Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-08-24
Letter from Washington.

showers to cool the air, which makes both i
day and nights almost unendurably OPP
pressive. The mosquitoes for the first
time this year are now making their APP
pearance nightly, humming a mournful
dirge about the head of us poor sleepless
mOrtals, occasionally might say from
personal experience quite often-measur
ing their bills in u.s.
From all parts of Maryland, and the
great portion of Virginia, | learn that
vegetation of all kinds are suffering severe
ly from the drought. The corn and to-
bacco crops, which the people of those
States chiefly rely on, are seriously affect
ed, and especially the com crop, it is stated,
will not yield barrel to the acre.
The President has evidently been de-
ceived by those self-styled "Union Repub-
licans, or Conservative Republicans of Mis-
sissippi," and is now fully aroused to the
necessity of a prompt and decided policy
relative to the Reinforcement.
Whatever might be the result of the
election of General Dent to the Governor
ship of Mississippi it is now quite appar
ent that the bulk of his supporters have
always been, are now, and in all probable
ity will ever be, opposed to every principle
enunciated in the platform Of the National
Republican Party" but whose immediate
necessities, for expedient sake only, prompt
them to become Judasised into the support
Of brOther-in-law Of the President with
a view to ingratiate themselves into the
confidence of General Grant, thereby ena-
bling them to intrigue personal favors of
the Administration. OF late-since there
seems to be some show of Johnson being
elected to the L. 5. Senate from Tennessee
the copperheads here in Washington
take courage and claim that the election
of Walker in Virginia, and Senter, in
Tennessee, are Democratic victories. These
same parties, or the most Of them, rather,
two weeks ago, conceded that the election
of either candidates in Virginia and Tenn
cssee, were Republican victories that both
parties were committed to the support of
all the reconstruction acts of Congress.
As far as the composition Of the Legisla-
ture is concerned Mr. Johnson's chance of
being returned to the Senate would be fair
indeed if it were not that he is so constant
ly declaring himself in favor of the repu-
diation of our bonded Obligations Many
who have been set against the administra-
ton because of B0utwel's and Creswell's
letters, and who therefore would be willing
to support any moderate Union opponent
of its policy, yet are not able to stomach
his position, and if some withdrawal Is not
made on his part Of these extreme views,
his chance will be small after all. But
again it is thought by some that he is very
anxious to come to the Senate for purposes
of revenge upon his prosecutors, that he
will not hesitate to give up this, to him,
minor object to obtain far greater, and nor
the great object Of his existence
1t is supposed that the next statement
will show an increase Of the public debt,
Of about three million, owing to the heavy
amount drawn from the Treasury for the
payment Of pensions and bounties.
In the way Of bounties and back pay
alone, there is nearly half million allowed
by the 2nd Auditors Office Nearly all of
this sum goes to the widows and orphans
of the soldiers, as these are by far the
greatest number Of the claimants now, and
as they are all poor, all, it may be said, is
thrown into circulation. The Government
is doing a great deal Of good in this way,
not generally estimated. In one State
lately, $4,000 was distributed to these
applications for bounty still remaining tc
be acted upon in the bureau, and the mum
Der is being added to quite largely every
day, perhaps 5000 per month; but the
force Of clerks, though small, is constantly
reducing the number. The whole number
Of the clerks formerly engaged in thi
office was over 500, while now there ar,
only 300 all told, and quite large portion
Of this number are employed in settling
paymaetera' war accounts, which are We
far behind.
The amount Of claims Of all banks set
tied by this office during the past mont
will foot up S3O,00O,00O.
, The Agricultural Department has beer
engaged for long time past in distributin,
= all over the United States, small package
of Ramie Grass seed, in order to interes
in, and give 4 start to its cultivation. Ac
cording to the opinion Of many, there /
greater promise in the growing of thi
, grass, than even in the production of cot
ton, in fact, that the Ramie is to be th
future textile king. Although it is not
native, yet from the facilities possessed il
! this country, and the fact that it will hv
and flourish in quite a cold latitude, it
= thought that for all practical purposes, W
% can make its growth almost a monopol
against the entire world
e Wherever it has been planted in tn
: South it has been Il perfect success; anC
2 as its roots are very thick, say an inch O
? more, and extend at least eighteen inche
y deep, it is very strong and grows beyon
t the reach of frosts in the greatest numbC
n of our States and in dry seasons no drougl
/ can effect it with such a depth, SO that
>, is thought it will succeed almost anywher
5. The fibre produced from it is of the mo-
Y beautiful white silky character, and hent
a is termed Ramie silk. After being dev
o rotted by exposure about a month, it LOST
lie its gummy matter, and then can be easil
5. threshed and cleaned by machine inven
d, ed for the purpose, and will then cOmman
n. about 80 cents in the market, whilst it ca
w be raised as low as ten cents pound, it
said; and it is thought that an acre Wi
,o yield 800 dollars worth of the fibre II
r. cost of cultivating it does not extend b
-, yond the first year, as it takes entire pc
of session of the soil, and nothing else lii
III weeds can grow where it is. This fib
IS will make the strongest, most beautiful al
70 cheapest clothing Of its value that can
re manufactured. We hope that the farme
everywhere will at once experiment up
70 it, for think there is money in it; a.