Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-08-08
d FEW WORDS ON TIE CRIME or
"ABSENTEEISN."

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Among the grounds of attack upon Cen
Grant, none have been more foolish than that
founded on what Mr.. Sumner calls his alb
senteeism, intending. by that hgh-sounding
phrase, to describe his habit of spending the
summer, when Congress is not in session,
quietly at Long Branch, within seven hours
OF Washington, and of, from time to time,
mingling with the people in brief Journeys,
during which Geographic despatch can at
any time reach him in an hour, while in three
days he could return to Washington from the
extreme limit of his travels. 1t has not oeen
attempted to be shown that any public BUSH
ness has suffered or been delayed in conse-
quence of the absence of Cen Grant from
, Washington; but speakers and writers pirate
upop absenteeism as if it was something new
in the history of our country. 10 listen to
them one would suppose that Gen. Grant was
the first President who was ever absent from
Washington during his term of office, and
some miserable scribe has recently collected
the notices which for four years past have APP
peared in the Washington papers Of the Jour
neys Of the President, actual and intended
1t would have been we'll if the scribe had ex-
tended his record SO as to include Gen Grants
journeys from 1851 to 1865. lie would have
found that during these years Gen Grant was
constantly on the move, and he kept good
many of his present opponents in steady mo-
ton, usually "A considerable Iii stance ahead of
him
We have had the curiosity to turn TO the
pages of history to find out how correct is
the implied charge that Grant alone has been
absent from the seat of government. We
have sought to ascertain what the practice
was of w ashington and the fathers OF the re-
public, and we give the result in another col
umn. 1t is so conclusive that we apprehCud
that even the Greeley scribes and orators will
not be apt hereafter to say much about alb
senteeism, but will turn their attention to
some other ism. We suggest Fouriersm to
them. The record which We publish shows
, that Gen. Washington was absent from the
. seat OF government, while he was President.
an average of three on four months in every
year. These absences were not for a few
days at time, broken up by weekly trips to
g the seat OF government as is the case with
: Gen. Grant, but were frequently prolonged
y for several weeks or months continuously. 1t
must be remembered that during the Presi-
! dency of Gen. Washington, the seat of gov
/ ernment was not at the city of Washington,
: but was never nearer to Mount Vernon than
. Philadelphia, and that it took four or five
days at least for any communication to reach
: him. He received his mail at Alexandria.
, and there appears TO have been post to that
! place only twice week. In one of his let
tiers he asks to have his communications sent
: him once week ''by Mondays post" When,
. o'i one oocas'o'l' ah important proclaniatloh
: was ~ &c issueu' II was preparel Ia Ihi!auel-
pii' anu Sent 10 5he rfeSlaeht at Noun, ' er-
non, "no 'of""'utu !. oY express 10 Mohtl-
.eiio ~ We c"u''efs!Sheo ny Jefferson the
secretary Vi ,o's'e' AZ 'ne expense OF a lurtner
E uel"y VI SIN uass' DeslueS these decays IN
Mount Vernon, We find that when he took a
trip to the Southern States he was nearly a
, 'i'o,'m ""'ou, oe''s aoie ~ colhnu hlcate
i..' ''e VI anu tiat ne laiiea
2 W feceI.e MS let'ers loe ni!eeh Gays because
'io vne INV Nnele 10 iihu nm:
,.a'', " .ha p was mus laoluahy absent
r l 'ne seas "a so,tihineh'' Il! 'l'he' 700,
ot aovernn,ent vas - ho ~''o'v l!'a 'st