Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1875-01-07
Correspondence.
Letter from Washington.
WASHINGTON ID. G. Jan

hOeSSh ilOM W bSutuHtUu.
WASHINGTON ID. c.. Jan. 3.
We have hal little to talk about or think of
during the week but the Holidays. an thei
accomplishments, presents. visiting and anu Sc
mcnts. The season takes stronger hold Of
washington people than of other communities.
because Congress adjourns. the members who
cannot reach home remain with nothing to do
and SO the fashion Is set Of a general play-time
Visiting on New Years By the gentlemen is
sti Kept up as custom. but with Increasing
signs of decay in the interest Of the perform
ance One oflhe first of these sign, W n the
abolition OF wines and egg-nog from the side
boards OF the cabinet officers. The Jolly fell
lows OF society. they who make the fun. and
keep things spinning. are mostly given to
toIdy on special occasions like the ho i,iay..
and the toddy of, they are OF too. or the wit
l. out, and they no longer sparkle when the
sparkle Of the wine renders no more assist.
ance. Soon after the liquors were abolished
cane Boutwell,, an,. Boutwell, took il into his
head that II wa, well t. abolish sandwiche.
chicken salad cake and cold turkey q ID so he
introduced entertainments without cold cut.
AMI the social soon cut him dead. Iii, rccep-
lions becam, about ~ drcary as that hole in
the sky where he proposed to depo. te ANDY
johnson. and few took the pains to call save
those whose official relations or expectation of
fayoTs seemed To require il OF them.
Thee things however are merely the signs
OF change in society. which ha. been going On
for 50 ne time. The great men Of TO-DAY. IL we
admit the existence ofth,t kind. are diflercn,
IN tt'lr ways from the former great men. MIR.
for instance. though he supplied the
49, e n o hi, New Years callers, did not
enter into the spirit of the thing at all aud
showed no pleas IRE in seeing the hungry made
happy over hi, viand,
Sumner. another great man. liked good
dinner and choice bottle OF wine but he
wanted TO enjoy them with p Cpl. whom he
was well assured kne v s)m.th.ng more than
how In eat. He was careful TO put 10 lg di,
lance between himself and the ordinary class
OF people, and the dep ntmcni clerks many of
whom are mtn Of great learning aud ability
were always gwen 10 understand that they
were not in the senatorial grade of being, at
all
But Chase and sumner were unlike Web
,ie7. though considers ABBY his Inferior in real
ulSnty Webster was fond ola good
Z = l.
ectu Il treat. and he liked TO 20 into the Attch-
en aud talk wi h Old bl TEX Monica III. cook
about IN mysteries of her art the same ~ he
would talk law with Rufus Choate lie wouli
consult with her. sometime, give direction.
tpncernl X the preparation Of dishes and at
othcr times learn of her the way to serve "A
trout or tiut"G. He sympathi,cd with mcr.
VINO loved sood dinners, and with men who
IN W how 10 e them. The way he became
acquainted with Charles I.anman shows in a
str Ming manner the difference between Web
ser anu The later members Of the cabinet and
rtwccn thrt atoms OF the cabinet officers
and the minor 9TH .a- Wcb>i r was Serre-
tary OF state and nman a poor clerk in the
" ar department. A. thing, are now nothing
would BE- more unlikely tuan the formation Of
an acquaintance tween men so immr,surs-
bly, iI,irt One day Lalmdn went M to the
little rs OF the Potomt to f-h. a sin IN at no
poor dcEtl oil a clerk in tn day, dare CD n
init aud h Nng good luck he sent an unusually
haIdso'ne specimen OF rock-fi.h % Col. sea-
ION, tItor 81 the Int .ll.cnccr. who in turn
seit II t Wrh,tcr. II va, 4 gorycou. fish,
and 80 pleased Old Daniel that he wanted to
see IN, fisherman VIII knew how to take tn.
Kind 50 having introduced the rock into hi,
stomach, he walked over to the " ar Depart
mint 10 Introduce himself to the man who
caught /. No. that j, a little too f,hv lie
-cni for Llnman To come To the state DEPART
ment, and then invited him TO fishing excur-
sion IN company. They went, and there grew
up an intimacy that lasted during the life Of
Nr Webster.
Webster was big enough TO do such things
but II would wrench Boutwell, about apart
sni Kill richardson or Jewell outri, ht To thus
come on a lstcl with com non clerks and fish
ermen. And yet one of these men once sold
mo asses By the ill from behind a counter.
and another scrappcd green hid. with a c.ea-
yer IN NJ younger day'. Such is life. IL we
measure the present standing of the depart
nent clerks by their relations with the heads
OF ne departments. and then allow for the
dln renee between Webster. and Belknap,
RICHARDSON or Jewell. we shall have TO admit
a deterioration or degradation Of an alarmny :
character.
Th, would be unjust. The clerk, have not
been able To keep up their social standing for
various reasons. one i ,that their pay is no
more now than In the days Of James Buchanan
The houses that before the war rent.d Tor
Three inbred doll m. now rent for seven or
eight hundred. thus for the same style Of liv-
Ing - FAR ~ house rent alnn- i concerned
there l. a diii nee OF live hundred dollars.
As other lining. have advanced also. the
clerks have nai TO step down in the matter
or style. or run in debt. or steal. They who
chose the former. OF course reduced their So
clal prominence in proportion. and shut them
selves out OF the range Of parties, and took
their place, with the nobolie> Of society. They
who re,ortei to debt or theft. brought DIS
grace and suspicion upon the whole class and
the nora status of clerks came To he estlmat-
III ny tue cpuIutl Oh tue ul-llDnt>t ones. lntn
again on account Of the INN use increase OF
business. tn re has been large addition u
the dTddS"ry Of the occupation. and this gives
less tim for general cultivation, and bring,
them peg nearer the condition and circum-
stances Of ~eredom. Added to AL thes.. III ,
members Of Congress have found capital in
striking al them by bringing forward device.
fpr reiorn. and To carry them. OF To MAKE
the Constituents think they were after TIE
lazy hounds with a sharp stick. they h ave made
speeches full OF injustice, and used facts which
though true prrhtp, OF in ilvId AL clerk, 8.
we've grossly unjust 10 the ms, rs compared
Si h any fJrm period. As the men who
have been in Congress and the cabinet OF
late, have had To reckon their own greatness
from the dist .nce between them aud the next
lower revolving siles. and the clerk. have
been the ueXt lover bodice. il has been for the
Interest OF IN 'mbcrs 10 turn up their contempt
uoIs nose at them, and so tn y have found it
impos ible Ia maintain tine Drmer social stand
ing Of their class in the old ante-be llum days.