The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-02-25

Of the United States $4,000 A secretaryship
of the Treasury, it might have been added, is
worth to an adroit accountant a million
year, yet Stewart got the nomination for less
than 500, 900 in gold.
The Political Atmosphere in Washing
ton-The Undercurrcnt OF Talk-Cold-
ness Of Congress Towards the Admin
istration-Honcst Republicans Seek
ing New Political Affiliations.
We take the following very significant pas
sagcs from Washington letter published in
the New York Times, of Monday:
There is an element in the political atmos-
phere in Washington which bodies no good to
the future unity and success Of the Republican
party. 1t is difficult to define its character
precisely, but it is so palpable that one can
| feel IL and breathe it, and it Is far more per-
meatipe than we like to admit The cause Of
| the existence of such an element Is even more
difficult to define than its character But its
existence is certain. The shape which this
feeling takes may be illustrated, perhaps, by
the t remarks of a distinguished poet and satir-
ist, who spent a few days here last week. He
had been dining and wlning In high official
circles. had kept his eyes and cars open, and
his conclusions were not hasty. On preparing
to leave, friend asked him, "Well, what do
you llnd?, 81 find" said he, ian admlnistra-
on without party 70 5qpnorl Poes
the element which refer 10 as existing In this
political atmosphere.
The administration and the Republican party
| in Congress are not en- rapport IN feeling or
desire There is no enthusiasm on the floor
of either house, either in the support OF the
| measures of the administration or in its de-
fence from outside attack. This oollness and
Indifference extends so far that II Is even pos
sIble Tor Fernando Wood to obtain unanimous
consent to offer and to pass impertinent res0-
| lutlons rejecting more or less directly on the
action of departments, and that, too, upon
mere newspaper assertion as basis. dis
tincuishcd senator, who, In all the vast volume
of debate In that body has held bride on his
| tongue. said to me the other day on this sub
| ect: ''There is not member OF that body
who does not wish we'll to President Grant and
his administration; yet there Ia not particle
Of enthusiasm, and very little cordiai lcelin9
| In its behalf In all the senate. de IL unuouo4
| edly correct.
This condition Of affairs Is, Of course, the
undercurrent here, and not the surface aspect.
But it is cropping out In 30 many directions
that the matter may as well be seriously con-
sidered 1t is fact, then, that many men,
party are no'c talking about ne,o political d5il-
iati0ns. The Republican party, In their estt-
nation. has substantially fulfilled its mission
| in the suppression Of the rebellion, the COM
pletion of reconstruction, and the establish
ment OF impartial suffrage. Other issues are
ceming Up in the near future, and new combi-
| nations must be made 10 meet them. They
| would prefer to remain with the Republican
party, but there is no inducement in the
| course Of the administration to do so, and they
| desire to be in the foreground 0fa new move
ment, provided there is to be one.
The Bill to Enforce the Suffrage Amend-
ment-Risht OF CoIorcd Citizens to
Vote ut nlI Elections.
A Washington letter Of Tuesday says:
The bill to enforce the right Of citizens of the
United States to vote in the several States, by
virtue of the Fifteenth amendment, will pro-
badly be taken mp by the Judiciary Committee
at their next meeting, but 1t will ncr:6e press
ed till official proclamation is made of the rati-
fcation of the Fifteenth amendment. This
legislation is proposed, as has been stated, I'M
der the power conferred on Congress by the
second section OF said amendment This bill
declares that all colored citizens shall be entl-
tied to vote ut all elections in the State OF their
residence, subject only TO the same conditions
which now arc or may hereafter be required
TO qualify white citizens to vote. In case the
constitution or law Of any State requires
an assessment or payment OF tax as
the qualification of an elector, and the
assessor or other person shall refuse or Wilfu-
ly neglect to assess the person on property Of
any qualified colored citizen Of the United
States. andresiding in the hundred. ward or
district for which said assessor or other officer
shall have been elected or appointed, he shall,
for every such offence, forfeit the sum Of five
hundred dollars to any person who will sue for
the same, and shall for every such offence be
guilty of q misdemeanor, and Shall be fined
f1,onS S,a hpp Qnl 40 i'm.
prisoned not less than one month. The third
and fourth sections punish any official who
shall neglect to assess the property OF colored
citizens so that they cannot vote, or who shall
fail to transcribe their names In the list ofper-
sons who pay taxes, the payment Of which
tax ls by the constitution or laws @ OF any state
the fifth section Furnishes by fine and
Imprisonment any collector of taxes who
shall neglect wilfully to receive or re-
CENT for the takes of colored people.
The sixth section declares that II at any
State, county, township, hundred or munich
pal election held by the authority OF any law
of any State, or at any election for electors OF
President of the United States, or for MEM
bers of the House of Representatives OF the
United States, any presiding officer or Judge of
the election shall refuse to receive, or shall
advise or concur in refusing 10 receive the
vote of any person on account OF his race,
color or previous cOnulllou VI seifituIc,
every such presiding officer or Judge shall, for
every such offence, forfeit and pay the sum of
five hundred dollars to any person who Will
sue tor the same, and such presiding officer or
ndge shall, for every such offence, be deemed
guilty OF misdcmeanor. and shall be fined
not less than two hundred dollars, nor more
than five hundred, and be imprisoned not less
than one month. The Circuit Courts of the
United States are to have Jurisdiction of the
suits for torfetures imposed and causes of ac-
ton created by this act, and the Circuit and
District Courts of the Uuited States have juris-
dctlon of the msdemeanors created by this
act.
SPARKS FROM THE WIRES.