Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-03-14
probably induce them to vote the democratic
Letter from Washington.
lFRoM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT

senators removing an nOnoreu associate Irom
position of trust, at the request of the eXecu
tive could not help seeing, as at present stated
and understood, that the transaction is of an
impolitic and inexpedient character. 1t is one
of those errors which in their consequences arr
worse than crimes. But the significant thing
which induces me TO head this paragraph al
above, is the fact that the administration, in th
city of radiating influences, this focus of journal
istic labors, has no friends among either CORE
spondents or editors. 1t is true that there il
one daily-which should be termed weakly
if the paradoxical pun were allowable
that sustans the president in a feeble and
spasmodc sort of way. But its advocacy has
no value. Outside of Washington, ii appears
to me that the New York Times and Standard
are the only dailies on the Atlantic slope that
really sustain its acts and policy. The CORE
spondent here of the New York Times is the
only journalist | know who stands up for
Grant. The personal antagonism manifested
| towards the white house, for no other term
| describes the sort of hostility which seems to
animate most of the younger journalists here,
is so pervading that for one to endeavor 10 have
| fair play and present the other side of any act
| ItSullS Ill bClllS dSodhSA
by professional associates. So the truth is, that
| the president, triumphant as he appears to be
in this Sumner matter, is, after all, the ''under
dog in the fight" sure to come out of it
very badly worried and mangled. | am
not speaking of whether the mauling will be
deserved or not, l am only calling attention to
the significance of the fact that on the press the
president, and as far as l know no member OF
the cabinet, except Boutwell,, has a single sim
| cere and earnest friend among the numerous
| body of men and women too, whose pens en-
ploy the electrical keys which send away their
| first impressions of events occurring here, all
over the country, or who hold the semi-editorial
power of the Especial correspondent" often
shaping the policy of their journals, and always,
if wise and well informed, able to influence
them. Beyond the exceptions l nave named
there is not one hearty respecter of the admins
tration among them all.
JOURNALISTS IN OPPOSITION.
Look over the list with me moment Take
the correspondents, of whom by common con-
sent or perhaps because their respective journals
deem their services valuable enough to pay for
at the rate of $4,000 per annum. George Alfred
Townsend and Dom Piatt, are recognized as
first. The Chicago Tribune and Cincinnati
Commercial are VIGOROUSLY anti-administrahon,
but their Washington correspondents are even
bitterer than the editors thereof. These gentle
men are to correspondents as class what the
Nation is to the usual ruck of editors-skillful
makers of unbelief in everybody's honesty
OF purpose, integrity and ability. They
are pickers-to pieces of other mems rep
utations They have inculcated so pervading
a conviction of public immortality in all de-
/ partments of affairs, as to reduce their
utterances in that direction to a system,
and their attacks to fine art. These two gentle
men begin tomorrow the publication of a week
ly paper here, whiSh will, without doubt, be able
and exceedingly readable, for nearly every one
mot even excepting your correspondent loves
to have character dissected, and all the weak
ness of human nature exposed to critical eyes
unless the characters dissected are our own. |
cry pardon Of my friends of the new weekly,
and declare that all I've said above must be
taken in Pickwickian sense, providing they
will agree TO let me alone. This paper will be q
severe assalant of the administration. But tC
return: Messrs. Townsend and Piatt still claim
ing to be republicans, l presume, are bitter an
tagonists of the president, his views and policy
Their right don't question; it's only the fact
give. Then there is the Herald; Col Anderson
its chief here, obeys his managing editor and
probably has neither likes nor dislikes, but his
associate, Mcfarland, has strong pr eiudices
against the administration. In the Tribune bu-
reau there is no man with any personal relations
with the white house. or in the habit of meeting
those who have intimate associations, if there
be any such, with the president OF course
George B. Adams of the World, and half doz-
en- other democratic newspapers, though per-
sonally one Of the fairest men in the profession,
could not, if he would, hold any such relations
as would enable him to speak adversely on adj,
ministration matters The western republican
newspapers are supplied, as a rule, by CORE.
spondents almost actively hostile, though claim
ing to be and actually being earnest republi-
cans. The combination known as the "western
republican press association" of which the
Cincinnati Gazette is the head, and which in
cludes the Pittsburg Commercial, Cleveland
Leader, Chicago Tribune, and Missouri Demo
crat, is undoubtedly unfriendlg. Gen. Boynton,
l its chief correspondent, now with the San Domn-
go commission, is known to have more sh arply
criticised the president than any one else on
Newspaper Row" Mr.. Knowlton of the
Chicago Tribune man comparatively Young
on the press, but one of the best intellects in the
ranks faithfully, though fairly, reflects the atti-
tude of his journals. The contrast is striking
Andrew johnson had some journalists, even in
side the republican ranks, who more or less
positively stood by him to the last. But here is
the remarkable fact, that the president-choice
Of great party, and that party, 100, at the
zenith, apparently, of its power, is without a
single party admirer or follower, and but two or
three that give even faint support don't under
take to state the reasons, only to give the fact
Then there are the New England telegraphic
| pondents- Poore Bartlett, Walter Allen.
No one OF the three can be counted on the side of
| the executive. Saying.that, do not mean to be
understood that they are hostile but at the best,
Indifferent to his fortune, success or failure ex-
| cept SO far as the latter result may hurt the
| party. As for the Traveller and transcripts
| telegraphic correspondents-Scot Smith of the
former, and Shaw of the larter--both are notori-
ously unfriendly. Smith is even actively hostile
If these men are unfriendly or Indifferent, you
| may be sure that the rest, itemizers and occa-
sional letter-writers, will follow their example
THE LOCAL PRESS.
OF course the democratic organ is bitter,-alI
the more so that its editor was formerly a sort
of republican, and has to build a reputation for
partizan capacity inside the ranks of the organ
| ization to which he now belongs.
But here's the Chronicle, under its new nro
| prietor and editor, John NJ. Morris, executive
clerk of the senate,-a journal one would natu-
rally expect to follow the general lead Of the adj
minsuation, yet giving it at best only faint aid,
even in its remarkably forcible-feebe STYLE and
now revolving altogether on the Sumner ques-
ton. The Republican supports the president,
which is perhaps more unfortunate than its hos
tility would be. The Star is strong enough TO
be indifferent, if not independent. As for the
Sunday papers,-three of them now, to be four
Tomorrow when the one edited by Townsend
Il and Patt aDDeaTS ALI of them are in h;t+ar ~,