The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-09-18
Especial Corr esrondcnce Of the DIsps.ch.1
-WAsEINGroN, Sent. IL. rs

r .REE
WASHINGTON, Sept. Is, 1871.
The week just ending has assuredIy not
been without its sensations ; but they have
I'LL been such as no true man could have
wished to find ruffling the even routine
that has characterized the summer season,
The immense defalcation in the paw depart-
ment OF the army has hardly It's equal in
such cnormities Of late years, and new de-
Felopments and facts in regard to it are
likely to occur at any time. Not among the
least OF these may be the question which
has already arisen between the Treasury
and the War Departments Of the greater re-
s%ponSihility for not having persisted in a
more stringent surveillance Of disbursing
officers.
The Paymaster-G General has already
charged that the Treasury Department--or
the proper auditing bureau Of that depart
ment-is at iasIt in not having long ago dis
covered the discrepancies. This viii lead
to the counter. statement from the Treasury
Department that they have constantly in
sisted upon imposing checks upon dis
bursiug officers, which the War Office
would not accent. Whatever NAV be the
upshot Of these discussions between the
two departments cannot, of course, have
any effect upon the present case. UGhap-
PLY for the dcfaulting paymastcr and his
triends-for whom (he latter there is Il
natural sympathy which any amount Of
crime on the part of The detaulter could
not supprcSs-he was weak enough to be
drawn into the vortex of crime which i'll
these days seems to have become epidemic.
In the comments upon this case there are
many who rail ut the opportunities and
temptations which Wall street affords for
the committal of crime.
Another sensation of the hour, which
has done more to bellttle this city in the
estimation Of moral communities who have
been led to false impressions through the
forced publicity Of q "so.called" reform
movement, is the strong effort which the
parties engaged therein are making to adj
vcrtiSc themselves and their schemes, for
the purpose, as good and true citizens here
fitlnlv believe. of putting money IN their
purses. The respectable portion Of the
community (aud in so saying | offer no de-
traction TO many who extend some sympa-
thy TO this reform ~ movement in the hope
that some good may be eflectcd) feel keenly
the wrong that is being done in holding up
This city as an example among those where
sin, impurity, and vice, hold almost regal
sway. It seems, however, there Is no hope
10 gepel these accusations. The reform
crS ~ insist upon pursuing a course of adj
rerti>iug immortality wherever 1t exists,
IL ~ n - tAAAIHS AVN AVA .
capital which cannot rebound to its honor
or glory.
The recent Democratic Convention in
New Jersey and Massachusetts,, with their
wise conclusions (including patriotic and
statcSinanlike resolutionS), have given some
slight impetus to the interest that has been
dormant in political circles here for some
time. 1t is TO be admitted. however, that
the absence OF practical developments OF
Radicalism on material topics, such as
must be distinguishable next winter in the
national legislative debates, may have some
effect in preventing the cordial assistance Of
already lukc-warm Radicals in the States
where contests have been inaugurated.
This is particularly the case in the west, as
letters from there from gentlemen we'll
vcrScd on the present situation calmly as
sert. For nj. this there are increasing midi
cations that the Democracy OF Ohio have
the ioircSt CHARGE Of carrying the
Legislature, while the hopes of success in
PENNSYLVANIA are by no means dampened.
No one believes that the proscriptiyc theo-
Iics of the Radical party will be done away
with nj the next meeting OF Congress. On
the contrary, they are much more likely TO
be enlarged, to the disgust Of the more
liberal mcn Of the organization. This will
be the case most aSsuredly if the elections
vet to occur favor the dominant party.
There is not the shadow of an indication
that the men who have been leaders in
Cpislins prescription upon States that are
uut governed hy Radical organizations will
he shorn OF their strength 80 soon. They
have led the Administration and have
shared legislation too long to give uptheir
mower, the exercise Of which will surely be
followed by their complete political down
fall. TlMoS.