Washington Letter

Washington, D. C, Maroti 8, 1884. ín this popular city for holding conventions, a notable one is noiv in sesslon. it is thfi National Assoclatlon of Woman Suffragists, and this Is their slxteenth auinial meeting. The seekers íor suffrage are froni a large number of Statts, and illustrated iu their oratorical fights agalnst nian's nhumanity to womeu that they know how to talk, and how to talk well. They are a perennially hopeful 8isterhood, and fully expect to votesoinetime in the future. Thuir veteran leader Miss Anthony, while speaking to the convention, alluded to ber recent foreign travels, and said a high premium was offered to widowhood, and spinsterhood in England, as the right of suftïage was there granted in municipal and school niattera only to widows and spinsteis. Over there public men were not afraid to ?o to woman suffrage meetings and sit upon the platform, and she knevv it would be so here if women had the influence of a vote. At the twice daily sessions several addresses are made by he delégalos on pertinent Rnbjpet. Mrs. Dunniway of Oresron told how women suurage had been „ erritory. Mrs. Brown of Cincinnati -poke on political "Disabilities." Mrs. Hubert of Chicago OJl "The - nenship of Woinen." Mrs. Gougar, of Indiana, who would raake i more effectve stump speaker ihan any other woman f the couvention, spoke upon "Woman Before the Law'' Belva Lockwood's subect was the proposed Disenfrnnchisemei t f Utah Women, and Miss Couzins' theme vas the unmeaning question ; "What Answer'' in which ?he sarcastlcally paid ie respects to the would-be aristorracj' of the National Capital, spending its Unie in ütrict observance of borrowed social fcirnis ind quarling over petty poluta of social .irecedunce. Her arraigiinient of the -ham was receiveil witn laughter and applause by the audience. Mrs. Bl.ike repreaented woman as the "Unkiiown Quanüty of Politics" and turncd her nttention ra the Presideutial caudidates. Mr. Edmunds, she said, would not do at all. Ever since hu had been ín the Benate hc had used his voice and inlliience araiust the enfranchisement of women and even the women of Utah, whether Morinon or Gentile, he wantfd to disenfranchise. The "Historian of the Kennebec" had a better record, but he hid never heartily espoused their cause, and women wanted no luke-warm lover. Conkling had ik t been jrood to women when In the Senate, and the giant from little Delaware might be a chivalrous Bayard, but when he set his lance at rest against the deinands of women he might as well place himself among the fossils of the National Museum. Mr. Flower, was an out spoken advocate of woman suffrage, and if he were nomlnated the woman would smile upon him, but Joseph McDonald, she said, was their most unequivocsl Champion, and the first man who had ever done anything in the United States Senate for the freedom of women. By invitation ofllcers and delearates of the convention called on the President, üu Friday the Senate committee on woman sufiïage gave the convention a hearing, and the House Judiclary committee will hcar them on Saturday. The President's callers.often represent a great variety of people and classes. Some scalpersof thcplaius, who called at the White House yesterday to pay their respects to the President were followed by Henry Ward Beceher, and he by Mr. Henry Irving of dramatic fame Presidential candidates were conspicuous at the Irving performance the other night, Gen. Logan, and Senator Sherman occupied opposite boxes, and President Arthur, and Mr. Blaine were in the orclmstra chaire. On the next evening Jlr. Blaine saw the play of Hamlet from a box. Ho evidently enjoyed the performance, and kept hls Opera glasses on the English tragedian durtng the greater part of the time. Thus far,thc8enate's work raay besummt-d up in the discussion and passage of the appropriation bill for the Military school at West Point; a bill for the protection of children in the District of C'olumbia who may be cruelly treated; a bill for extendingthe limiisof the Yellowstone National Park, and the consideraron of judical jurisdiction outside of the territory of the United States. The House of Representative8 has debated and passed the bill for pensioning the Mexicun veterans at eight dollars a month, voted for thirteen more House employés, pages, messengers, and clerk, and is now discussing the Naval appropriation bill. The Senate s[ent some time offering tributes to the memory of the recently dectased member frora Kansas, Mr. Haskell. -Reservoirs on wheels, to be filled irom tbe harbor bv the fire boata, re the latest New York Fire Department lmprovement - f. Y. News. - A well-known clcryman in the north part of Enjjland entertained recently a brotber clergyman from somo distance. The evemng being unpropitious, he asked him to remain for tbe night. At dusk the clergyman asked his guest to step into the manso while he gave orders to have his conreyance ready in the morning. As tho visitor enfcered the manse the clergyman's wife mistook him in the dark for her husband, and, seizing the pulpit Bible which was on the lobby table, brought the full weight of it across his shoulder, exclaiming emphaticallw "Take that for asting the ugly wretch to stay all