Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-08-08
Our Washington Letter.

WAsuiNGToN D. C., August 4, 1877.
Nessrs Editors Much has been said Of late
concerning several new newspaper enterprises
soon to be started in Washington, but a. yet
nothing has been done toward their establish
ment II Is certain that Washington needs and
can support two enterprising daes In addition
to those already published here
rHE NEWSPAPERS or WASHINGTON
are taken as a whole, Of but little value TO the
reading public or ~ the owners themselves
More news, both local and political, can be CLEANED
concerning this city In the New York city dailies
than is printed in the papers here; consequently
one who IL at all interested in what Is going
on in the political world of the national capital
feels that he IL posted by simply reading the
dailies Of that city. lie must wait for the New
York mail train, which arrives here about one
O'Clock in the afternoon, before he can get the
news Of the day. For this reason then, above all
others, there is for newspaper enterprise In
Washington. The papers here now are getting
precarous sort of living, with the solitary excep-
ton ofthe Erening STAR which is we believe on a
solid financial basis and paying well.
The Star comes ont at three o'clock In the af-
ternoon and Is welcomed at nearly every house in
the city It's circulation Is from fifteen 10 twenty
thousand, far ahead Of any Of IT, contemporaries.
II Is small in size but what 1t lacks in the quantity
| Of it, reading matter it makes up in quality. Its
| city gossip, its political and departmental items
| are always fresh and, in the main, authentic. In
politics 1t is independent "a any paper in the
country, and consequently respected for It's man
| illness in this city Of toadyism" and govern
ment pap" The editor, Mr. Crosby 5. Noyes, il
fair-minded critic in politics, welds ready
pen which punctures many bubble Of humbug-
| IN tha 4 f,au nd Of all
honest people IL terse in style, always writes
briefly and to the point, and for the enlighteu-
ment as well as the entertainment Of his readers.
| The star will continue TO shine here in Washing
ton for many years to come, while its competitors
| will change and change again.
Washington has been vast newspaper sepul-
chre. 1t has witnessed the rise and fall Of more
dailies and weeklies than any other city OF equal
size and pretensons in the world The past year
has seen two daily papers collapse In this city,
and at this time everybody is watching to see the
National Republican either go out of existence or
suffer change OF head. There certainly could
he change of heart in this for there is no
such article in It's editorial composition Since
the last administration came to an end the Re-
publican has been endeavorng to pick up mis-
cradle livelihood by pattlng the new administra-
ton on the back and calling tia very good fellow
To read its fulsome hattery OF the Presidents
policy and the new reforms in our civil service,
one would he led to suppose that it had always
r favored this change in politics; whereas,
like the vertabe weathercock it shows itself to
be, it is only trying to keep pace with the things
that be, hoping thereby to be rewarded for its
, unsefshness. Its managing editor Mr. Muragh,
has reputation to lose any than his paper.
, Secretary Robson pat some fifty thousand dol
lars into the years ago and it "
now reported that he is going to look for his
money where he lost it, by taking control of the
= paper in company with Ex-GOvernment-Prnter
1 Clapp and run II as the organ of the enemies Of
e the administration How true this is, time alone
| will show.
THE SUNDAY PAPERS
| of Washington are worthy Of especial notice, as
being refreshing relief from the general dull
ness of the weekday ones. Chief among these is
: the Capiial This has "A national reputation iiom
the writings Of its editor Dom Patt, who is the
acknowledged Z" Free Lance" of the American
-, press. His paper is true pattern Of the man.
In the Use of language he has no superior among
the editors Of this country while he is alike dis
tingushed for the originality and sharpness of
- his wit, and the fertility Of his Imagination A
" man POSSESSED Of all these powers of mind and
intellect ought surely, might suppose, to
=, WELD power for great good through the columns
of his PAPER. But that H. Just what Dom Piatt il
bound not to do He therefore uses the gifts Of
| expression, OF which he is 50 largely endowed in
just the opposite direction, by making himself
known the greatest of backguards and tho
" lowest OF wits No man has ever prostituted the
" gifts which God has given him to baser purposes
1t is his delight to scoff at all things sacred to
or lpe ana why every puo'lc nlah win whose po-
litica opinions he does not agree, and to ncite Il
- riot or plan an nsurrection. Fortunately he has
- lost whatever influence he may once have pos
sessed, so that his remarks only serve a. food for
- laughter rather than for serious consideration
In his attempt To incite mob on Inauguration
. day he was noticed so far as to cause his arrest
= but the proceedings were great mistake-as all
such halfway measures are. The Capital is read
universally, and in many respects is an entertain
- ing sheet Among its present corps OF writers il
Buell., journalist OF the same type rs Patt,
- whose principal amusement Is hlackguardsm.
Buell. did more than any other one man tn defeat
Zach Chandler for the Senate, 10y spreading the
80 report that the Senator was intoxicated while in
80 his seat ia the Senate, which he afterwards was
obliged to retraet or stand libel suit The Capt.
~ tai now has among its contributors the famous
Bret llarte who is writing for its columns story
of a mine
The other Sunday papers are the Heidid Chron-
icle and Gdlede. The Herald and Gdzette are
~, democratic sheets of the most pronounced type,
" have good circulation and are desirable mostly
ON account OF their society news. The Sunday
" Chronicle was started by John W forney in 1861
~ and is now run by his brother. What little pres
tige it had has about died out, and it is quite a
W. conundrum at the present day how it manages To
II survive
W. rhHsoNAL AND POLITICAL GOSSIP
''',esi3 "nu "ts' r'"''S 'e'' Tue Guy i"u's-
u'' nis"' 'o' We" ioiA anu iea'e 'neie "-o"y
=" ior hunnSheue' lhe country seat oil the seeie-
y" N'rS' Ut lnusor Inc MISSES rN"res nave peen
'i'ei' 'o' so"'e "eeAS anu MI hN"''S hopes 70
su'y greater portion III tne present lhonth' lie
~ VIII entertain riesiueh' fiayes as us guest 'he
US week AFTER the bennington centennial
." hehfy T. FISK ESQ Oh MorrisVihe' w. mas re-
signed MS eefkshp al the fa'eh' once ana ie''es
80 'or nome next week 10 commence the practice oil