Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1875-11-20
EST VIRGINIA, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1875.


Letter From Washington.
THE NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER
| REvIvED.-ZACK CHANDLER s
| ADMINISTRATIONS SUPER
sTTTI0Ns, &c.
Special Correspondence Of Independent
! WASHINGTON, ID. c., Nov. s.
Although there were previously
published in Washington not less
than nine newspapers, among
which are four Sunday papers,
there was man courageous
enough to add fifth 10 the cata-
logue of the better class yesterday.
He is DIR. Thomas Foster, forci-
BILE writer, who run decidedly
readable paper, at Fairfax, G. H.,
Va, under the name of "Farmer
and Newsn Here he calls it the
National Intelligencer." It's
head is an exact fac simile of the
head of that historic paper, whose
wide columns are also initiated. 1t
! is a two dollar paper. There is to
be a Sunday edition, mainly for
local circulation, and a Saturday
edition for the country.
| DIR. Foster is assisted by junior
who writes what he calls "Notes
of T. Humphrey Brooke" He is
comical genius, writing some
what after the manner of "Jack
Downing" and claiming to be a
bosom friend of General Grants
as Seba Smith, the author of Jack
Downing's Letters claimed to be
of General Jackson-so that 'sthe
President and l" runs though
much of what he writes. Here is
a sample:
/" | have SO many new readers
this week who know not Humphrey
nor Brooke either, let alone Thorn
as-which is my front name
originally derived from the doubt
ing Thomas of the scripture, but
more recently from my ancestor
who came over from England TO
jamestown, two hundred years
ago, duly certified as an orthodox
Espiscopalian, who had paid his
own passage hither-[some OF the
Immigrants had it charitably paid
for them by the governmental
say, / have so many readers who
know not who the devil is "T.
Humphrey Brooke, of Caroline"
that / feels modest trepidation at
appearing on this new stage OF ac-
ton, dressed in buckram anu fine
linen, to strut my brief part as the
corrector of the morals of the time
and play confidential adviser, as
usual, to my old friend President
Grant. The fact is the new situa-
ton confuses me and ifincoheren-
cy marks my style little, attrib-
ute it to my country greeness APP
pearing thus suddenly before
city audience ''thristing from pas
lures new and verdant."
My friend General Grant has at
last returned from Long Branch
and Salt Lake, and his cabinet is
nesting around him under his
PARENTAL wing, old lack included,
and the cares of government no
longer Cypress me. When every
body was absent, there was here
abouts, as Senator Cameron SO pi-
ously remarked, shell of time"
but now it is going heavenly until
the Democratic House of Congress
meets, and then the devils will
walk the earth again. Gen. Grant,
as my old Fairfax readers have
been told a thousand times reposes
| ~ N
the war, we were not intimate. /
heard of him great deal, and no
doubt he would have known of
me, but / was too distant and re-
firing ant it was not until 1872.
when Ex-senator Lewis, the Tall
Sassafras of the Valley introduced
me to him in the White House,
when / met him face to face and
did me the politeness to ask me if
he hadn't met me before ? l said,
No General; ] could have met you
a few days before the surrender at
Appomattox-but / thought it
more healthy to keep my road and
let you persue yours. Sometimes
we dislike to meet folks especially
when they tote guns and keep
shooting into the underbrush.'
The General laughed of course
people generally laugh with me,
and at my saying. am thus
sort of benefactor for l most al
ways succeed in raising a grin in
the sourest counteance. The sight
of me is good for the dyspepsia"
AS the reader will have guessed
from the above, Mr.. Brook was a
confederate soldier. Here Is the
way the editor-in-chief, who is an
Old Wing and advocates the veal
of that party, has nevertheless en-
dorsed the last and most variously