The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-08-03
DIR WASHINGTON LETTER.


To THE EDITOR OF THE NEW NORTHWEST:
The thieving bands of Mexicans have
at last been pursued into their own
country, and received good drubbing
from our troops. This kind of policy
is more likely to succeed than any
other yet adopted by the government.
A peace policy in settling disputes is
undoubtedly preferable when dealing
with enlightened nations, such as Great
Britain. But when we have difficulty
to settle with a government too weak to
control its subjects, then it is better to
strike at the root of the evil at once by
thrashing or exterminating the guilty
parties than to appeal to their govern
ments, and receive no reparation beyond
merest wordy apology. Whether our
troops will follow up the advantages
they have gained Oh the Rio Grande,
and by force of arms retake all property
captured, or, rather, stolen from Amer
Greasers, who have neither courage
enough to meet our troops in an open
fight or sense enough to get away after
one of their raids, remains to be seen.
But we are sure that the whole country
will heartily applaud everything done
whereby these marauders may get their
just deserts, and life and property be-
come as safe from destruction as in
Massachusetts,. Just now the Cabinet
is firm. But we have had so much of
the ''tifty-four forty or fight" and subse-
guent back down in our nations history,
that we will await results.
One of our most noted women has
passed away, and the grave covers all
that is mortal of Mrs. Francis P. Blair.
Size was eighty-five years old, and like
her husband, who at ninety preceded
her some two years past to the grave,
occupied a prominent place in Wash
ington society prior to the war. We
often saw this aged couple in 1865 and
&C riding into the city from their coun-
try home, Silver Spring, a beautiful
farm lying about eight miles distant.
They also owned city residence, and
divided time between the two places,
coming in daily, and in summer time
always on horseback, he in front, and
she following closely in the rear upon
her horse. This order of riding was
never varied. Both preserved their vi
tality to the last Mr.. Blair always at
| tributed his perfect health and strength
to his answering habit of daily exer-
else on horseback, and at eighty years
he seemed as strong and vigorous upon
his horse as young cavalryman.
| We often wondered when the end of life
would be reached by him, for decrep-
/ itude was not to be seen in his actions
at four-score.
Mrs. Eaton, another lady who OBJ
tanned national reputation during the
administration of General Jackson, and,
with the Blairs, possessed a great influ-
ence with President Jackson, is still
alive, and may often be seen upon ouI
streets. We mean Mrs. Eaton who, at
at one time, was one of the "pOwers be-
hind the throne" and who was the
means of disrupting one of Mr.. Jack
sons Cabinets. Though aged, she bear;
every indication that Father Time is
dealing gently with her. She is so quiet
in her demeanor, and evinces so little o.
her powers possessed in the past, by
which she was able to rule our Presi
dent and dictate for the nation its eti.
quette in the White House, as well al
hold the gift of highest Office in hel
hand, that the acquaintance cannO
help wondering how was it, or by wha
spell was it that she could accomplish
what she did. She is not the only in
stance of the once great who are now il
our city in some quiet, unknown, ant
unfelt capacity, whose all, save life it
, self, has been swallowed up by time
changes, and none so low as to do then
reverence.
, Professor Hayden has left for th
West with his European visitors
: Strachey and Hooker, and will soon b
in the midst of his duties. He is one 0
the most indefatigable workers we eve
r saw in the field. While spending th
[ summer months in Georgetown, Colo
! RADIO, in 1875, we had an opportunity G
} seeing him in his labors, and he seem
as much at home in the Rocky Noun
, tains as in his Office here. To man
those high latitudes give much trouble
3 owing to the rarefication of the atmos
. phere, and consequent difficulty i
breathing. But the Professor SCENE
never idle, for he was constantly clint
s ing the peaks or delving in the silve
= mines in search of some item of interes
for his report.
OUR HEALTH.
Some New York papers have bee
stating that an epidemic was ragin
- here, and yet our city was neve
= more healthy than just at present
= Our death and sick rates are less than 8
r this season last year, and we are at
= loss to surmise the object of reportin
= falsehoods. Washington compares fs
e vorably for healthfulness with an
e other city of its size in the Union, an
D under the vigilant watchfulness of th
d board of health, no epidemic can rag