The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-11-08
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

struction of the President-Cameron's DIsas-
ters In Pennsylvauia-DlscOuntI His Own
Death-FaIIacv of His Explanation OF ARM
strong's Defeat-Armstrong became Came
ron's Champion, and Left Hope Bohind
Fon our ovn oOrresp ondent
WASHINGTON, Nov. z, 1870.
Tomorrow is big with fate to politicians. 1t
is settled that the Republicans will, under any
circumstances, retain supremacy in the House.
but the elections just at hand will decide
whether they shall hold their power in a num-
ber of the States which may be important in
1872. New York will, of course re-eect Hoff-
man, and the chances are in favor of the De-
mocrats gaining several members of Congress.
1t is noticeable that the Repu blicans are dis
jointed and wanting in the adhesiveness essen
tial to success. Independent movemen Is and
irregular candidates in many of the strong Re-
publican districts give unmistakable signs of
disintegration and absolute want of leadership,
and in Missouri the whole State will pass from
regular Republican control at one swoop. But
for the unwise and entirely needless ostracism
of the Fenton wing in New York and the Schurz
wing in Missouri both States would tomorrow
give Republican majorties but there, as in
Pennsylvania, the administration seems to have
sought for the weakest and most helpless ele-
ment of the party, and demanded unconditional
submission TO it.
New York and Virginia are threatened with
bayonets to enforce the election laws, the re-
suit of which will be unfortunate for the Repub-
licans. Hoffman will poll 10 900 more votes in
New York than he would have received had not
the Democrats been furnished with the inspiring
cry of military intimidation. On no one point
are the American people more sensitive than on
the subject of entire freedom in exercising the
rights of citizenship, and however we'll intended
regard the concentration of troops in New York
blunder that will be lasting in its conse-
quences. There was tenfold more Just cause
found for military protection to the citizens
of South Carolina from the mob
militia than there is for military
interference in New York and there was even
less cause for the presence of vessels of war and
marines in Norfolk. Secretary Robson COM
mitted sad error in going to Norfolk to speak
10 the 1900 navy employees and urge them to
vote for one of the Republican candidates for
Congress. 1t was in bad taste, and unproduc-
tive of good. The riot that followed was not
produced by his speech, nor yet was it caused
by the Conservatives, the highly infammatory
articles in the Chronicle to the contrary not
withstanding. 1t was q free fight between
two wings of the Republican party, and
the police took q hand after the melee be-
came general. Mr.. Platt claims to be the
regular Republican candidate for Congress Mr..
Jones is boiling Republican candidate He
runs a whisky mill, and the Platt men marched
with transparency rejecting upon Mr.. Jones
profession of mixing gin sings and other palata-
BILE beverages This led to assault upon the
procession by the boiling Republicans, and the
end was riot, Mr.. Boiling is the Conservative
candidate, and neither he nor his friends were
mixed up in the row. 1t was good card for
''my two papers, both daily" and it has been
played vigorously. Governor Walker had just
as much to do with the disorder as the man in
the moon, as he was in Richmond attending to
his official duties The whole thing has been
worked up to re-elect Patt over his irregular
Republican competitor, and the marines, with
the navy employees, will doubtless make the en-
terprise q success.
There is an uneasy condition of things here poll
tically. You mistake in insisting that Senator
Cameron has absolute control of Grants admin
istration. He doubtless assumes to be supreme
with the President as to Pennsylvania affairs,
but the late election in your State has excited
grave suspicious near to the throne, and Came
ron's last visits here have been barren of the
coveted fruits. He came boastfully, and had
himself heralded in newspapers of easy virtue
as the man of destiny TO Cabinet and other
changes; but he failed in everything. From a
Cabinet officer, which he demanded at first, he
finally fell down to Douglass for Com
missioner of Internal Revenue, and it is well
of Douglass defeated his appointment. 1t is
now widely believed and openly discussed in
close administration circles that Cameron delibe
rdtely and systematically seeks the political de-
Struction of TIE President 1t is notorious
indeed it was not concealed by the President at
the time-that when Grant was inaugurated he
regarded Cameron as most corrupt and DANCE
rous man, and for months the venerable Penn
sylvania Senator had to reach the President
through secondary channels He bore il with
tolerable patience submitted to Grants marked
indignities, and fawned, and bowed, and smiled
through it all. Finally he won the ear of the
President, and for a time was potential; but
when in New York recently Cameron had it an
nounced in The Sun that he was not responsible
for the innumerable blunders OF the administra-
ton, and he has bitterly and insolently COM
planned OF the President recently because he
could not run everything to suit his own pur-
poses. There are certainly two Cabinet officers
who do not conceal their convictions that
Cameron wishes to rule the administration
while it has favors to bestow, aud then ruin ii
in the end. Mr.. Chase has had Cameron's
positive assurance of support more than once in
case of his nomination for the Presidency by
the Democrats. The defeat of six Republican
candidates for Congress in your State, in dis
tricts now represented by Republicans, is at
tributed to Cameron's fraudulent attempt al
leadership with the view of subordinatlng the
party to his own personal interests; and
the President and politicians generally here have
noted the singular popular Ieverses which at
tended every attempt of Cameron TO elect his