Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-12-19
WASHINGTON REMEMBERED
The Inauguration of the First Presi-
dent Commemorated.
The SiIcott Affair.--Other Capital
Notes.

dent COMMUNICATED.
The Silcott Anfair.--Other Capital
Notes.
The two houses of congress met in the
hall of represen tatves the other day TO
hold centennial exercises in commemOra
tion Of the inauguration of the first presi-
dent. Through the foreign legations resid-
ing in Washington, about all the civilized
nations OF the world were represented.
There were also present the governors OF
20 states.
The senate, followed by the President,
the cabinet. the members OF the diplomatic
corps and the supreme court justices, etc,
and preceded by the vice-president, march
ed in, and Vice president Morton took the
speakers chair and gavel and cilled the
house TO order in Joint session. Rev. j. O..
Butler, the 8 nate chapel, offered prayer,
and Chief Justice Fuller delivered an ora
ton upon the progress OF America. After
a benediction by the Rev. w IL. Mllhurn,
the house chaplain, the assemblage dis
persed, while the Marine band play cd ma
tional airs.
Since that little domestic affair in the
Garden OF Eden, woman has figured con-
spicuously in man sinfulness, and the
case OF Silcott is no exception. The
woman in this case is Ia. Use Thibault,
native OF Quebec, who went to Wash
ington, met Sicott, and so entatuated the
man that his own cash was not sufficient 10
enable him TO do justice TO his inamoratu,
and he used the governments cash.
While several members Of the house are
mourning the loss of their salaries be-
cause of Silcott's crookedness, Congress
man Wheeler of Michigan, is happy over
the fact that he did not sign the voucher
for his November pay, and so he is not
caught in the same box. The loss 10 the
a "a tnmDOrarX 91rlnQencY.
for they may be safely trusted to speedily
pass some measure for their own relef.
OF course it is too early in the session to
predict what will be done, but IL is aoso-
lutely certain Tn the tariff question will
be discussed, and il is 10 be hoped that
something may be accomplished. Apro
pos OF this subject, Senator Allison OF
Iowa, the author of the senate tariff bill
considered at the last session OF congress,
SAYS: There will be some legislation on
the tariff, but whether it will be on the
lines of the bill prepared by the senate
finance committee OF the last congress is
too broad IA question to answer now. The
house in the last congress sent US tarlti
bill, and we did with 1t the best that we
could The house has the matter in its
shands now, and must originate whatever
Legislation there is"
A number of important measures have
already been introduced, among others Il
bill prepared by Senator Spooner TO secure
freedom of voters al the polls. The provis
ions of the bill an far-reaching in thet
scope, and the penalties provided for viola
ton of my one Of them severe enougs Z
deter the most reckless ward politician.
Michigan s new senator Mcmillan. was
on hand early in the session with bill FOL
the payment OF the Knaggs claim, which
grows out Of the use by the government o
some OF the knaggs buildings in Detroi
during the war OF ISL? Senator Mcmillan
has also introduced Il bill TO pay Mrs. Trip
Ter $l0,U 900 for the use by the medical de
partment of the government of the manua
prepared by her husand and In const n
use by the medical departments OF govern
ment work.
Through the exertions of Congressman
Belknap of Grand Rapids, Miss Jenn
Harrison, IA second cousin of President
Harrison, has been appointed to place il
the government printing Office. Miss Har
rison is very independent young woman
who has had TO battle alone with the worlC
ever since her father aud her brother wer
carried 10 the bottom of Lake Michigan
with the ship which her father sailed. I'm
like many OF the branches of the Harrison
family tree, she has never made herse
known to her exalted kinsman, and unles
he reads this item he will never know tina
ment printing office.
The question was raised as to whethe
the war department would take any of
cial action because OF the death OF Jeffel
son Davis. a large oil painting of tn
leader OF the lost cause hangs on tn
wall OF the chief clerks room, and bear
the following inscriptions: "Jefferso
Davis, secretary of war, 1887, Pierce
administration" When asked whu
course the department would pursue Sec
rotary Proctor said: II see no occasio
for any action whatever. 1t would sui
serve no good purpose that can see. 1t j
better TO let the matter rest in oblivion
sleep, If it will, and TO relegate II to tn
past, than TO do anything that would re
vive memories better forgotten" TIL
mantle OF a noble charity is thrown owe
the errors of the man who acted fror
conscientious motives, and Representative
men of both north and south speak only /
kindly terms of the dead
A little over 25 years ago there was oil
ganized in this city an organization c
Michigan men either temporary or permar
ent residents of the city, for the purpose G
aiding Michigan soldiers. During the pas
quarter of century the society has bee
alternately a partisan aid social club. Tn
members OF the society have decided
abandon the political features of the organ
ization and are planning for number c
social entertainments during this winter
The president Of the organization is Col. {
p. Lincoln of CoIdwater, and the secretar
is Z. q. Barnard of Adrian.
A bill is now before the senate whic
that body will do well to pass speedily
The bill is to duly compensate soldier
who were confined in confederate prison
during the late war for thirty days Q