The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-06-28
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, D. C. June 25, 1877

Correspondence of the SOMERSET PRESS.
The summer months in Washington are
devoid of material for interesting CORES
pondence as can we'll be imagined. There
are no Congressman to comment upon, no
receptions to report concerning, nor State
Dinner to regale the public upon. Hun
CRY newspaper writers, however, have
always one unfailing source from which to
draw-that of the Departments. That
now the Treasury is the Gentle of attraction
among them. Wonderful things are going
on there. We stand amazed at the accept
ed definitions of such terms as Justice"
appointments only from merit" mo two in
q family" &c. We are blinded by the dust
that is thrown in our confding eyes while
things are managed to suit the powers that
be, in most incomprehensible way. Does
Uncle Sam, who pays the bills and bears
the blame ofall these transactions, suppose
his mansion is kept clean while the dust is
only swept from one corner into another?
or has his "help" gotten the upper hewd
of him like many poor house wife who
has allowed her domestics to "gale their
aim gait" until she has lost all controll,
over them and her house hold?
The last cause for dismissal from the
Treasury Department was announced by
the order for an Investigation into the
live age of employees and a declaration
that no two from the same family were to
be retained. By way of sweeping from one
corner into another, one of fseveral brothers,
who have held Office for years, was among
the first to be removed, but the next day
saw him snugly ensconced in State
Department position with better salary
than be had before. Surely there is no
justice in discharging an unquestionably
efficient soldiers widow because her brother
who has wife and family of his own to
provide for, is discharging the duties of an
, Office in the same department with her
{ Surely there is no justice in dismissing a
poor fellow with three or four women
dependent upon him, or order to make
room for another nephew of Secretary
= of many as seven'or eight relatives drawing
: pay from the Government.
2 A plucky girl remarked upon hearing
l that "no two in a family" were to BE-
, retained in the Government service, tha
:. under that rule the service must LOST
either the executive power of its finance
fho Nop,p,o ~ Is, Gbsos
: That give ought to "get place" De
e partmental DISCRIMINATION" is another O
/ the fearful and wonderful things that pas
the understanding of the mass of humanity
q Poor women who lost their only means O
support when they lost their husbands O
brother or father in the late war, hav
u lately been dismissed for no reason tina
u could be explained, while others are re
e tanned or appointed of whom it is plainl
d said, "they are not really good clearks, bu
n they have influence" this is indeed pitiabl
and not the reform" we need Secretar
Sherman has hard task before him an
"a cannot be expected build us perfec
X Rome in day but we give him, at leas
le the credit of going to WORK in earnest an
le of sticking to it, thus far.
IF The Foundry Church is the President
70 church because il is Mrs. Hayes churc
and is near by the White House, and it
~ one OF Mrs Hayes idiosyncrasies to wal
to Sunday service. The Presidential fan
ID lily, therefore, walk to and from church
n. an unpretending manner; the Presidel
w has subscribed five hundred dollars for i
IN yearly support; and Mrs. Hayes makes it
- part to attend class meetings and all the
y social entertainments. At one given T
io Gently lovely feature was a wonderf
ne well, most artistically constructed of o.
al brown rocks around which green moss
or and vines clung, gray lichens cept ar
an from the crevices of which flooded fir
grant grasses and feins. Innocently
3 looked for the old oaken bucket, but VIII
VI we asked for drink from its cool dep
and thought to receive cup "with t
emblem of truth over flowing, and dri
n ping with coolness," in liew thereof
M were presented with glass of iced lemo
Ia ade. MARTHA M. WHITNEY.