Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-01-25

government officials and their families. As
a sample of these unsayory and increiitable
efforts TO obtain advancement may mention
that of Mr. Dillon Commander-in-Chief of
the Union Veterans Unions who. on Friday,
presented the President with a handsomely
bound copy of the proceeding of the en-
campment held at Cleveland, Ohio. last
September. If the President had ever mani
Tested the least interest in the Union soldier,
either during or since the war there would
seem TO be some slight excuse for such an
act. But in view of the feeling of utter in
difference in, if not of downright antagonisrn
to the soldier, which tie President has ex-
hibited on every occasion, and which was
especially illustrated by the slurs and
innuendoes which flle1 his $50 pension
veto messages, Mr.. Dillou's act seems
utterly inexcusable II need harily be said
that Dillon is an office holder and am glad
to say that out of the number of Union
soldiers left in the departments. not a cor
porals guard could have been mustered to
take part in such a performance. How the
Presidents heart must have warmed a. he re-
ceiyed the appropriate volume Doubtless
he laid aside his current business. locked the
doors. AMI with that perfect abandon which
DftDuiNe nun ~ NfA4- SafN hA4.7F II ~ s-Ae
intoxicating pleasure of reading billions ac-
count of a reunion Of ex-union soldiers. At
fairs of State, YEA and the proud triumph of
having just secured the confirmation to the
Supreme Bench of ex-cOnfederatc Colonel
Lamar must have been forgotten while this
servant of the people read with breathless
interest of the doings of hanlful of gray
haired and manned veterans. How his heart
must have swelled with pride as he recalled
what he had done for the boys in blue both
before and since the war. The rebel briga-
diers who may always be found waiting in
the anti-room to urge their applications for
office, must have been impatient during this
temporary eclipse of their luminary. But
they had not long 10 wait. The doors were
unlocked. the sun shone forth again uncloud-
ed, and the pen of the ruler of sixty mil
lions was again busy, that pen which not
/ long ago wrote with scorn of 1.-The ingenuity
developed in the constant and persistent at
tacks upon the public treasury by those
claiming pensions and the increase of those
already granted
WAsHISGroN's PHGLANrmRoPIsT.
Mr. W. w. Corcoran. the well-known re-
tired millionaire banker, is a gentleman who
deserted his country during the war, and fled
TO England. His sympathies were with the
South and the government seized much OF
his property in Washington and occupied il
for a number of years. His beautiful coun-
| try residence. Hardwood" vas turned into
a hospital. The building on the corner OF
Seventeenth St.eet and Pa. Ave, which was
intended 10 be dedicated to art, was seized
and occupied by the Quarter Master General.
office. At the close of the war Mr. CorcoraU
returned to Washington, and the gov
eminent finally restored his propert,
to him. He is kind hearted mar
and vert generous, having contributed largely
TO both private and public bcnefactions. The
| Corcoran Art Gallery with its magnificent
works of art, and the Louise Home great
hotel for INDECENT aged southern ladies-are
| gifts from him. Notwithstanding his course
during the war he is universally respected
as the following instance will show. Within
the past few wears the authorities have re-
moved all the great ugly iron fences whof
used to hide the beauties of the public park.
/ from passers by. Mr.. Corcorans residence
/ fronts on Lafayette Square, named be
cause it contains equestrian statute OF
General Jackson. This park is the lonlies
one in the city and is surrounded by the
! ugliest fence Imaginable Mr.. Corcoran re.
quested presumably by reason of early asso
Citations that the fence be not removed during
his lifetime, and the request was complied
with. His charity is so well known that each
day brings great number of begging letter,
which are mostly answered by printed crcn.
/ lars. The venerable gentleman recently
celebrated his eghty-nnth birthday.
An lIlsroRIc SQuARE.
! Lafayette Square which / have Just men
toned is historic. pne of the great houses
on the East side was occupied by Secretary
| Seward all through the war. | well rcmem-
Der how on the night of the assassination OF
/ Mr.. Lincoln, | was able to discern by the
| Pickering light of the street lamps the trail
of blood which led down the steps to the
street, marking the course of the assassin
| Payne. Not more than fifty feet South from
the place is the spot where Philip Barton
/ Key fell dead from pistol shot fired BY
Gen. Sickles, then a member of Congress:
from New York. Sickles' residence wa,
on the opposite side of the park
and the young and beautiful Mrs
Sickles was accustomed to signal to Key from
her window, as he walked, half concealed
among the foliage. just above the old Sc.
ward Mansion ON the corner is the house
where Dolly Madison, the wife of president
Madison, gave such famous entertainments
ON the North side was the residence oil
| Charles Sumner, and little further along
St Johns church quaint old stucco GOV
cred structure which looks as if ii belonged
/ to the last century. But it is the wealthics
and most fashionable church in Washington
! Schuyley ColfaI lived and entertained in the
/ home where Sickles formerly lived. TIL,
| White House fronts on the South side of the
square. presume that no property is FOL
sale on either side of the square. If there i,
| 1t must be north from six ten ten dollars pei
square foot.
THE PoroMAC Frozen.
| The recent cold weather has frozen the
| Potomac and closed it to navigation. The
skaters are having merry time. The mer
curry this morning was nearly down to zero
which is cold weather for Washington
kEN<rHE,.