The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1877-08-18
Washington Letter.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., Aug 10, 1877.
Into what depths Of iniQuity our Re-
public must have pl unged in its little
century of life to need such a scathing
fire of reform as we are now enduring
And how blind our executives have been
heretofore, or how clear seeing our pre-
sent one, that our many needs and
shortcomings should all at once be
shown up so plainly Verify, this is
an age to live in The latest necessity
Mr.. Carl Schurz has discovered and is
now epdeavorlng to persuade the Presl.
dent and his honorable fellow Cabinet
members to adopt, is a rule that no ed.
itor or publisher Of a newspaper shall
be part or parcel of the political world,
to hold any Office of honor or trust un-
der the government. Well spoken, Mr..
Carl Schurzi Editors don't object
Their chief end in life is to represent
public opinion worthily. To do so they
must be free from suspicion of any wish
to appropriate spoils or distribute Office (;
and If no application for office made by
an editor is to be needed, the press
must of necessity be above all suspicion
Of guile. Horace Greeley's career is
warning enough. OF truth, the press
OF the country should be as entirely d..
vorced from politics as is the army, or
as our civil service will be If President
Hayes accompllshes his avowed pur.
poses.
Washington society is not to be found
here now. Society houses present a
silent, ose.shuttered appearance. and
we hear of their owners at Saratoga,
Newport and Long Branch. Madame
Nantilla, the Spanish Minister'S wife,
who is such pet in society here, was
belle of the first Saratoga ball, given
last week. 'She is very striking in per.
sOnal appearance, having the blackest
of hair and eyes, and pink and white
complexion. She was dressed the other
evening in white silk garnished with
wide Valencennes lace and white satin
ribbon, The waist was cut square in
front and the neck was covered with
fine white lace net. Her mitts matched
the other laces In pattern, as did her
white silk stockings, worn under low
slippers of white silk. Her ornaments
were triple row of pearls with an oak
leaf of diamonds as pendant.
1t is whispered that Secretary Evarts
has been somewhat snubbed recently in
relation to Mexican affairs. AS he has
for years led the van of the American
bar, so, since last March, he has taken
the lead in the Cabinet and, in fact, has
lead the President himself in all matters
of hOte. But 1t was thought he took
General Sherman's business out of that
gentleman's hands when he gave Gen
Ord his orders concerning Mexico, and
as much has been said to him. Evarts
has his hands full, still, with Mexicans
Spauiards, Indians, and all. Undoubt.
edly the army will be considerably In.
creased as soon as practicable after
Congress cOnVenes. 1t is fact that 1t
is at present insufficient to quell Mexi-
can disturbances, subdue Indian pro-
pensities, punish Spanish impertinences,
or prevent strikers war. The navy
Is in still worse q condition, for, al.
though we have navy officers and sail.
ors, we have no available ships of war.
This is what one of the leading New
York papers says regarding 1t, and
very truly:
"The United States Government has
not to-day within its control, either on
sea, in process of construction, or pur.
chasable from private parties one vessel
that would have the slightest chance of
success in naval engagement, either
Oh the high seas or in any of our hars
bors, when pitted against an iron. clad,
Of which there are numbers in the ma
vles of England, France, Russia, Italy,
Turkey or Germany. We have nc
navy. Who can tell If per cent. OF
cur wooden feet Is fit for active service?
But IL it was ten times as numerous as
1t is, and il every vessel was ready fol
battle, it would not, in the year 1877,
be navy. Wooden vessels are usefu
adjuncts to the modern feet, but irOu-
clads are its indispensable nucleuses
In the last ten or twelve years wonder,
full improvements have been made In
naval ordnance and in iron.clads. But
our guns are where our war left them
and our monitors, inadequate at best tC
cope with the iron.clad navies of Eu-
rope, are unseawOrthy, rusting away
In our navy yards"
The city still swarms with office.seek
ers. The Presidents southern policy
has brought them here, and they arr
nearly all from the Southern States
The old class are worn out with hope
deferred, but those now here appea
confident and cOntented. They lead al
automatic life, their daily round beini
to the White House, to the hotel, to ca
and to bed. The hot weather trouble
them not. They loaf in the shade o
awnings mostly, and are content will
cheap living.
MARTHA NJ. WHITNEY.