Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1877-07-30
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, July "a, 1877.

Inc almost universal feeling OF sympa-
thy for the distressed and furnishing
railroad employees and others of the
laboring classes and their families exist
ing here last week, has yielded to one of
unqualified condemnation, quite as gen.
eral, at the excuses of and the wonton
destruction of property, aggregating
many millions, by mobs at many differ
ent points throughout the country, DUR
ing the past seventy-two hours, particu-
larly in Pittsburg and Baltimore. The
demand for their suppression everywhere
grows more imperative as the first duty
demanded by every interest. a few hours
of mob violence having made it obvious
to every rejecting mind that the very
foundations of society are imperiled by
its continuance, and that the whole
structure of civilization is lettering above
the black abyss of communism and an
archy. There has been no disturbance
here and very little evidence of disafec-
ton. The moderate crowd of Saturday
about the Baltimore & Ohio depot was
somewhat increased yesterday. A
few rufian stragglers from Baltimore
have made their appearance from time
to time, and when not directly under the
surveillance of the police, they have
made some attempts to intimidate the
employees of the road who remained
on duty about the depot, usually without
success. Excited groups were plenty
upon the street corners all day yesterday,
and others were collected at the telegraph
offices and at the hotels. Nothing was
talked of but the strike and its probable
consequences. Opponents to every shade
of opposition to the resumption policy
were heard expostulating against it as
the parent of all the evils from which
we are suffering and the prediction was
often heard that an immediate session of
Congress would be called and that the
Administration would change front rela-
tive to its financial program. Depart
mental officials took the alarm Saturday
night and it was determined to put the
Treasury building in a-defsnsive condi-
ton, Secretary Sherman being represent
ed as particularly nervous over the stu
alton, having imbibed exaggerated notions
of the danger from passing through
Baltimore, not without some difficulty,
during the height of the excitement, on
his return from his tour up the coast
The apprehensions of the disastrous re-
suits of an attack upon the Treasury
under ordinary circumstances by de-
termined mob, are amply justified in the
minds of those most familiar with its
defenseless condition. The President
came in from the Soldiers Home, attend
ed church, and two meetings of the
Cabinet, and portion of the clerical
force of the Departments were on duty
as were some of Secretaries most of the
day. The arrival of two companies Of
troops by boat early in the morning from
Fortress Monroe and Fort Foote, had q
reassuring effect; but the order com
handing the presence of two natioIa
vessels, in addition to those now here
to Baltimore instead. The President il
represented as very earnest in his expires
sions ola determination to suppress tn
rioters by the employment of all fore
lawfully at his disposal, but is said no
to have encouraged the belief of an earl,
call for the meeting of Congress. Blu
underlying the uniform approval of tn
authorities determination to stamp GU
the instruction at whatever cost, Their
: remains conviction that the railroa
magnates have provoked the present out
break by their greed and disregard {
the rights of their employees, in thei
anxiety to declare large dividends an
q to add to their own superabundar
{ means; and at the proper time they ma
G prepare themselves for such storm
e reproach and criticism as they have nev'
1 before encountered, judging from tt
I temper displayed here; and the Dem
n cratic members of the late Congress ma
n expect a more merciless and scathir
e review of their work during the last tV
s sessions of Congress that resulted
# stripping the Government of all effect
r. al means to promptly meet such eme
r gencies as have occurred within the pa
4 three months, and liable to happen
| any time. The mutterings of displea
d ure over the policy pursued by the Hou
IF are heard in every quarter now that
D. lmbeclllty has been 30 practically del
If onstrated since General Howard fiji
as took the war path with poorly equl
At ped force, and one so inadequate
a. numbers as to invite humiliation; a
10 if the reaction here in favor of cent?
ze government strong enough to protect t
interests. of the citizens as against Sta
rights heresy, is reflex of the mo1
It. ment elsewhere, we may confidently he
ne for an abandonment of policy viii
ct has inflicted losses in few hours Il
mt exceed in amount all they saved il
's' year by "retrenchment" and tn
IN UNIQUELY economical plan of administ