Show from with te 04 this ie ihl ie fry TU alie ajlen 1 e its behind jbv scenes at washington IVA r jan 13 1860 in one of mr bullers last and best beat novels he be lifts the veil from the innermost secrets of english statesmanship Ma and shows show s how often the ablest of the political leaders of that country are indebted to so the unknown and unheralded u skill labor and learning of others what is true of that country is hingul singularly arly true of this we seethe see the prom prominent anent figures pla ing their parts pans on the stage bitne but we never hover leeor seeor see w hear bear of those behind the scenes without whom they would be sorry actors we see the handi bands on the face of the clock but not u the machinery that moves them I 1 have thought that it may repay the of a list if the bar bard working and obscure intellects engaged in washington and elsewhere III in supplying brains and material to our great men could be prepared and ana printed primed take the ibe single case of the committee of ways Way and means inthe in the house of representatives thistle this the most important of all the standing comm committees ittzes in it the financial policy of the government is is annually an nu and constantly developed aldvin and ventilated ti all the estimates of all the departments are sent into this financial mill here where they are picked win and prepared for the action of the representatives ese nta live s peaple the details tire vast and ing for nn an immense amount of reflect toil the chairman of this committee is to the house of representatives what thi tha chancellor or of exchequer the is to the english parliament and next to the speak er e the most important nian man in congress the house hoase is compelled to take his reports upon faithana fait hand therefore the selection of the chairman is one of the most delicate and important duties of the speaker ever eve ry dollar appropriated must first receive receive the sanction of the committee 0 f ways jand and mends tho army the ravy navy ht It lirt department the he general post office the land office the judiciary r in all its carious agiou ramifications the officers of the cus tons tams the foreign agents of the government ern ment in every part rt of the world indeed the entire administration of this his confederacy comes to this corn com buitte e seeking the means for its continuance ainu ti ance and its operations imagine such a personage per as jehu G jones jokes head of the committee of ways and means utterly unskilled in the science of government in in intellect an inferior lawyer a very awkward parliamentarian he could co ild no more master ma ster the labor or comprehend the details of that position p 0 than a blacksmith black smith could coald under stand eland the machinery of a watch vatch even the most ac com r nan man is compelled I 1 when hen placed in the chair mansh ip of t this his committee to 1 rely ely upon the efforts of others the trams brains of the committee of ways and means leans are supplied by III mr r cochran Coc bran i a clerk a modest quiet ing man who has served in that ca pacay lacity au umber of years who devotes himself it at all times limes to the preparation prepa pa ration odthe of the b bills ills and to checol the collection of data and information from the theia various riou departments of the gov i ercument irn ment those who know him speak of him as nn an tel tuil machine his knowledge of figures is s so accurate his integ integrity so unquestionable that his calculations are accepted and adopted at once ile he may be said indeed to to be counselor advisor and director in in reference to the most important ap no scheme however craftily concealed can pass anchal banged by this seafin sentinel e I 1 at the door of the national treasury I 1 understand that bebas already prepared all the billijo bills for r the of congress an and when ahe the speaker is elected and the committee of ways and means mans a appointed J they will be immediately presented to the houn house and yet who ev ever 6 r hears 0 of f mr air cochran except tho those se who care to inquire into the secrets of the business in this great political center another of thess these unknown yet in dispensable public io servants is is mr john ai barclay of indiana journal clerk fit the houie home of Re representative mh barr Bar clayla lay is is a thoroughly triad in ia tb parla afi 4 and details as fohr iiri is in the ile expenditures tures anil iby revenues au of odthe ahti government ern ment As ai y you enter ae the house it is fully organized you will se ee e landing on the right n ghr of the speaker Speak era a y young oun gentleman n I 1 na named n d thaddeus maurice Mauric eho thomay may be called the prom per er of the presiding ing officer ile he b began e bis sen ice q as a page an and d I 1 think it was mr air cobb who v ho first firs took advantage bf his skill and talent and froni from that day he has bas been consulted ulta by all the speakers irs when a new congress ass assembles it is curious to observe e ho how rapidly he becomes acquainted with the names and appearance of the members and those thoe tho e who applaud the speaker for foi his readiness and proficiency donot do not know that the quiet unpretending YOU oung n g man ballis by his si side ide frequently puts ats the words in the speakers speaker rno mouth u th |