Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1886-03-01
WASHINGTON LETTER
ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE OF THE MONITOR.
Wus7si,,oton. Feb. o2d

house or congress was in session,
and the government machinery stop
ped, as usual, in honor of the day.
Although there was no formal cele-
bration in this city there were a
number of suitable observances. The
Oldest Inhabitants Association met,
read Washington S farewell address,
and some of the members made
speeches. The Washington Monu-
| ment association also had meeting,
and served luncheon to some dis
tinguished guests, including senators,
judges, ministers, generals, etc.
Then there were some military pa
rades, national airs were played on
the Metropolitan church chimes,
and the Washington Continentals
made pilgrimage to Mount Vernon,
where they were addressed by Con-
gressmen Cabell, of Virginia, Comp
ton, of Maryland, and Gen. Black,
the present commissioner of the pen.
sion office.
The city has been under siege by
female suffragists since | wrote you.
The women have gone, however,
| jubilant over their lively convention,
and the church that resounded with
their eloquence is, this week, at the
service of an educational convention,
The advocates of women suffrage
were granted hearing by the house
| judiciary committee, before which
they plead their own cause. Among
| the orators of the occasion were Mrs.
Merriweather and Mrs. Minor of
| Missouri, Miss Eastman of Boston,
| Mrs. Nelson of Tennessee, Mrs.
Field of Louisiana, (who is the Cath
crime Cole of the NeaU Orleans Pic
oyune,) Mrs. Sewell of Indianapolis,
and Mrs. Granger of Indiana.
The latter probably made the most
striking remarks. She asked the
committee to let the question 60 to
the state legislatures. saying they
need not commit themselves to the
principal She said she was not for
suffrage, but for the salvation of
society and of the country. The
government was ruled by the slums.
She wanted to put the intelligent
woman s vote as an offset for this
ignorance and crime. Woman did
not want suffrage, suffrage needed
woman Woman's vote should be
the reserve force upon which the in
telligent men of the country would
have to call to preserve them from
degradation and crime. She pointed
out the election troubles in Chicago
and Ohio to show that for the wan
of more intelligent voters the govern
ment was being run by tie crimlna
classes at these elections. ''Gentle
men" said she, "you are kind, ;yol
are gallant. We ask you to be just.
The committee, of which Ran
dolph Tucker of Virginia, is chair
man, listened to the ladies with re
spectful attention. When the las
speech had been made, Susan B
Anthony, who is mistress of cere
: mony at the suffrage conventions
tory of the suffrage movement fror
its beginning up to the present time
81 will continue to make history on
of your actions on this question,
said she, "until we get a sixteent
t amendment to the constitution
Since every congress gives wee
/ or two to the Fitz John Porter bus
s ness, now that the general has bee
I disposed of by the house for th
> winter, it is hoped that body wi
v get down to real work. All of ii
g democrats and sixteen Republica
o members voted to restore Gener;
e Porter to his position in the arm
and retire him with pay. The bi
y will now 60 to the senate, where i
: friends think it will have four majo
II ity, although the republicans ha,
l. control of the upper house.
s The senate has the Blair Educ
y tional bill still under treatmen
e Senator Evarts defended the mea
l. ure, leading its bitterest opponen
J. Senator Morgan, to say he W;
IS sorry that one of the greatest
l. American lawyers should have d
clared himself in favor Of the abs
Sc lutism of congress. Mr.. Morgan
D. reference to the constitutions ga
nj Mr.. Ingalls, another opportunity
ne be sarcastic. 'sThe constitution
ce said he, ''is made for the peopl
al and not the people for the consult
~ ton. Government is thing of
e day and not of yesterday" He sa
~ he had listened with rapture 10 t
o. dlsquisitions of the political archet
ogists who have made subtle exp
oi rations into the subterranean reces
+ es of the constitution, and the Inn
s. consciousness of its founders. :
al this had indescribable delight
IT. those who are inquiring wi
Ell should be done to-day. But t
ed senator from Kansas thought it "
O. like turning from Pennsylvania A.
ne nue. to theburied streets of Hercnlae,
lie and Pompeii TO ascertain what WI
ch the opinions of the politicians
no Rome in regard to the coinage of ,
re- silver dollar and the reform of ,
lh- civil service.
ter In political circles the arraignm