The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1890-02-06
Washington Notes.
MR.. BLAINE's FAMILY. -WASHINGTON'S
PROG RESS.-THE CONTESTS
on - , u

OF PARTIES, &C.
How sad" was an expression repeated
by almost every one you met Oh Penn
sylvania avenue last Friday. The an
nouncement was made in the evening
papers that Mrs. Coppinger, wife Of Col.
Coppinger. of the Army. and eldest
daughter of Hon. james q. Blaine, was
seriously, if not fatally i'll. But few
weeks have passed since Walker Blaine,
the eldest SON of the Secretary, was laid
in the tomb. In the flower of his man
hood, when the future opened up with
all the promise that it holds for the
young, the gifted and ambitious, the
relentless summons came, and the genial,
cultured Walker Blaine, in the flush of
robust health, had to obey the command.
Within the past six months Mrs.
Blaine's sister. and then Mr.. Blaine's
brother, were called to the final account.
And now the accomplished and lovely
daughter, just barely stepping upon the
threshold of maternity, seems fated to
become Il victim of the unsuitable
L
earnest sympathy manifested were not
confined to political and personal friends,
but was universal And vet the atfiic
tons mentioned, carry with them s;lu-
tary lesson. They remind us that Death,
the great leveler, respects neither condi-
tions nor relations The memorable scythe
sweeps on. cutting down youth, middle
age and hoary heads, whether in palace
or hovel. sometimes without warning
and then again torturing and preparing
for days and week. impressng the adj
monition zoe We also ready, for in an
hour when We think not the son of man
cometh. "
The wonderful progress of Washing
ton is a revelation of the vast business
enterprise of the country whose earn
ings seek location for profit and stabil-
ity. Passing along the streets with a
gentleman familiar with properties, first
one piece and then another was pointed
out, and the advance in values noted.
One hundred per cent advance in a year
80 per cent in IL few months appears to
be the acreage. Immense capital is being
employed in new buildings, and enlarg
ing he limits Of the city The highest
taste Of the artist finds employment in
4 beautlfying private and public grounds,
and altogether Washington presents
more attractive evidences of improve
ment and growth than any other city in
the Union. What it will be in 80 years,
is beyond the compass of the most SAN
guine conjecture. 1t will be a great
city; plotted and improved, and syste-
maticalIy designed. SO us to reflect the
fame and greatness of the Republic, and
surprising in architectural beauty and
aesthetic taste. every other capital of
the known world.
At this season of the year, when Con
gress is i'll session, the avenues present Il
varied and charming appearance.
Much OF the beauty of the nation is
congregated here, and more pretty wo-
men, neatly and hecomingly attired
day, as they leisurely saunter along the
broad pavements, and stop to inspect
the lovely exposures i'll the show windows
of the handsome stores. to tempt the
passer by, whose purses viii allow them
to indulge Il pardonable female weak
ness Although not critic Of dress or
the outward adornments of women,
there is one thing that strikes the cas-
ual observer. While wealth is more
general and its expenditure more pro
parel of the ladies has very little Of the
flash and tinsel which a few years ago. in
the hey day Of shoddyism, was a distin-
gushing feature OF the avenue prom
( enaders. Very few of the Indies are
: londly dressed. Everything is becoming
and arranged more for comfort and ease
and modest taste, than when furbelows
and tlounee arounds bewildered and con-
fused rustic visitor to the capitol. 1t is
an improvement that speaks the preva
lence OF refnemant, where vulgar taste
prevailed, and the consciousness that
it is not silks and satins and elaborate
paraphernalia that make the lady, but
that she who is less thus adorned is
adorned the most.
Political circles have been in a whirl
ofeXci5ement for a few days past. The
contest for partizan advantage in the
House affects the political sympathes
x. l.
Reed are denounced or approved ne
cording / 0 the political identity of those
who remark upon them. The Demo
Gratis are unanimous in pronouncing
him a tyrant. and the Republicans with
great emphasis declare that lie is only
doing his duty under the constitution.
The purpose of the Democrats, as was
we'll known, was to tilibuster to stave
of the consideration of contested cleo
fion cases. and the dnty of the Republi-
cans is TO have them disposed of us soon
as possible. The fragrant wrongs per
petrated in West Virginia in three of
the districts, where Republicans were
fairly elected, but Democrats received
the ertifcates through partizan manip
ulation, were the first to be taken up
1t was to prevent this that the rumpus
was kicked up in the House during last
week. There being no rules adopted fov
government Of the House this session the
the Speaker was compelled to be gov
erned by general parliamentary law.
70 enforce this, and get the House in
working order, A firm purpose had to be
manifested. So when motion was
made or u resolution offered, designed
to delay the work of Congress, and de
feat the ends of Justice the speaker has
taken the bit ia his mouth and stopped
it. He has refused to recognize members
whose aim was TO obstruct legislation,
and has ruled that II quorum for the
transaction of business was Dresent
when majority was there in the flesh
The presumption is that the people send
live men to Congress and not mummes
and when the roll call exposes that a
majority does not answer but there is a
full house present, the speaker counts
enough of them in the seats, but not
voting, az present, and apponncos that
there is Il guofula. Whatever may have