*ltogether the affair proved a great success,and must have appealed strong- 
returning District 
ly to the three or four thousandA soldiers in whose honor it was palnned. 
They are having interesting times at the oapitol just now,and every¬ 
thing is in such a muddle that mo one can foresee what will haqpen.lt is an 
outrage on common sense and business methods that the appropriation bills are 
allowed to go over till the very last of the session, apparently for the pur¬ 
pose of creating just suoh a muddle as now exists with a view to political 
advantages.Both wings are parties to the disgraceful state of afairs,although 
the Democrats as the party in .power are the chief offenders at this particual 
crisis.Many of the appropriation bills must fail to the great pecuniary and 
business loss of the oountry at (a^lrge.Peace has its terrors as well as war. 
Yesterday I saw Jackies for the first time sinoe fall.Strange that the 
bird did not winter in the Districe during this past open winter.lt could not 
have been lack of food that drove them further south,and they probably went o 
only a few miles anyway. 
T.S.P.told me that O.J.was present at the meeting in Boston when was 
discussed the policy of the State with reference to the bird collector.I 
judge the collector won out, and that soma liberality is G>\$ be shown towards 
his necessities.You and lived in happier times when we had to fear only the 
anger of the irate farmer, but all the same I opine that law or no law we 
•> f 
should have collected birds, and the consequences. Sven so much of our 
pleasure w .uld have been lost. 
We had a warm rainy day yesterday,clearing last night and blowing like 
the Sickens to day-the usual ro.yna at this time of year . between wind and rain 
I have not been on the golf ground for several days,and have taken my daily 
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