Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1871-08-30
FROM THE NATIONAL CAPITOL
WAsHISeTt n, D. c., Aug. 25sh,

attention. not on y among citizens and
temporary residents, but also in circles
outside the city. Considering the fact
that Washington is the Capital and,
as it were, the property of the whole
nation, this is perhaps not unnatural
the people at large feel interested and
take pride in having city worthy of
being the Capital of great nation-a
pride, however, that is not shared by a
certain clique Of old fossils here, who
continually oppose all Improvements
and growl at everything that is being
done. Every one who has been here,
even for short period, is forced to ad
NIT that the city is not what it ought
to be, neither in beauty, health or pub
lie improvements, and it is astonishing
that so little has been done or is being
done by the citizens, taking into con-
sideration the fact that the words Cap
ial removal are enough to bring a man
into swearing fit here. For what the
city is, Congress and the Past is to be
thanked, while tie Present sits quietly
looking on true, it has wide streets.
beautifully shaded by old trees of all
kinds, but they are either wretehedly
paved (aside from Pennsylvania Ave
nue. or horribly dusty, unless it hap
pens to rain every day in the year;
the sew orage is in miserable state, and
bad oders meet one on every side; the
small parks, with which Washing ton
abounds, are used as public eroquet
grounds, and the grass consequently
trampled completely down, while in the
larger parks, such as the Capitol
gounds, the White House grounds, the
grass is withered and dried. and no
means seem to be taken to sprinkle it.
In short, on all sides there is chance for
impro, ements, but none, or very few,
are made. Some of that spirit Of en-
terprise that has made so many of our
Western cities what they are to-day,
would not be amiss h re, but many of
the people seem to think that Congress
ought to do everything for the city
The question of capitol-moving makes
them uneasy, but it dees not help them
to see things in a different light.
Their argument is that the nation would
never be willing to allow the many mil
lions of dollars that have been expended
here on public buildings for the coun-
try to have been paid out for nothing,
and while rather agree with them in
this, I still believe that they ought to
take hand in improving the city in
which they reside.
POSTAL.
Your German readers will be glad to
learn hat arrangements have just been
completed by which the postage on let
tcrs sent to Germany prepaid, either
via, England or direct, will, from the
lst of October next, be reduced to 7
cents per single letter. The German
Post Department, in connection with
that of the U, S., has endeavored still
further to reduce the postage by the di.
rect lines to cents, but this attempt
has failed, owing to the stubbornness of
the German Steamship companies.
Meanwhile, arrangements have been
concluded for an exchange of money
orders between this country and Ger
many, not, however, to take effect until
October ist, 1872, owing to certain OBJ
legations Of the German authorities A
similar arrans ement has been made
with Great Britain to take effect Oct.
1st, next, and there is little doubt that
the system will be adopted by all the
countries with which We have now pos
tai connections. Within the last few
weeks negotiations have been opened
with the scandinavian countries for the
adoption of postal convention, and
there is every reason to think that they
will be successfully carried through.
POLITICAL.
Considerable stir has lately been
made in certain Departments owing to
to the appointment of two former rebels
to first class clerkships, and the papers
here have contained large number of
articles on the subject. While it is
true that Union soldiers ought to be
preferred in positions under the Gov
ernmeut, it is equally true that the fact
alone that man has been a soldier
should not entltle him to every office to
which be may aspire. The rebels men
| toned came here highly endorsed by
prominent Republicans of the South,
and no doubt many of the statements
made about them would prove false up
on investigation. The matter eliminated
few evenings since, when the G.. A. r.
and number Of old soldiers serenaded
two of the papers, who had defended
their rights, and few heads of depart
ments. l am inclined to think that
the serenade was not intended SO much
for compliment to the persons serc-
naded as spite against the Postmaster
General and Secretary of the Treasury
No man is at present more exposed
to the hatred OF the Democracy than
the able Secretary of Treasu: y, Mr..
Boutwell,, and he deserves it too-from
Democratic point of view. Not only
is he rapidly paying off the National
debt, but he has also succeeded in
funding the first two hundred millions
by converting the Five Twenty Skies
into ten year Elves, in spite of Tory hos
tility in Europe and Copperhead ma
Lightly at home. This is enough to Sc
cure him the bitter hatred Of the Dem
ocrats, but it is rather importunate for
them that they have chosen just this
moment to attack him when the enor-
nous frauds Of the Democratic admins
tration in New York cannot but show
the Federal administration of the ma
tons finances at avery great advantage,
President making is at stand still
al, l.,