Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1880-12-30

4 h4Ae4J1 LII DAA6 COAAb1y3 AoCKby 0Oo6 4AOb 43CdA
license, but the protection Of every man II
his rights under the Constitution and the
| laws" Such words as these ought to be
| spoken oftener than they are and needed
when they are spoken.
The streets of Boston are less puzzling to 9
stranger than they were ten years ago and
| still further Improvement is planned. When
Roxbury was annexed to Boston it was found
necessary to change the names of many
streets which were the same in both cities,
and since the annexation of Charlestown,
Dorchester, West Roxbury and Brighton the
same necessity has again become apparent.
The street commissioners have taken hold of
the matter. The Legislature at the last
session passed law providing remedy, and
the commissioners have made report to the
Aldermen in which it is proposed to change
the names of $50 streets, avenues. places, etc.
A wise discretion has been used in the selec-
ton of names, most of which are histori-
| cal and euphonious, or specially appropriate
for local reasons. Unimportant thorough
fares heretofore called avenues are re
duced to Streets" and some prominent
streets are dubbed Avenues In some
cases the winding ways in the suburban
wards which have hitherto borne but one
name are divided into three or four parts,
each newly named. The absurd alphabetical
and numerical style of naming, which has a
footing only in South Boston, is allowed to
go no further, and the purpose is to individ-
ualize every street in the whole city.
Mr. White, formerly Washington CORE
spondent and now editor of the Providence
Press, gives an amusing account of the ap-
pointment of the late A. K. Akerman at
torney general. Mr.. Akerman was lawyer
of respectable abilities and moderate legal at
tainments. His practice had been confined
to an interior county in Georgia, and prob
ably not third of the lawyers even of his
own State had ever heard of him. But he
had happened to meet General Grant while in
Washington on business, and the general
formed high opinion of his good sense and
integrity. When Grant, upon the retirement
of Judge Hoar, resolved to have southern
every one whose name was suggested. At
last he determined to select some one to
whom no objection could be made because no
one knew anything about him. So he ap-
pointed Mr.. Akerman, but neither the Presi-
dent nor anybody else knew his address, and
some time was lost in search through the
departments, where at last it was discovered
on some documents which he had fled, and a
dispatch was sent to him. AS he afterwards
tsld Mr. White, he lived long distance from
the nearest telegraph Office, and General
Grants dispatch lay at the point where it
was received for at least twenty-four hours
before any attempt to send it to him was
made. Then, when anxious inquiries for an
answer began to come from Washington, the
operator, having been assured that he would
be reimbursed any expense he might incur,
hired negro man to take the important mes
sage to Mr.. Akerman. Mr.. Akerman said that
| this colored man rode up to his gate as he
was sitting on his porch at about dusk one
evening, and his surprise at reading the mes
sage can better be imagirsd than described.
He had sought Office, and did not know
that he could command political influence
enough to get an appointment as an internal
revenue agent. He of course accepted, but
before he was heard from the country began
to doubt the existence of any such man as
Akerman.