Year: 1876

The political show that drags along Its
weary length from day TO day in the House
OF Representatives is as tiresome and mo-
notonous as Chinese play. 1t has not the
good features of the latter, even, as q re-
deemiDg quality, for where the Chinese
audience may fairly expect, at the termina-
ton Of the endless volume of talk and
c!amor, to perceive some wholesome moral
lesson completely unfolde1, there is moth
ing to expect from the House of Repre-
sentatiYes but a spectacle of selfshness,
sensational acting and narrow minded am
Bition. The dramatiS persona having
charge Of the boards have only one point
to gain, namely, selfaggrandizement, and
all the plot and the by-play, the wit and
humor that is thrown in to hold the inter-
est, and the mock heroics that are INDUCED
il by the heavy characters, are the thinnest
Of illusions, gotten up for effect and moth
ing else.


The House of Representatives under
Democratic rule has, in fact, become a
mere Chinese playhouse, where the as
sembled characters act a part before the
country, and hope, individually and col
lectiyely, to gain reputation as stars in
tie political arena. To determine this as
fact the audience has only to close its
ears to the clamor of words a moment, and
sum up the result of all this studied parade.
What does il amount to! What do all
these investigations, rapidly running up to
the cost Of millions, mean! What do these
mouthings about economy and retrench-
ment and these blessed apotheoses of the
good tine coming mean? What does Ran
dalls ranting and Cox coaxing, both of
whose records put plain denial on their
humbuggery, mean? What but political
effect? There never was an assemblage of
men in Chinese playhouse, or before any
national or public audience, who so as
siduously and unblushingly acted part as
do the Democratic leaders of the present
time. Congress has met apparently for
the mere purpose of witnessing their cf-
forts TO gain reputation, and for no other
= reason, and we may expect no public ben
eft,- no practical legislation, no internal
improvements, no relief from monetary
pressure, nothing, in fact, that is not in
the line Of political acting with the sole
view of forwarding the ambitious schemes
of the Randall Cox school of political
performers. Congress has become a. polit-
ical circus, and though the arena
is Lot sprinkled with sawdust. nor
do the performers come forth in
spangled tights, yet US far ss the dignity
of If and its value to the country is con-
cerned it is rapidly coming to the same
level as any other show in the land. If
something more than has been done is not
accomplished before Congress adjourns it
would have been just as well, and less ex-
peRsiye, to have relegated national legisla-
ton to q dozen political bummers. who
could ''set up the pins" for the political
campaigns to follow, without obtruiing
themselves upon public notice and with
lust 81 honest Q regard for securing the
services Of honorable public servants and
for forwarding great public benefits as
those who are now posing and spouting
for the same purpose at an enormous cost.


In the face of this spectacle we are re-
freshed every few days with visionary
picture Of what viii follow when tue