The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1868-03-27
Correspondence.
! Editorial Correspondence Fremont Journal
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON
WASHINGTON, March 81, 1868.

" ASutN0NONJ bkdiCu 1905.
ECONOMY.
The legislation of Congress since impeach-
ment has taken q settled shape, shows what
may be expected when all the branches of
government arc once more in harmony.
In matters of retrenchment and reform
steps have been taken which will sensibly
relieve the people Of the burdens of taxation.
The removal Of the tax on manufactures,
except tobacco and distilled liquors, will set
our manufactures at work and give employ
ment to thousands of starving operatives,
while consumers will be benefited by re-
ductiOn in prices, corresponding to the relief
from taxation. The immense reduction of
the revenue by the removal of this tax is 10
be made good by rigid measures ofeconomy
in expenditure and reform of some kind in
the collection of the whiskey tax. Many
financiers are in favor of trying the present
system under an honest administration, be-
lieveing that the two dollar tax can be col
lected. If after fair trial, it is found i'm
possible to collect so large an amount, the
tax viii be reduced. 1t is a well known
fact that the whiskey interest has been
shamelessly used by the present admin5stra-
tiOn for political purposes, and, as tbe'' ring"
and the Republican party are natural
enemies, it is only reasonable to lSsk for a
general cleaning OUT" of the rascaIs when
"old Ben Wade" moves up 10 the other end
of the avenue, as he surely will do before
June.
Another measure Of reform which will |
meet the approval Of the whole country is
the reduction os the army TO about its
strength before shf; wsr. The subject has |
been up hebre brth Houses aud all parties |
are in hven of speedy reduction. The |
couRAFy is full of veterans and no possible |
sxigency is likely to occur which could not
be, met by special force of volunteers.
With the present heavy burdens of taxation
the reduction of an army of fifty thousand
Thousand dollars each, is extravsgant and
useless.
SEWARD.
Secretary Seward has just returned 10
Washington after visit of ten days to
Auburn. Nobody seems to know or care
much about his movements. His political
power is at an end and he will undoubtedly |
retire forever from public life at the close OF
Johnson's administration. With the grand
est opportunities that ever fell to the lot of
statesman, he committed the objectionable
political sin and was ruined by the failure
of the third plrty movement which made
johnson the sworn enemy of Congress and
the loyal people. The old man will go home
broken hearted, the record of his good deeds
swamped by the memory of his later errors.
JOHNSON.
The Monday evening receptions of Mrs.
Patterson and Mrs. Slower at the White
House, are not very largely attended by
men and women of note. A few cabinet
officers with their ladies, an illustrious
obscure or two from the army and navy and
a few representatives of foreign courts make
up the list. The President himself looks
soured and care-worn and his cold, constrain-
ed manner is in striking contrast with the
warm and CHEEKY greeting which Colfax
gives his guests. He finds fighting against
Congress up hill work. He has to fight
alone. His patronage brought friends but
they are now trimming their sails for new
breeze. The Democratic party only wish to
use him. They do not propose to espOuse
his cause. Every interest of the country |
demands his removal and in few weeks the
last act of his remarkable career of wrong
headed obstinacy will be recorded and pass
into history.
SOCIETY.
With good facilities for becoming COM
mercial city Washington has no business
enterprise Aside from those belonging to the
government there is not single building of
interest in the city. The best hotels are
first class only in price and the second best
are simply execrable. Nobody here seems
to care for Washington, or dreams of making
it permanent home. The city is peopled
with hungry adventurers hunting for fat
offices or profitable jobs. Even the large
number of government employees are tran
sients. They hold their situations, not upon
merit, but subject to the caprice of party
and the fluctuations of political fortunes.
They are all, from highest TO lowest, depend
ents.
Some one has compared society here 10
basket of crabs which you can lift body and
claws by taking hold of the top one, and the
illustration is good one. Raise the Presi-
dent and the whole population goes dangling
after, each hanging at the heels of another
in a regular graduation of dependence. OF
late years the city has taken ON a more per-
manent and substantial growth, but so long
as the present Infamous system of filling
subordinate government Offices is continued
society must consist mainly Of these birds of
passage, useless alike TO the material and
A. nv