Rensselaer Union, Volume 10, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 December 1877 — Capital City Gossip. [ARTICLE]

Capital City Gossip.

I attended Hon. E. B. Washburn’s lecture Tuesday evening in the Grand Opera House. The hall, which is arranged in amphitheatre form, is a fine one capable of sealing perhaps 800 or 1,000 people. Scarcely more than onefourth of the seats were- occupied; but those who attended were of the cultivated, intelligent class. Possibly some friend may smile sardonically at the mention in this connection of tlie name of Gov. Williams; but lie was present and along side of him sat Hon. E. B. Martindale, “sole proprietor’’ of tlie Indianapolis Journal, who is thought to be eyeing tlie late Senator Morton’s shoes with a senti* merit akin to covetousness. Numbers of Mr. Martindale’s acquaintances are confident that Barkis is willin’ to be unto the bereaved Republican orphans of ludiaua a key-note sounder, with all that may imply, under tlie title of Morion’s successor. Mr. Washburn was introduced to his audience by Judge Porter, who served in tlie lower house of congress as a representative from Indiana when the former was a member of tlie United Slates Senate, if I am not off color in my chronology. Tlie late minister plenipotentiary of tlie United States to the court of tlie late mire; gretted Emperor Louis Napoleon 111 JooksTo be about sixty years old. He may be a trifle above tlie average men, weight about 175 pounds, erect of carriage, and elastic of step. To call his mein dignified without other word of qualification would be to fall short of a complete description of tlie impressioh conveyed by liis manner.- Not only is tlie old gentleman very dignified, but there is that revealed in every gesture while speaking, whether orhead or band, in every motion of liis body and eacli member thereof when walking, which overspreads every facial feature at repose, as the bloom overspreads the ripened grape orthesilken down a maiden’s cheek—which seems to be continually whispering: Behold before you, ladies and gentlemen, a very great person; an extraordinary man; an intellectual giant, harmless indeed, but of immense capacity and awful importance. lam conscious of tlie risk I run of being thought irreverent; but there is no doubt in my mind that Mr. Washburn lias studied himself thoroughly ami become fascinated with hissubjeot. His massive chin, drooping jaws, smoothly shaven face, stiff standing collar, creamy white necktie of great magnitude, and other details of dress and person suggested striking resemblance to the picture of President Buchanan. Tiie title of Mr. Washburne'slecture is: Tlie Siege

_of Paiis aud-the Coinmuae, But the. subject of his discourse ia chiefly a detuiled description of the part acted by tlie American Minister to France atthe death and funeral of the Napoleonic Empire and birth of the Theirs military Republican his double vole of ostensible representative of tlie United States government and real vice general of Prince Bismark, to which was tenqiorarily added that of special nuncio of His Holiness Pope Pio Nino. As an oratorical or intellectual effort the lecture does not rise above _ mediocracy. Were the lecturer u~ tyro on the rostrum or a person wiliout public record, criticism would be so severe as to drive him -from tlie field. Better natural orators and more brilliant thinkers may be fouinnd every considerable city, if not in the lesser towns even, of the country. The diction was faulty ; the pronunciation of words—some words—barbarous; ,the gesticulation stifled and uncouth; and the intonation or modulation of voice at times seemed a near relative of that affected by the ignorant or demi-educated campmeeting ranters of the frontier. But what made the lecture infinitely more disgusting than even the shallow pedantry made conspicuous by frequently occuring Frendi phrases was tlie poorly concealed fact .of ijs being a bid for tlie presidential nomination of the Republican party inJBBO. ft is true that no positive allusion was made to American polities; and indeed if any was made at all it was intended to be indirect, general aud obscure; but those of his audience who remembered General Scott’s remarkable fondness for the sweet German accent and the rich Irish brogue could not be mistaken about the direction Mr. Washburn’s ambition was drifting while listening to the recital of his extraordinary kindness to tlie German resideivtedn Paris from the begin ningof the Franco-Prus-sian war until its end, and his almost divine love and religious veneration for Die Roman Catholic archbishop of Paris who was executed in obedience to tlie orders of Communistic butchers who succeeded in adding their crimes to tlie catalogue of horrors which were conspicious features of tlie memorable siege that supplies a title to tlie lecture under consideration. Political gossips say that Mr. Joseph Medill of tlie Chicago Tribune is groom to the presidential'Courser thus early on the track; if this surmise be true he will do well to take him from the course and husband his powers a year or two; he should also give careful attention to tlie diet of his favorate in order to correct as far aa.possible the tendency toward a development into an animal with whom the name of Baalim liecame historically connected, produced, no doubt, by a mule meat feast, tlie recollection of which supplies tlie inspiration for fine of I lie most interesting descriptive passages of Mr. Washbum’s lecture. Wednesday evening last it was announced that Hou. J. D: Howland, clerk of the federal court now iu session fir t his city, had dled very suddenly of paralysis. Thursday morning Judge Blodgett adjourned court until Tuesday, December 12, out of respect tothememoryof the deceased, who was an efficient and popular officer, and in order that the bar might make arrangements so? the funeral of such magnitude as was thought proffer by them, and agreeable to the bereaved family. Tlie rites, of burial were performed yesterday In simple and unostentatious manuer. There was no unseemly or barbaric display, and only comparatively few people attended. The devotees of temperance are arranging fora winter campaign against their enemy who is strongly entrenched and seem lug ly Unimpregnablo in this city. A meeting was held in tlie Young Men's Ulirlstaln Ahsoeiu-

