Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-04-14
From Our Regular COrrespondent.l
Washington Letter.

WASHINGTON, ID. c.. April 10, 1850.
To see the admiral of the navy in court
as a defendant, and a small, pug nosed
clerk who once held a subordinate place
in the admiral's office as his prosecutor, is
an instructive tableau. and one calculated
to produce reflections in the minds oil
those well enough acquainted with history
TO know that this situation would not have
been possible few generations ago. The
suit was to recover money said to have
been diverted from the pay of the clerk,
Wetmore, to his divorced wife.
Until he insisted upon going upon the
stand to testify in his own behalf, | believe
against the advice of his counsel, Admiral
Porter was dignifed looking object.
But now, how reversed the position of the
ruler of the navy, the quarter deck mar
tinet! Admiral Porter started out conf
IDENTIFY; he talked well. but he talked too
much. His counsel, Mr.. Merrick, the
same who had argued Mr.. Tilden's claim
before the electoral commission, tried TO
restrain him, but the ruler Of the navy was
not accustomed to restraint. The admiral
thought the ship was going swimmingly.
but there came a squali in the way of a
crosse examination. The modest little
counsel for the plaintiff handed him let
ter and asked him if he recognized the
hand writing. Let me see," said the
admiral. lie read it carefully and said
II object" with a comical emphasis that
brought down the house. The admiral's
confidence was gone. Letter after letter
was handed him in his own hand writing
and his confusion grew. He argued that
they had no relevancy, told the counse
for the plaintiff that he was no lawyer
and said many other indiscreet and indis
criminate things. The trial is not vel
concluded, and is of course of but little
general interest. refer to it only because
of the prominence of the defendant anC
because of the sharp contrast presented o
a man accustomed to uutocratical auttorj
ty compelled to defend himself agains
one of the weakest of his former subor
dnates.
Some time since the Senate adopted q
resolution asking the secretary of the
treasury whether any reduction in the
clerical force of that department could BIT
made with advantage to the government
To this the secretary yesterday sent a re
ply stating that.no reduction of clerica
force can advantageously be made in tina
department except, perhaps, that some
old and infirm employees might be replaced
by younger men. The secretary thinks
however. that their dismissal would b,
unjust, unless some provision be made fo
their old age, in recognition of their Ions
service to the government.
There are already pending before tn,
House of Representatives upwards of two
thousand pension claims, and, unless nigh
sessions are ordered to consider sucl
claims, not more than one hundred cal
possibly be disposed of. Thus far tn,
House, out of this large number, has dis
posed OF only about twenty cases.
The investigation as to Mr.. Acklen'
motive in reporting 10 the House Il docu
ment which he was not entitled to report
which has been conducted by the judiciary
committee, has closed. The committe,
will soon make its report, and, it is under
stood, will exonerate Mr.. Acklen from an,
corrupt motive.