Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1870-04-28

accepted.
The debate in the Senate this week on
the joint resolution, authorizing the
Northern Pacific Il. II. Company to issue
bonds for the building Of their road clio
tied much interest; as ii gave those OPP
posed to granting land subsidies to Rail-
roads, an opportunity. which they avail
ell themselves of, to show to what an
alarming extent our Government is Civ
ing away the property legitimately be-
longing to the Worlds poor, to Railroad
schemes. II is shown that there has al
ready been given to the different Pacific
Railroads more land than the whole
area of Great Britain and France COM
bined.
The tariff bill is meeting with slow
progress in the House. and unless the
House shall conclude to leave it almost
entire to the judgment oftli. Committee,
and not spend so much time. step by
step, on each paragraph of the bill,
months will elapse before il is disposed
of. Already some of those who at frs,
most strongly favored the main features
of the bill are getting SO tired Of the de-
lay in disposing Of it, that they are in
different as TO its proposed recommit-
ment.
A word in relation to the clerks in the
different Government departments in
Washington: A great majority Of the
clerks. both male and female, are, with
out doubt, competent and loyal. and
many temperate and moral. especially.
is this true among the lady clerks; but
the number out OF the many thousands,
which are quite the reverse. is by no
means small. For instance prominent
clerk in the Treasury Department dur
ing the late rebellion. made swords by
contract at Frederick sburg. Va. for the
Southern Confederacy. Another clerk
in one Of the departments, AT the begin
ming Of the war. resigned his position.
went to Virginia. and joined the rebel
army, but when the fight got hot, desert
ed. came back and has since been favor
ed with four offices. among them, one =,
an as>essorship of Internal Revenue. He
is now clerk in the Pension Office TO
settle pensions To our wounded soldiers
and is noted drunkard. and there are
many more alike Objectionable. With
perfect safety, IL NAV bc said that one
third of the Department clerks are made
up from clerks ofiormcr administrations
many of whom are considered and real
lv are useless fixtures Of ten. twenty and
even thirty year, standing. But the
most pernicious OF the whole system, j.
.NepotisDa, /. {. the filling OF the offices
with families or relations Ii j. not un-
common TO find three or four OF the same
family holding office under the Govern
ment. very often so thick that there will
be two or more in the same department,
all this 10 the exclusion oi the more de-
serving and needy.
IL is generally understood tina, nearly
all Of the female clerk, are widow.
mothers, daughters or sister. Of diseased
soldiers. Doubtless many are, but OBJ
seryation goes TO show that great ma
jority are ret, and with the present sus-
picion attached to female clerks. although
in great part unioundcd confess. there
will be still less desire by the friends Of
the soldiers widow or sisters TO obtain
clcrkships for them. The present .ys-
TEN of clerical appointments is objec-
tionable not 50 much the fault Of the
Heads of the departments for they are
mostly ignorant of the way things are
going in this particular.
Those here who are opposed TO the in
come tax law says The people just now
grooming under their returns for Income tax
TO the Internal Revenue Department. and
in very little while, they will groan loud
er At the payment OF this tax. There real
ly ought TO be an election for Members Of
Congress all over the country lust about
this time. or about a month hence. and
then this odious law would be at once re-
pealed. IL We are not very much mistaken
in the people, those Members Of the presen,
Congress, who do not move to have a
change made in the law upon this subject
will be elected to remain at home. There
is nothin. so horrible. so monstrous. moth.
ing SO heart rendering. nothing SO calcu-
lated to make a saint swear as to reflect
upon the fact that amer you have struggled
hard for whole year to earn few dollars,
the Government demands Of you, in hard
listed surly manner, five dollars upon every
hundred over one thousand which they
kindly give you to live upon and support
your family, however large
The Agricultural Museum OF this city, is
now one OF the most attractive places Of
sightseeing in Washington. 1t embraces
much that is pleasant to the eve. The cell
ing is IN itself picture gallery. and is
handsomely finished in frescoe. On enter
ing the Museum, a very large and superior
oil painting Of Gen. Grant and his staff ia
conspicuously displayed, each portrait be-
ing truthful delineation OF the original
The Museum is teeming with art, industrial
and natural products, most Of which are
enclosed in handsome and spacious cases
Of walnut and glass. Two cases are filed
with hundreds Of specimens OF wood select
ed from nearly every country and climate,
and SO arranged that the qualities Of the
respective specimens may be observed. In
these cases the wood engraver will find
various specimens Of box wood, the moul d
sinker, carver and model maker, will find
q large variety Of wood not found in the
market, the cabinet and picture frame max
er will also see new woods noted for orna.
mental peculiarities and beauty. The