Daily Kennebec journal., 1870-08-04
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, ID. c., July 30, 1870
The HoT WEATHER.


The HoT WEATHER.
The long continued intense heat which we
have been suffering for month past is said
to be unknown for many years. We hope
with ardent hope that with the outgoing month
will also depart the unbearable heat. Yet this
city has been remarkably healthy and there
have been very few cases of sudden deaths or
sunstroke, owing probably to the fact that
large part of the population are in the spacious,
thick walled Department buildings during the
hottest part of the day, and but very few people
venture to promenade the streets while Soils
rays pour down so intensely upon the glaring
brick and stone. The people here suffer
much less from warm weather than they do in
New York, Philadelphia or Boston, from the
fact that our streets are very wide and give
free circulation of air and the buildings do not
become so intensely hot as they do in the
narrow streets of the larger cities mentioned.
The last two evenings we have been blessed
with copious thunder showers, which have re-
vived the foliage wonderfully, and have set the
air in motion, that We now enjoy the luxury
O1 Il sttauy DrtoZe.
JUDGE RICHARDSON
returnt d to Washington last W ednesday even
ing and resumed lis old position as First Asst
Secretary OF the Treasury on the following
morning. Secretary Boutwell,, soon after en-
term. til, Cabinet, invited Mr.. Richard, on 10
the position .ot Asst Secretary, and hc re
luctantiy accepted the proti, honor with
the understanding that he should rem in only
a bii,t liuie. The very great POI ul"rily OF
Judge Richardson and the respect which ms
clear l,ad elected in tie shott time he re-
maincd here show the wisdouh of S,c'y Bout
wells choice, and it seems pity that the
great and mighty g.vel mt oil tne United
States cani,ot give comp, n,atiun sufficient to
induce gentlemen of such unqucstlolsd legal
ability and sound pr; ctical stnse to remain II,
its service. But of course it could not be eX-
pectcd that Mr.. Richardson would permanently
leave Il lucrative and agreeable practice, a
circle of highly educated and long known
friends, and Il home which he had made as
near perfect as years of Improvement could
make perfect, and that home too in the beau
tiful town of Old Cambridge, where he dwells
in sight of his alma Mater, and has for his
neighbors men whom the nation is proud Of
for the uncertain life of a government official
even though the position was one of sucl
honor and responsibility as that he now occu
pies. Consequently last January, after nint
months absence, he returned TO Massachusetts
leaving his resignation in the hands of Secre
tary Boutwell, to deliver to the President, by
whom, upon the recommendation of Mr.
Boutwell,, he had been appointed. Hoping
that Congress would raise the salary of the
Asst Secretary to an amount at least respect
able, and that Judge Richardson might be in
duced to return, his resignation was not ac-
cepted, and he has been since the first of JAN
uary an Asst Secretary nominally, but has
drawn no pay and performed no duty. He
very kindly offered to come here for few
weeks this summer and relieve the Secretary
who has been very glad to avail himself of the
offer, and left yesterday noon for his quiet
farm in Grotcn, where he will remain prob
ably until the middle of September. Mr..
Richardson will act as Secretary during his
absence.