Vermont daily transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1868-1870, 1869-05-04
Especial correspondence OF the Transcript
letter from UashingtOn.
Cotd coffee and Empty Pistols Why
IHerc Wds no Duel-Archiecture
and Phrcnotogy-Pecuiiar Hard
ship-Dischorged Cierks--A Lody
II, the Cdrs-Idtc Visitors.
WASHINGTON, NJ ay LIST.

WASHINGTON, May LIST.
OF course, the sensation of the week
has been serio-comic Sprague-Abbott
embroglio, which, in reality, would
never have grown into the proportions
it did only for the interference of hard
up qatid nuocs. Had not especial and
continued attention been directed to the
affair by busyb -dy newspapers, it is
quite certain that Mr.. Abbott would
never have gone SO far as to force the
little Rhode Islander to back water "
as awkwardly as he did. These of1icious
newspaper people came to certain Sena-
tors with the report, "there will surely
be fight!' The Senators - pooh
poohed" the idea. "But there will as
suredly be bloodshed; l have seen Alb
bott's friends, and they solemnly assev-
crate that he means mischief ~ Find
ing such reports multiplying hourly,
the certain grave Senators referred to
said, "This must not be it will he dis
graceful !" and forthwith they flew to
the injured North Carolina Senator on
their mission of pacificatiOn and he,
finding the affair regarded in SO serious
a light, olly grew the more belligcrent
and clustering i'm his demeanOr. Alto
gether too much stress was put upon a
simply discourteous passage between
the two honorable gentlemen which
should, and, in fact, would have passed
unnoticed except from eXtrancous pres
sure.
The little Rhode Islander left for
home to-day. During his sOjourn here
he has commodious quarters at the house
of Chief justice Chase, situated at the
corner of Sixth and T. Streets. The
residence of the Chief Justice is among
houses what it. occupant is among his
fellowmen large, imposing, and pos
sessing an outward appearance of math-
ematical solidity of structure not found
in its neighbors. Ii is a "double house."
built of red brick, and surrounded by
grounds which, if not very spacious,
are at least very tastefully laid out, UNI
der the direction of the ladies of the
mansion.
An affecting instance peculiar hard
ship came under the writer's observa-
ton few days since. A laboring man
employed by the Government at the
Treasury Department for the last five
years, was discharged, with scores of
others. -Four years ago, he purchased
of at building association, Of which he
was member house valued at that
time at $1,000, paying $4,000 cash down,
and promising to pay the remaining
So 600 in monthly instruments. The
instruments were promptly paid as long
as he was employed at good wages on
the treasury extension, and when dis
charged he had paid in all nearly S., 900
ment, nothing remained but to sell the
house at public auction for cash, the
sale bringing the Insignificant sum of
$500! This story l know to be true
one, and am told that similar occur
FENCES are common.
Before this letter sees the light, the
long list of discharged clerks will be
published and the distress already eX-
listing will be doubly augmented. Those
who have served the longest term as
clerks in the Departments are altogeth-
Ell the keenest sufferers. / know men
who have grown into octogenarianism
in Uncle Sans service, and who to-day,
deprived of their positions, see nothing
but ruin and the poor house staring
them in IT, face.
They have saved nothing during their
long term, for the reason that their fam
lilies have increased year by year, AM
their cOmmOnest necessities have called
Tor the outlay of every dollar of their
salary. and to-day nine out of every ten
of these superanuated clerks who have
been discharged do not own the roof
that shelters them, but are paying ex-
orbitant rents monthly to capricious
landlords.
The published statement that lady
ri clerk had called General Butler
"spooney" in the street cars, and that
the General had procured her dismissal