The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-08-10
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.


The sayings of Madam Rumor have
not been very numerous of late. The
old lady nearly exhausted her store of
startling faneies, and therefore has re-
galed US with little of her gossip. She
says Secretary McCrary denies the cor
rectness of a reported interview with
him, wherein he is alleged to have
made explanations of the action of the
Iowa Republican Convention, in tabling
resolution endorsing the Southern
policy of the President, and claims that
he never saw the interviewer, whose
guessing in no manner reflected the
Secretary's sentiments. She further
puts Assistant Secretary Mccormick on
the fence, and has him in doubt whether
to remain in the treasury, or resign and
retain his place on the National Com
mittee. Another fancy of hers is that
the President will rescind his order con-
vening Congress October 18th, and defer
the meeting to December. But this
seems contradicted by the activity of
the various Cabinet officers in getting
their annual reports ready for submis-
sion at an early day. She has excited
our people with statements that the
enormous subscription made of four per
cent. bonds will lead to corner in gold.
But those who reflect that Secretary
Sherman is a thorough master of finan-
cial matters, and that he can absolutely
control all shipments of gold from the
country under the subscription, simply
smile at the absurd gossip.
1t is pleasure to turn from the un-
certainties of politics and note that
which must interest the lover of the
real and the esthetic.
THE NAVAL MONUMENT.
At the foot of the Capitol grounds,
where the main entrance from the west
front opens into Pennsylvania Avenue,
is now an immense monument nearly
finished. 1t is about forty feet high, is
called the "Naval Monument" and is
erected to the dead of the navy who fell
during the war of the Rebellion. The
fund was contributed during the war by
the officers, seamen, and marines of the
navy, and the contract for erection was
made with Simmons, the sculptor, at
Florence, Italy. Congress made large
appropriation to defray the cost of the
pedestal, and last year brought the
monument to New York in a govern
ment sailing ship. The crowning fig
ures are History and America. History
holds in one hand tablet, and in the
other a stylus. America stands weeping
at History's right, with her head bowed
on the latter's shoulder. Both figures
face west, and present an attractive
view to the spectator. Below these
crowning figures there are several
smaller statues, among which are Vic
tory, holding a wreath in her up
stretched right hand, Neptune, Mars,
and Peace, with an olive-branch in heI
hand. Other emblematic figures and
statues are artistically introduced, and
the whole, including the base and the
fountain, makes one of the most at
tractive ornaments of the city. Front
ing up the main avenue and thorough
fare, where all who visit the Capitol
must necessarily see it, and with the
foliage of the Capitol grounds and trees
giving relief from the immense white
dome which is its background, it must
become hereafter one of our things O.
beauty, and tend still more to make
Washington the monumental city o
the nation. Our bronze statues of Lin,
coin, Jackson, Mcpherson, Rawlings
Scott, Washington, and Thomas are
now unsurpassed elsewhere, and We
have promise, of course, of others.
! CHINA.
We are expecting Chinese minister
here, who will make this his headquar
ters. One of his assistants, Yung Sing
was brought here some TWENTY-FIVE