Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1865-10-11
CORRESPONDENCE.
Letter from washington.
Correspondence of the Daily Commercial
WASHINGTON October 9th 1Sf

correspondence OF the Daily Commerciall
WASHINGTON, October 9th 1865
Admiral Bell has sounded the death kneU of
a gross abuse by his ORDER under instructions
from the Navy Department, prohibiting the practice
of making assessments upon the compensation of the
employees of the Brooklyn Navy Yard, to raise
fund for the purposes of partisanshp This will he
good news to the clerks and other subordnaes in the
public service here and elsewhere. to whom, on the
eve of elections it has been customary for certain
corrupt managers to make the most urgent appeals
not unfrequently accompanied with significant
menaces-in order to exact contributions of money
to carry a political campaign.
A similar prohibition will, no doubt in due time
be made to operate in the Custom Houses, Postoices
Navy Yards and other public establishments through
out the Union; and thus, under the administration
of Andrew Johnson great advance will be made in
the interest of purity and freedom of elections.
By such y REFORM this or that party may be TEN
porary losers but the rublc will be great gamers
and bleeding artery Of corruption and prolusion
stopped.
Among the crowds that fill the ante-room and hall
of the Executive Mansion there occasionally appear
petitioners crrands different from the usual one of
pardon seeking. Now and then there is case of
alleged oppression by some one or other of those who
at different points, have become the dispensers of
patronage, the donors of inferior Offices collector
his seat-puts out deputy a cicrh who does not
suit him.
Some village Hampden who. with dauntess breast
The little tyrants Of the place wthstood!'
and forthwith this ''Hampden" hies To Washington TO
lay his complaint against prescription before the Pres
ident. Whether his Excellency deems it proper to
nterferei in these cases. know not; but it is strik
ing illustration of our American SYSTEM that in the
various Offices throughout the country chiefs, dcpu-
ties and clerks still only equals before the Pesi
dcnt-where redress is sought-and that, of Il truth
the latter IS in this regard respccter of persons
There has been a remarkable eyco,}us of Pennsyva-
mans, ohioans and indianians from Washington du-
ring few days pas-all eff to deposit their votes at
home tomorrow
Perhaps nothing more forcibly Illustrate the
transitory character of large part of the population
of this city than the fact that, although resident
here for years. they do not give up their citizenship
of the States from which they respectivey come Of
course they cannot become identified with the local
interests of the Metropolis, feel that they have
the stake in its prosperity which actuates the eoers
OF Washington yet not u few are as active inter
medders in its affairs if they were native here and
lords of the manor born and did not regularly go
to their own States at election times.
The visitor at the National Metropolis cannot fail
to notice that shoulder-srapS have almost dSap-
peared from society. Formerly they were so numer-
distinguished" But the gallant wearers have lately
dofed their uniforms, except upon official occasions
and the appearance of man in blue and Brass at
dinary times, is considered scarcely CONNIE il fum.
topic in high military. and social circles is the
marriage of Major General Hooker to Miss Olivia
Groesbeck, of Cincinnati, sister of Hon. Wm. s..
Groesbcck, formerly representative in Congress from
that city. This is not the lady Of the name who
selected to lead of the dancing at the grand ball
given TO the Prince of Wales in 1860, as the partner
Of His Royal lighness But she Isl woman of noble
beauty and address-Quite likely to make lasting
impression for personal loveliness and her
younger relative. Some years ago she visited Europe
and was in London awhile. Of the impression she
left there, one little incident tells the tale. An ad
mrer of the Duke of Wellington sent him some cases
of Longworth'S Sparkling Catawba. He wished to
know where so delicious wine was made. "Cincn-
natl, my Lord Duke" was the reply. "Cincinnatil'
rejpined the hero Of Waterloo. Ah! that's the place
Miss Groesbeck came from
Thus it is obvious that Major General Hooker is
not the first hero whom the belle Of Ohio had capt-
waited. OBSERVER.