Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-05-23
Our Washington Letter.

""' ""'"'"e'o w" i
WASHINGTON, ID. d., May 10, 1877.
Mesas. Editors - As might have been expected,
when the cold, damp weather continued so long,
summer has come upon us without warning and
in Its most unbearable type. Many have already |
fed northward at this sudden approach OF the |
heated term, and others are making hurried prep
arations to escape the city. The coming season |
will form striking contrast to the last, when |
Congress was in session until the middle OF Au-
gust, and the crowd Of Centennial tourists in the
city was like unto grasshoppers in Kansas All
classes of community are anticipating with little
OF relish the deserted look the city will soon wear
One OF the few attractions which Washington re-
tains through the summer months is the open-air
concerts OF the famous Marine Band These are
given at the Presidents grounds on Saturday
evenings at the Smithsonian park on Wednesday
evenings and at the Navy Yard and the Marine
Barracks on other evenings of the week The
concert this evening Mt the Presidents grounds
was attended by large concourse Of people.
The grounds are peculiarly suited for the enjoy
ment OF the entertainments, being extensive in
area, well shaded and dotted with numerous
elevations from which one can catch stray breeze
and view the company assembled. One OF the
chief attractions to the crowd this evening was
the presence Of the President and Mrs. Hayes,
who were seated on the portico OF the Executive
Mansion which overlooks the grounds, and who
were surrounded by number Of ladies and gem
tlemen, guests at the White House
1t is little more than two months since
THE NEW ADMINISTRATION
was inaugurated. and still the desire to see the
great as It was the day he came to the White
House Even for this brief time it is pleasant to
reflect upon his executive career. 1t IL no dis
arrangement to him to say that he was not Mt that
time well-knewn. Many men much less worthy
had challenged public attention much more fire.
quently. His best friends hoped that he would
prove equal TO his responsibilities, while his en-
emies made haste to poison the public mind
against him by malignant SANDERS and the great
majority oil citlzens feared that he would be
found too weak To break through the customs OF
vicious administration, the ties OF party and the
meshes oil personal iavor Two months have en-
abled the people OF this country to know their
President very well. As they look upon him
they acknowledge him to be greater man than
ne whom the republican party voted Tor NOBODY
ventures to suggest that he is weak man Every
one knows now that he is man with purpose
OF his own and awill sufficient to carry it out
The Southern question promised to be source
of great trouble to the country in the future, as it
had in the past. Not one man in ten believed
that the President would have the firmness to
attempt, or the wisdom to carry into effect, the
policy ioreshadowed In his inaugural. 1t was at
variance with the course which many leaders of
his party had chosen in the late campaign; it was
utterly hostile to the Republican party OF the
south; II was n new and difficult solution oil a
problem winch mad resisted the efforts oil states
men Tor twelve years. Nevertheless, MIR. Hayes
addressed himself to its solution without boast
ing, but apparently without fear History must
say of him that no man was ever able to separate
more clearly the personal relations OF candi-
date to friends and to his party than he has done
The highest compliment that can be paid Pres
ident hayes-and 1t is one which many Will not
appreciates To say that he has dealt with the
Southern question as II he did not know by which
party he had been elected.
Already the President has made honesty fashion
able at the Capital. 1t is too soon to judge how
far the rank and poisonous growth of years car
be cleared away in single Presidential term, but
1t is not too soon u say that President Hayes has
begun like n man who is not only in earnest, bu
appreciates the nature and magnitude of the tasl
he has undertaken, and is infiexiby resolved t.
carry it out to the best of his ability. lmportan
economies have already been effected. GENUINE
investigations intended not to whitewash, but tt
disclose, have been commenced. knaves hav'
"re'uy iear"eu ',"' '''eS o''"no' ooh'roi 'nis au
ihihistr''ioi' anu nave oesuh 10 aDuseH
An o'her Important topics having more OF les
suosiueu' Tue poit'cai circles Oh washington ar
no" oeine "gi'i'eo 10 soihe extent ny
DELEGATIONS FROM SOUTHERN STATES,
who have come here to press their respective can
didates for office. one particular class Of hes
men style themselves native Republicans, and ar
) worthy of especial notice. They are composed o
men who, more from sinister motives than an
honest Republican convictions, identified them
selves with the Republican party after the wal
Many of them had previously fought for til
Southern cause, and after its surrender they e.
poused the Northern cause for the mere object q
personal gain Under the new order Of things "A
developed by the President declaration no pei
in office will be removed except for cause; cor
q sequehtly the eHorts Oh the uelesatohs 10 Gus
| : benefit l.