Milford chronicle., 1889-12-13
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON D. C


WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON D. {. Dec. 9, 1850.
The first day Of new Congress is al
ways an interesting and impressive oc-
casion, especially to those who have
witnessed so many such scenes, but the
assembling of the Fifty-First Congress
was invested with additional and unsu;
interest from the fact that it involved a
change of political power, the minority
and the majority parties reversing pc
sitions for the first time in eight years,
which revolution will of course, be fol-
lowed by change of legislative policy.
At present the only visable remaining
signs Of Democratic power at the Capitol
is the presence in an official capacity of
the blind Chaplain, the Rev. DR.. Milbun
Nearly all the faces of the old time
leaders could be seen by the gallery ga
zers except Randall's who was too i'll to
appear i'll his seat. There was Mckinley
with his Napoleonic visage, Reed with
his jovial presence, bubbling over with |
the glory of victory, Springer with his |
ever blooming button hole rosette, Car |
lysle with his calm, classic features, and |
Holman crooking his index finger i'll
readiness for objection There were
flowers galore on the desks of the IA
vored members, there was the smile of
welcome, and the hearty hand-shake Of
good-fellowship which eyer bids defiance
to partisan feeling.
If the Republicans had made a mistake
i'll selecting Mr.. Reed as Speaker, it is in
depriving themselves Of his brilliant and
successful leadership OH the floor The
defeated candidates for Speaker will, it is
said be assigned to important and much ,
coveted places on the leading committee. ,
If tine usual custom is followed; the prin- ,
ciple committees will not be appointed I
until after the Holiday season, for till ,
then little or no work of consequence is +
undertaken u
The Senate was more imposing than it f
has been for some time OIL last Monday. IA
chiefly on account of the Senators from Il
the new State presenting themselves "
for the first time. You may well be-
lieve that these new "Couscript Fathers" =.
were thecentre of observation, particular
ly from the galleries. =
Already the Senate has begun to dis l..
cuss the Worlds Fair project, and the -,
Capital City shares with New York, St. ~
Louis and Chicago. The interest that ~
attaches to an active competition for the
5listening prize. T.,
The Departmental report points worthy
If attention. Secretary Noble discusses -
Pension Office irregularities, and declares -
t his purpose to adopt corrective meas =,
Tres. He also recommends that an Act -
If Congress allowing pensions to dis l.
lonorably discharged soldiers be repealed.
Il this connection it may be well to state -
bat Commissioner Raum and his dep -
ties, under a recent division Of the work ~ -
d his Office are evolving wonders, and
how a great increases i'll the work done ~,
ar:ug the past month over that of any -
lonth previous, the increase in the
umber of certificates issued being four
lousand The old soldier may therefore I
Ike heart one
Secretary Tracy calls for one hundred frie
ore war ships for our proper Naval Be
luipmcut, with which the greatest of VIII
epublics might safely face not only tor
'.Howning world" but "a world in Il
ms" do
The defalcation of Silcott, the trusted of e
end and conlidate and employee of Mr. hou
.edom, Sergeant at Arms of the House, MOI
I like a thunderbolt upon the country,
d especially upon the ones whose
ckets will feel their emptiness. Nearly ;,
the Members Of Congress had neg a,5
ted to draw their salaries, and several . 8,
4 deposited private funds with the Tho
rgeant at Arms for safe-keeping. Sill for
t land family lived, in a comfortable, SOM
unpretentious house on Capitol Hill, peac
til recently, when they were quartered soon
the Congressional" just south of the A,
pitol. His case appears mnch like ton
t Of his numerous predecessors in ri,
NE. MS last ne ana londnesS Tor decli
nbling at races, seems to have been his r,
secret, even to Mr.. Leedom, whose
an Friday he was 1t seems past
ipreheusion that every great defalca- ,as ea''. =.
comes i'll the same way, and yet arad;
It is bestowed where such incongru-
are known to exist. Small salaried My
indulging III dangerous risks Greer
ting surprising losses on a slender i'iiseI
me, plunging into extravagences Po0i
would make millionaire think The
e. No mention is made of attempts at Ge'
g made to overtake the fugitive, and appoi
probably now dwelling in the Sc a'ois
y of his Canadian refuge, along with Dono'
IS of others who should be earning "Rc
bread behind bars of the peniten escape
The decision as to who will be IS, in
loser, the Government or Members capur'
'ngress, isnot yet made known fowel
CYMRo. tue
,rr,, is poss