The Portland daily press., 1872-04-02
Our Washington Letter.

Minot discourseS briefly Of the Weather-Ton
Scots Depot-Free Tea and Co6ee-Nilssor
and Cdrey-AH about HIS Serene Highness-
The Morqatis de Chambrun-The Nation'l
Cemetery.
WASHINGTON, March, 30th. 1872.
The people of Washington have reason to be
more grateful to me for writing my last letter
than the people of Maine who were so unfortu-
nate as to read it, for the very disagreeable
weather then prevailing has assumedly decid-
edly more pleasant aspect, and of course, that
letter did it. You see it cast sort of reflection
on the climatic pride of Washington and
OLD PROBABILITIES
could mt endure it. As the wind has now sub
sided Seneca stone" is less active. have dis
posed of my stock in that enterprise and feel
relieved. We are having beautiful weather,
and as don't believe in ''weather-breeders''
shall not complain, but leave that amusement
to those who take pleasure in it, usually the
same persons who enjoy poor health dc
neither. But little interest has transpired here
during the week, upon which to write, but l
will do the best can with the meagre materials.
The House has spent the whole week in fill
Tom SCOTS depot in this city-and the minori-
ty has succeeded thus far in staving off vote.
When it is reached, the bill will probably pass
by large majority as it should, and the Balti-
more and Ohio monopoly will get another
black eye from Toms powerful 'bunch of
fives''
The Senators have spoken their little piece
on the tariff bill.
TEA AND COFFEE f t "
have received their proclamation of Freedom,
to take effect July LIST, 1872. There have also
been other important changes in existing du-
ties too lengthy in their details for this letter.
With the exception of the repeal of the duty
on tea and coffee, this tariff bill yet awaits the
action of the House.
We have had already three nights of opera
by the Strakosch company and tonight the
season closes with Lucia.
1t is useless for me to add single word to
the praise already bestowed upon the company
so freely, by the press throughout the country,
or to give my own opinion in regard to any
particular artist composing it, because I ac-
knowledge my entire incompetency either to
commend or criticise, but as so many readers of
the PRESS are interested in the success of Miss
Cary, l cannot refrain from few lines of
common sense Investigation" Investigation
is fashionable, you know; so is opera)
glE NILSSON
is great. We have been told so by the papers
far and near for months and one can listen to
her only to endorse in the fullest sense the gen.
erous applause that the nation and the world
have given her. But with all this, another
thought presents itself in the form of oues-
tion like this. While Nilsson is the star and of
course sustaips the principal character in all
these performances, why is it that a large ma
jority of the people who attend the opera for
the purposes of enjoying the music express
their preference decidedly in favor of
MISS CARY?
Such is certainly the fact. 1 don't know
neither do L care what the musical critics or
fashionable play goers say; but do know that
the people say, Miss Cary pleases them better
than Nilsson-and cheerfully fall in with the
popular verdict, BELIEVING, myself, that it is cor
rect, and in accordance Herewith, l re-
spectfully submit the report of my investiga-
ting committee of one, and move 'that it be
printed" Miss Cary was heard here in only
two of the operas presented: as ''Siebel in
Faust and "Lady-Alleash in Fra Diavolo,"
but she was enthusiastically received and greet
ed with flattering encores.
Perhaps your readers may have become curl
Gus to know who the
MARQUIS DE CHAMBRUN
is. have no doubt but that by this time it is
tJ,of
tell them. ..
The Marquis de Chambrun is a Frenchman
who lives in Washington. He is Frenchman
with pedigree am certain about his pedi-
gree, for he has called on Charles Sumner, at
MS mouse, every day for the last seven years,
one month and eleven days. 1 would also
state, In order to more fully establish his nedi-
gree, that he married great-grand daughter
Of the great Lafayette. There can therefore ho
no question OF the fact that he is Thorough
bred, and we all know that blood will tell"
out if medium grade Yankee should use as
many words per second for twenty minutes
ind tell no larger amount of fact than tbis-
Marquis told before the Arms
Investigation Committee in six hours, he would
,e expelled from Sewing Society for talking
90 much About all l can gather from his
is that his effort is to secure the par
lon of one
VICTOR PLACE,
! late defaulting French Consul in New York,
low under sentence in France for some irregu-
arity connected with the purchase of arms for
he French Government This he hopes to do
y showing that some American citizen or some
fficial of the Ordnance Bureau of the War
shared the ill-gotten gain of the
aid Victor Place whose conviction was par
tally brought about by the testimony of the
If the Marquis can succeed in
amaging their character in France it may
vail something in securing the pardon of his
Utility friend. The greater part of the testi-
iony of this illustrious member of the
MUTUAL ADMIRATION
oncern of Schurz, Sumner and Chambrun,
onsisted of conversations with gentlemen
those names he did not remember, but whose
ruthfulness he could not question because they
'ere so "cery polite" The only name | can
hcOllept Oiyap Inv uiy b,, l. &