Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1871-06-21
Washington Letter.

az LAAAEAAEEm D
the summer dull seasOn may be said TO 4
have fairly commenced. Instead, there
fore, Of searching for news. I will in
dulge in a little retrospect on the doipqs
OF the dignifed bodies first mentioned
The labors Of the High Commission
were arduous, whether considered ras-
Economically or automatically. Thew
worked all day and dined all night.
they discussed the knotty problens
Of Goldfish and confederate privateerip1
daily, and the choice viands and spark-
ling wines Of our great diplomats and
caterers nightly in fact it would fill q
volume to give Jenkins description of
the dinners given and received. Rev.
erdy johnson was eensured for the vast
amount Of dining and Winning II took IN
negotiate the Clarendon treaty it was
thought to have so stimulated his good
nature that he sold oHt our interests and
made him obliviOus to the Alabama pira-
cies and other unpleasant things, and the
treaty was unoeremoniously rejected.
But the High Commissions labors in
dinner-eating were greater an a week
than Johnson's in a month; yet because
OF the beneicent results being on our
side no n except untractable Demo-
Gratis find fault. 1t is now evident that
with these high officials, as with the
Indians and the rest of mankind. the
road to their good feelings is through
their stomachs-
Well. a good treaty was concluded,
that swept all threatening war-cIouds
from the horizon, and the Commission
celebrated the event by a dinner at the
E~nglishman's mansion, which exceIled
all others in splendor, while some leaky
officials who evidently had heard or
modern newspaper enterprise, engrossed
the precious document, and secured it
with red tape, and sent it 10 the Sem
ate in special session. Many Senators
thought it could be improved, and many
amendments were offered; but the Sem
ate finally ratified the treaty without
amendment This wouldno have taken
much time, but some graeeless and an
terprising reporters, taking advantage of
the aforesaid leakiness, and not having
the injunction of secrecy or the fear Of
Senators before their eyes, procured or
purloined a copy, and while Senators in
secret session were lazily beginning to
look over their dainty copies on whitest
vellum, and enjoying their prerogatives
as schoolgirls do q secret - the thous-
ands Of common people who get up
early, and take the Tribune, had read it
through. OF course such an indignity
and breach Of privilege was not to be
endured, so the Senate spent most Of the
session in nursing its august wrath and
vindicating its wounded honor. The
contumsciOus reporters were arrested
and examined, and upon refusing to tell
anything, were imprisoned. and remain
ing obstinate, were finally released
This farce Of marching up the hill and
then marching down again, has been too
oten tried as a remedy for leaky Sena-
tors and officials, and if the public good
requires secrecy in such cases, it is time
to devisesome way to lock the door be-
fore the horse is stolen.
The movable portion of our residents
are gradually taking their departure for
summer homes and grsndpas, uncles,
and other relatives in rural places, are at
premium. We have had warm weather,
but the thermometer does not get as
high as in many northern cities and
towns. About nineTy-one degrees is the
highest point yet reached. I thinS a
comparison Of the heat, in the sun,
would more correctly show the relative
e~ndtrGbititv, for the sun seems to strike
in deeper han northern sunshine.
The season, thus far, has been very
favorable, and crops Of all kinds look
promising. The markets are well sup
piled with fruits and vegetables that
would seem ~seasonable at the north in
August. Strawberry season is over, and
cherries and ~raspberries are plenty
The peach crop promises to be immense.
Business bids fair to be unusually
active here this season. Besides the new
State Department, which is to be i'm
mediately commenced and vigorously
prosecuted, and will give employment
to a large force, there is a great amount
Of other buildinggoing forwsrd-hOuses,
is fast overcoming the old inertia. Not
having the fear Of capitol-movers before
their eyes, builders are putting up new
blocks Of houses in every direction,
more, indeed, than the growth Of the
city seems to require. Near me, on
several contiguous blocks, over one
hundred and sixty houses are com
menced, to be built this summer. Very
great Improvements are also being laid
in other respects-miles Of wOoa and
block stone pavement are being made,
fine new school houses erected, various
new industries and manufactures estab-
lished, and altogether the city seems to
have entered upon q career of greater
enterprise and prosperity than ever be-
fore since it became the national capital.
Our public schools deserve special no.
tiee, as they are far more youthful than
the school system at the north. Before
the war everything connected with them
was essentially southern; they were
held in contempt by the better class,
and really were worthy of it. None
who were able to do otherwise would
send their children to a public school.
Now we have the Franklin school build
ing, a model Of school architecture, and
the finest public school edifce on the con-
and our schools OF the various
grades are fast attaining a high standard
Of excellence. Iattended a school exam
nation, the other day, that evinced great
efficiency and success. But the greatest
wonder was how sixty boys, with usual
boy p~roPensities. could keep such a par
Tor in order; the floor was clean and
and the shining desks and lurni-
were guiltless Of scratch or STAIN
Heretofore we have been, politically
speaking, nowhere, had no vote except
for petty officers, the only question being
Who should spend the money raised Dy
taxation and appropriation by Congress,
and the result was that money could not
well be spent worse, or with less sub
stantial good to show for it. Now we
are promoted to be a territory-not a
great advance, certainly, but with more
honors. We have a Governor, Legisla-
tive Assembly, Delegate in Congress, &c.
The ohanOa took n1aca m tho fret ofI