The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1881-10-29
[FsoM OUR REGULAR CoRnEsroSDESr.J ]

tFBoN OUR REGULAR CoRREsPoNDENT.]
wAsnlSeToN, D. c., Oct. 25, 1881.
Yorktown was the central point during
part of last week and Washington was
for the time pretty much deserted by its
officials and celebrities For several days
the coming and going of troops en- route,
and the arrival here OF various Governors
aud their stats filled the city with strang.
ers and enlivened our streets. to say moth.
ing Of the hotel corridors. The old Po.
tomac has not presented such gala ap.
peararce before during my sojourn at the
Capital. All the steamers on the river
with several Navy vessels, prolusely deco
rated with bunting, have gone up and
down the river loaded to the water line
with human freight. The President and
Cabinet, Army and Navy officers, Sena.
tors, Congressman and foreign diplomats
were among the passengers. Along the
river front and about the harbor flags
have been displayed while the unusual
stir and the beating of drums almost sug
gested actual preparations for war.
Upon the historical spot where Corn.
wallis surrendered there was gathered q
larger crowd, military AMI civil, than il
is likely ever to see again. Ia all its
main features the Yorktown of to-day,
which was the scene of the eliminating
struggle that virtually brought the wal
of independence to triumphant close,
finds its chief difference from the little
port of entry, where the Nelson's and the
Pages lived in patriarchal fashion con-
tury ago, in the ravages that time has
wrought. The principal features of TIE
place are the same. The little custom
house still remains. There ere still traces
of the errthworks thrown up during the
se'ge, and the fine old Nelson mansion
still rears its stately head, though in a
condition OF dilapida!ion and decay. The
Yorktown of century ago was again the
seat of mimic war. Soldiers were en-
camped on its now barren fields, and on
its waters ships rode at anchor, with the
flags of France and America unfurled. II
was a graceful act of courtesy to invite
the descendants aud representatives OF
those who participated in our revolution
ary struggle TO assist at the centennial
celebration of its successful termination
on the spot where CORVALLIS laid down
his arms and surrendered the 1000 men
of his command prisoners of war. To
Lafayette and Rochambeau, Count de
Grasse and the naval and military forces
of France the country owes deep debt
of gratitude, as well as to the able Ger
man soldiers Steuben and De Kalb. whom
France engaged to assist rs in our strug-
gle. But for France the war might have
continued indefinitely as q forlorn and
desperate conflict, such as people in
tent on liberty can wage with all the odds
against them. She supplied the colonial
Government with money. arms, men and
munitions of war. 1t was her feet of "a
ships of war that participated in the seige
of Yorktown, and of the lG 600 men that
constituted the besiegipg force under
Washington, France contributed 1900.
Mr.. Field has just given out a bulletin
showing the condition Of Mrs. Garfield's S
fund, stating that after purchasing regis
tered -four percent bonds to The amount
of $500, 600, there is still about sl2 900
on hand. The premium of these bonds
amounted to $43 ,96S 20. Nothing bet
ter illustrates the impulsiveness of Amer
lean character than the outpouripg of
this large sum of money from private
purses to the widow of the late President.
Aud while all are glad to see her amply
provided for, ] cannot help thinking that
the matter is being overdone. Mrs. Gar
field has in addition to this fund a com
Portable home in entor worth $40 600,
a house in Washington worth sl2 600,
besides s35 600 in money from life in
surance policies and the probability of
$50, 900 or 500, 600 from Congress. Thus
she is practically worth half million
dollars more than she can ever use and
more than enough to start all of her chill
dren handsomely in life. What need was
there for all this, and how utterly fool
ish was the proposition to raise another
fund for the Presidents mother All this
suggests the Inconsistency of our philan-
thropy, sometimes, and how high position
often elicts an cverplus of sympathy. In
Michigan are thousands of unfortunates
whom the fire fiend lately rendered ut
terly destitute, In day the destroyer
swept over them aud took everything.
They were houseless. homeless and naked,
not knowing where the next loaf was
coming from, and many dying from in
juries and exposure. Yet all these tLous-
ands of sufferers and all this utter desti-
tuition did not elicit from the millionaires
who had given so freely to Mrs. Garfield
one hall the amount raised for her who
really did not need it, aud whose afilic-
tions we're not of the kind that money