VOLUME VI. WASHINGTON CITY, D. C., AUGUST 20,1876. NUMBER 25. Mr. Randall's review of thè condition of the ME. HOVEY'S EXAMINATION QUESTIONS. the city of London was not and could not have been reign of Victoria, being then thirty-two years of age, THE CAPITAL, country and the remedits applied by the Demo- Mr. Hovey having invited and defied criticism built on the Cumberland lakes? why the Qity of Con- Mr. Disraeli made his first speech, which was a, stantinople was not and could not have been builtln PUBLISHED WEEKLY, cratic doctors will also meet with general con- of his " parts of speech" and the character of lamentable failure. He closed it, however, by say- Central Asia? or why a Sioux Indian was not and sideration. his questions in the examination of school child- ing, "I am not surprised at the reception I have BY THE could not have been born a Polish Jew, a Scottish experienced. I have begun • several times many " In reviewing the action of the House an im- ren, a contributor has favored us with the fol- Highlander or an Indian Brahmin? things, and I have often succeeded at last. I shall Capital Publishing Company, partial judgment will accord to that body the lowing letter, vihich will be satisfactory to all of If Mr. Hovey should accuse me of having misap- sit down now, but the time will come when you will praise due to its successful investigations and prehended or misconstrued the meaning of hisques- 927 D street, Washington, D. 0. our readers except the gentleman who is the hear me "—a prediction which has been most mem- exposures of frauds which, like some secret victim of his own vanity : tion, my reply is, that I challenge himself to furnish orably fulfilled. His political career, unaided by an explanation of it that will make it appear lees wealth or family connections, and in spite of the BONN PIATT and B. G. LOVEJOY Editors disease, were feeding upon the vitals of the SIE : Mr. Hovey proclaims every man an ass that absurd than it is here presented. The language of disadvantages of his Jewish origin. Is one of the Treasury. Thè mistakes of the session were cannot see the propriety of the question« propounded the question does not admit of such explanation. most extraordinary in English history.—Baltimore TERMS: $2.80 per year (including postage) in confined to persons and cannot honestly be at- by him to certain pupils in the public schools of this Even in the few questions published in THE CAPI- Sun; advance. city. On behalf of myself and- about, t^n thousand tributed to tbe whole body. Its retrenchments TAL, which are the only.ones I have seen, I could, CLUBS: Ten copies to one address, $40 in ad- other asses in this District; I ask you for the favor vance, with one copy free. Twenty copies to one will, we feel satisfied, be apprpved by the coun- had I time and space, point out several other errors of sufficient space in your columns to vindicate our ad Iress, S35 in advance, with one copy free. try .and justified by time. Closer application in In English. I could, for instance, convince Mr. Hovey judgment of Mr. Hovey and his questions. I pur- LATEST BY TELEGRAPH, the early part of the' session would have brought himself that the expression, " was not and could pose to demonstrate to his own satisfaction that COXTENTS or ¡\SIBK. not have been built,!' is grossly incorrect. O. A. V. about an earlier adjournment ; but all things*con? those questions are absurd, illogical and ungram- PAGE 2.—" Gossip by Roberts " and " Future It is quite probable that a critical reader could dis- NEW YORK, August 19.—Mr. Van Nortwick, a sidered, the unpartisan mind .must regard the matical. That Mr. Hovey should have been a grad- Music." cover slips in toy own English. I do not claim per- member of the New Jersey senate, on behalf of the general result of the session in the most favora- uate of Dartmouth College, a superintendent -of PAGES.—" Common-school Education and Com- fection. I am not a schoolmaster or a school trustee. order of the O. A. U., has addressed a long letter to schools in one of the principal cities in the United petitive Examinations," "Great ble light. In regard to its retrenchments, they I have never been a superintendent of schools. I Governor Hayes respecting the seventh plank of States and a general in the Federal army, only ren- Men's Wives," &c. are presented in a triple shape. First, as appro- am not engaged now in writing questions for public the Cincinnati platform, referring to public schools,., ders bis present exhibition of ignorance the more PAGE 6 —Letter from Saratoga, &c. priating 164,000,000 less than the Republican de- examinations. I had not Mr. Hovey's advantages and asks of Mr. Hayes : ¡, amazing and deplorable. A graduate of Dartmouth PAGE 7.