHHAt AND GouHiHHI
Never before probably In the history Of
this city of magnificent distances have its ln-
habitants experienced weather no ehangenble
aud no ssvere-raln, snow, alush. Yesterday
everybody wins surpriaed when they Awohs
to see one of the hardest snow storms of the
season. All day long came tho snow, mak
ing 1t n day long to he remembered, partieu
lary by the government clerks who
plow their way to the departments.
Washington society Ia quiet this week,
The death of Mrs. Bayard on Monday, com
ing 80 soon after the death of her daughter,
has cast gloom over tho society going pub
lte. sympathy goes ont TO the Secretary Of
State in this his great affection when home
Is made desolate by the death within few
days of his wife and daughter.
Like shadow thrown,
Softly and sweetly from u passing cloud,
Death fell upon them"
On pleasant days the galleries of the House
are crowded The Office seeker, the member
| of the lobby, the poor woman interested in
papers that will give her support In
her declining years, and then the man who
wants to talk with every Congressman, nc
| matter what his politics where from. 'Tis
amusing to watch the galleries when ths
sound of the Speakers hammer is heard. A
member is shut off, time is up, another
who gave the first speaker time will ask
| how much time have 1 left!
Speaker-The gentleman has five minutes.
Member-Then 1 will yield three minutes
| to the gentleman from Tennessee.
And then there are times at which not only
| The visitors, but the grave members them
selves roar with laughter. For instance; the
| other day when the argument on war claims
or Fourth of July bill, it is called-was
before the House, Mr.. Butterworth, of Ohio,
asked Mr.. Springer, of Illinois, 'Whose fault
| is it that no tribunal has been established
| before which claimants against the govern
ment could have their losses adjudicated!"
Mr. Springer-The fault of the Republican
| Congresses to 1875, when the advent of a
| Democratic Congress occurred.
Butter <orth-Well, now, just one mo-
| ment. l suppose if I were to suggest plan
| of salvation here by which all men would be
| saved the gentleman from Illinois would ask
| whether it was Democratic OF not,
| Springer-Oh, no; not at all. [ would
| know that it was Democratic. Uaughter)
| Butterworth-Well, that would depend
upon what they are being saved for. (Re-
newed laughter.)
There are no more attentive members to
| the work being done here than those from
| Connecticut. Mr.. Seymour presented bill
| this week for the improvement of the har-
| bors at Stamford and Five Mile River. Mr..
| Mitchell, one from tae merchants, masters
| and owners of vessels for breakwater at
Duck Island harbor, Conn. The same gen
| tleman presented one yesterday that all en-
ployes of the Bureau of Engraving and
| Printing be given fifteen days
| leave of absence each year with full pay. 1
| visited the House postof6ce this morning and
| was astonished at the amount of mail matter
! members receive. How in the world they
| find time to answer their correspondents is a
| mystery. Surely the lot of the Congressman
| is not happy one. Mr.. Mitchell has a sec-
retary who is kept busy nearly all day an
| swering letters and questions-of course die
| tated. Besides the attention given to letters,
| a Congressman is called from his seat many
times during the day to listen to the talk of
people whom they can have no interest in.
| Many there are, to be sure, who are interest
| ed in the passage of some bill and so they
| try hard to make friends for it. Others there
| are who beg and implore that either them
| selves OF friends receive positions. This they
| claim they are entitled to because they voted
| the successful ticket. II.