Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-01-18
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON
WASHINGTON, January IA. 1877!

WASHINGTON, January IA. 1879.
To anews-gatherer, Congress since the holt
days, has furnished small encouragement
Our Lawmakers still maintain a tranquility
which to all appearance will abide until the
close of the session. Topics that were once
full of political interest or which promised to
afford food for scandal or capital for partisan
warfare are discussed languidly and are only
preached for the sake of talk. Even the
New York Custom House, a place as fer
tile in news and as famed for political quar-
rels as Louisiana itself is seldom heard from,
and then the news is such, "a counterpart of
what we long since were wearied of that a
correspondent can hardly work up des-
patch on the subject without being accused of
clipping from last years files. The cipher
dispatches come to the front now and then,
notably last week when we had rumors of
Tilden's desire to be heard before Congress
and that the ubiquitous Butler thought Con-
gress had no more right to investigate the
matter than TO scrutinze merchants ledger
But this topic, too, has seen its best DAYS and
takes its place in conversation with inquiries
about the weather.
man Itittf VII JdtksoulAn democracy
has been read and almost forgotten. 1t was
read because of the prominence of the writer ;
it has been forgotten because il contained
nothing new or worthy of remembrance. As
it lies before me it looks like an ordinary
democratic platform, its firstly proclaiming
that the influence of democratic principles
saved the Union, and its filthy holding up for
democratic indignation the tenfold increase of
annual government expenses. Truly, there
is nothing so sublime as democratic cheek in
placing upon republican shoulders the re-
sponsibility for mourning our national debt
which is national blessing in democratic
eyes since il enables our friends continually
to compare those blessed times, when democ-
racy ruled and public debt was comparatively
unknown, with the present embarrassed by a
burdensome legacy of civil strife. 1t is a
welcome sight, however. to see Mr.. Thurman
going away back to the palmy days of Jack
son for examples to set before his brethren.
Jaekson's spirit is very good ghost to con-
jure with, but what an aw full commentary Mr..
Thurman makes upon his party when he is
compelled to 90 so far back to find apy trace
of virtue in its organization
The thirdly of Mr.. Thurman's letter con-
tains the shibboleth of democracy-death to
national banks; and at the sound of this war
cry the western wing of that party is prepar.
ing for fight, demanding to be led by their
own Fabius Maximus. Imitation, at present.
is hiding its diminished head, confronted by
the assured success of resumption. But its
spirit is not departed, but lives and seeks ex.
preston in democratic councils. Its doc.
trines, so long unopposed, grew too powerful
to be refuted by a few defeats and no one il
more mistaken than he who supposes he has
seen their Overturn. Voorhees,, in the Sen.
ate short time since, made a speech rank.
ling with the old bitterness against honest
money, whose tones were little modified by
recent events. One would hardly have in.
ferred from Ewing's utterances at the Jack.
son celebration that the November election,
and the resumption of specie payments had
taken place. Truth crushed to earth ma,
rise again; but it must fight for it. A single
campaign has not educated generation O,
voters in science TO which their attention
had never been seriously turned Even In
our own State vast amount of missionar,
labor is needed; and all over the country III,
monster has spread his spawn, which need