—Anecdote of Curran and Death on the partments asked for ; second, a3 appropriating in youth. • I have not the addition of " General'' to "Was the seventh plank of the Cincinnati plat- might be pardoned for making occasional slips in his form merely inserted to beguile the O. A. U. and Stage. my name. Ido not even write my native language $30,000,000 less than the Republicans insisted on; English in conversation, or even in his ordinary cor- similar organizations into' the support of certain when I write English I write this criticism, not to party nominees? Is it only a delusion, a snare, a thirdly, as appropriating $38,000,000 less than respondence ; but when a graduate of Dartmouth show my own cleverness, but to rebuke tho pre- lie ? Were the men who so uproariously greeted its was voted last year. sits down leisurely and deliberatively to frame ques- reading in convention only so many elaquers hired' EVENTS. sumption of an overbearing, irascible, self-conceited tion to test the intelligence of others, it might be ex- lo get up a cheap demonstration ? Was the recent pedant, who insolently proclaims every man an ass contest in the United States Senate over this very —According to sea stories, whenever a ship pected that his own wfiUing should be free from any —The order of the Secretary of War to hold that fails to acknowledge his superior wisdom and issue only another act in the play of deception ?- "crossed the line" it was the signal for an gross solecisms of thought or diction. With the highest possible respect for you, sir, I ask. the troops in the Southern States in readiness ability. these plain questions for the enlightenment of my- orderly craft to become a perfect.pandemonium; I have observed that when a conceited pedant who has been variously commented on. The New No donbt Mr.. Hovey self, of the organization with which I stand con- imagines that be knows more than any of his fel- nected, and of the hundreds of thousands scattered discipline and dignity were at once dismissed, i Yo rk Herald, in an editorial that has many ad- " CSvi speak Greek lows placed on an examining board, he is always from Maine to California who sympathize with its- and every man contributed his mite to the con- As naturally-as pi'is do squeak;" principles and approve its mission." mirable points in it, regards this movement as more anxious to display his own cleverness in fusion that ensued. The last night of the House but, considering his early advantages, it might also " a bit of political strategy," " a harmless thun- framing questions than to ascertain the intelligence Mr. Van Nortwick concludes : of Representatives always is characterized by be reasonably expected of him« that he should ex- derbolt launched in too ready compliance with of pupils. It would never do for him to ask ques- " A mere platform declaration is not sufficient for press his ideas logically and write his native lan- the earnest workers of the O. A. U. It must be sup- similar doings. The possibility of a speedy tions in the usual way. His questions must beorlgi* astute politicians," as " a very dexterous way of guage with some degree of correctness. The severe plemented by sharp, decided action on the hustings adjournment, supplemented by reinforcements nal and enigmatical. The question mnst never be and through the press. The membership of the trumping the Democratic trick, but beneath the critic and stern,-unpitying judge that has no charity from Sanderson's, render the representatives of framed In such a way as to suggest the exact nature organization are not the class of men whom poli- for the failings or shortcomings of others, should ex- ticians can juggle or catch with chaff. They are men dignity of the President of the United States," of the information sought; the pupil must guess at the nation as joyous, riotous and quarrelsome as pect no forbearance or charity for his own imperfec- possessing the ability to think, to reason, to judge, and adds, after referring to the recent decision that, as he would at any other riddle or conundrum. to act. Men who have shaken off the yoke of party- school-boys on breaking-up day. tion.'--. Charity for uncharitableness has never yet of the Supreme Court as rendering such an ord?r The relation between the question and the answer fealty and dare approve the right wherever they been commended as a duty or recognized as a virtue find it. Such men hav e an interest in understand- Last Monday night was regarded as the last of must be such as to create surprise when discovered ; a brutum f ulmen, " We are sorry the President by any moral code, divine or human.