tion building Friday Id f)*rtlierancs of tills design, which may have been at-» tended by 200 persona, certainly not more than this number, whom a moiety at least were women and girls. The exercises were desultory In character, lecture by Luther Benson being the trump card for advertising. But Mr. Benson did »ot deliver a set lecture; lie only made a rambling kind of talk or exhortation ; still most of liis audience were satisfied and adjourned from the hall witli their purpose Btrengthened and their strength renewed. Benson looks better than when lie visited Rensselaer last summer ; says he lias nut been on a spree since that time nor tasted tobacoo, feels the grace of God growing vigorously within him, and has a more hopeful determination not to look backward and let his plow slip Out of tlie furrow. Everybody feels like encouraging l>im to continue in the way of reformation, and he is quite popular with the religious aud temperance elements of society In this city. Considerable life and activity is manifest in Democratic circles, the leaders being now engaged in discussing the plan and details of the state campaign of 1878. Mr. Hendricks, M r. Hhaw, treasurer of state, and some otbei's favor a short canvass, opening say about the first of July; it is understood, however, that Senator Vorhees who is to be the conspicuous figure of ibe contest on that side, Mr. Henderson, auditor of state, and the young aud impulsive element generally, ate anxious for lots of fun and more time to manufacture and enjoy it. Which of the factions will prevail in tlie council of the central committee announced for the the 20th'of this month it is unnecessary to hazard a guess upon. It is seemingly ceriain that they are not likely to have any serious dissention iu their ranks this season. They are in possesion of the state government and both cluirs in tlie United States Senate Chamber, which seat the deligules of Indiana in that body, and are fully determined to keep ail they have in hand now ami add to it im-

portan t accumulai ions from the fill u re. They are bold, talk freely of their designs and are sanguine of results. They are flushed with victory and inflated with hope, and unless overweaning confidence begets carelessness or they take some fool’s fatal advice the Republican party may prepare itself for one of the toughest fights since the Democrats whipped them at Bull Run. And the mention of Bull Run provokes me to ray that the Republican party of Indiana cannot afford to adopt McClellan or Buell tactics for tlie conduct of the cam-

paign of 1878. Every hope is at stake. Inac t i vlty or v a sei 11st ion wi 11 assuredly result in terrible defeat, if uot almost annihitation. The party catt—not take too positive stand upon any of its fundamental principles. Its boldest and most uncompromising men should be placed in tlie front and given position as leaders. Those who talk of conservatism or conciliation in connection with the approaching campaign in our state, witli parties occupying the position towards one another they do now, but sing the the siren song that lulls to a repose, that ends in death.. The Democracy oflndiana never was known to yield a position of their own volition ; they never yet made an alliance winch did not benefit them ten fold more than it did their foolish allies. Will the so-called Independent party of Jasper county or the state of Indiana point single pefmaiient advantage gained by them through their conciliatory policy of the two campaigns last past? Is the state more ably represented in the United States senate? Are state taxes decreased in a ratio proportionate to tlie increased value of the currency and the decreased value of property? Have any laws been passed by our legislature that look in the direction of economy in public expenditures? Has not the foundation been laid deep and broad for tlie perpetuation of the present rate of taxation for state purposes for years.in future, and afeo the creation of a ring at the capital to fatten upon speculations rooted in public necessity? Have the people of Jasper county any honesler, pleasanter or more faithful officers administering their local affairs tlian when each department was presided over by a Republican? Did the Democratic board of county commissioners introduce any reforms in county management ? did they try to? was there any room or place for (hem to. •=====.. .Let-Republicans be warned by the leSSons and experience of tlie past. No compromise can be made with the Democratic party of Indiana. Tfey desire ei-rr will, consent to any. They are determined, if possible to utterly break down, crush"' out and grind to powder the Republican purty as a political organization. Totalkofa modification of their design but provokes their derision and ineffable scorn. They have resolved to raise tiie black flag of extermination and ro carry none other. Then what can Republicans expect to gain from idleness, indecision,' or inactivity? They cannot even afford to wait until the Democracy have perfected their plans and are prepared to move against them; but the enemy should be anticipated at every ]>o!nt. Tie must not be allowed io get j><.- '’' , slqii of commanding positions. The Republieaus should call ibeir slate convention early—-first adopt their platform, nominate their ticket, appoint their leaders, and ‘thus compel the Denlocracy to meet them on the ground they haveselected. The plan of tlie Republican campaign should lie vigorously aggre.—ive; lor none tUKer caiL result rii victory

year.

H. E. J.

The pi ospectus of the Prairie Farmer for 1878 appears in the advertising columns of this paper. The Prairie Farmer is the leading agricultural paper of the Northwest, and no farmer should be without it. By special arrangement with the publishers we can supply the Prairie Farmer, the regular subscription price of which ia $2.00, and Tub Union one year for $2.50, which J includes postage on both papers. This is, indeed, a most liberal-offer, and all who wish to avail themselves of it will please do so without delay.