Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1874-07-17
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence Of the Times.
WASHINGTON, ID. c., July ID, 1874.
THE STORM

THE STORM.
The storm which smote the city on the
evening of July fourth was the most damag-
ing since 1862. Whole blocks of houses
were unroofed, some were blown entirely
down, many beautiful trees were broken
off or uprooted, and the flood Of waters
that poured in upon the rOot1ess tenements,
made sad work with walls and furniture.
Some estimate the damage at one million
of dollars, but that is about five times too
great probably.
CONGRESS AND THE TREASURY.
Mr.. Charles F. Conant the new Asst.
Secretary of the Treasury, was pronounced
| by Mr. Beck, Democratic member from
| Kentucky, the ablest man in the Depart
ment. Mr.. G. is good man, and under
stood his duties as chief of Warrants, but
Beck not being acquainted with more than
a dozen or two of clerks, out of two thou
sand in the Treasury, was hardly justified
! in making such sweeping assertion.
The Committees of Congress, know no.
thing of the details Of Department bust
ness, and they go down from the Capitol
to investigate impressed with the idea.
| five minutes. and can teach the clerks "how
to do it." When they reach the Depart
mcnt, they find great and intricate sys
TEN, with men in charge who know all the
ropes. and the committee can hardly ask
a question that will not provoke laughter
at the ignorance it betrays. They are at
a disadvantage at once which they feel
and after day or two. they become satisti
4 4
and close application to get even with the
competent clerks; SO they soon begin to
look wise, and say little, and get out of
the way as soon as decency will permit.
They 90 back to Congress and report that
they have found nothing. and guess no
thing is there, keeping out Of sight the
fact that they met too many guns, and were
worsted. The only exception to this, WAS
| when they got hold of Richardson. and in
moment Of panic he confessed that he
did business by routine. This was nuts
| to the Committee, and because Richardson
signed few papers without reading them,
they reported the Treasury Department
all at sea, and announced the discovery
| Of tirst-Class mares nest.
Bristow continues the bureaus of Bout
well with one exception, and the general
smashing that was announced, consisted in
sending Madge, Chief of Specials, to the
nursery OF the Commissioner of Customs.
Bris.ow therefore doesn't do all he is told
to by Newspaper Row. Even Prince Van
derbilt is retained. Prince of-elegant
manners. and rival of Talleyrand in di-
plomacy,
HALE AND JEWELL.
In the matter Of making a Cabinet min
lister Of Eugene Hale, there has been much
knowing speculation. Mr.. Hale accepted
and then suddenly declined on account of
his health and the warm weather. He
needed rest. and the urgency for Post
master General was so great that the time
for rest and recuperation could not be
given. and Hale retired. The President
then appointed Marshall Jewell, of Con
necticut, now in Russia, bat who cannot
get here for two months. This Circum-
stance exploded the idea that a new Post
master was an immediate necessity, and
gave rise to the story that the excuse of
Mr.. Hale. though really not in good health,
was not the real reason for his keeping
out of the Cabinet. The surmise is, that
Hale's appointment was thanking move
mcnt of Grant against Blaine, TO capture
his first lieutenant, but failed because
Hale would not forsake the fortunes of the
astute Speaker. who is in the field as
presidential candidate The appointment
Of ] ew ell is shrewd one as he is the strong
est politician in Connecticut, and his in
iuenCe will be strong in New England.
and given against Blaine, will cause such
a diversion as to greatly intensity the can
vass and imperil the chances of the Speak
cr's nomination, who must have united
New England in order TO win.
CIRCULATION STILL.
alluded last week 10 the tribulation
caused by the removal Of clerks in the De
partmeuts, and which is far from being
ended. II was amusing to see the efforts
made by Congressman to save their parti-
cular friends after having voted for the
general slaughter, thsy having cast their
| votes under vague impression, not I'M
| common with the Congressional mind, that
| it is some other mans OK that is about to
be gored always.
The Freedman's Bank is in the hands of
| a commission TO be wound up. The com
missioners are Creswell. Dr. Purvis. of
Philadelphia, and Mr.. Leopold, of the
| Treasury.
The Commission to administer the Dis
trict Government, as finally made up, con-
sists of Dennison. Blow. and Ketcham.
They have been practising with the pro-
| verbal new broom, and az one fell swoop
cleaned out some three hundred officials
of the old Boards.
The heat for several days has been very
oppressive, and last Thursday night was
the hottest night for many years in the
Judgment of that economical class who are
nhlinel to lnlre Ii attics