The union Democrat., 1871-12-30
WASHINGTON LETTER.

WASHINGTON, D. c.. Dec. l6, ISL.
This has been a bad week for the Admins
tration. or rather General Grant-who is the
Administration. Another such week and the
Colossal intellect which rules at the White
House, and sits in the Presidential chair, !"
as Senator Upton faeetiously styles the un-
communicative Ulysses, will be removed from
his present state of anxiety to thar of down.
right discouragement. First comes the per-
verse Sumner, who takes the Presidents
message literally, and he proposed the abol-
ishment of that immense political machine.
the Internal Revenue Bureau-whieh of
course twill not be did, Then the over an
xious Trnmbull, feeling that the screws are
being put on the dear people rather tight
offered resolution to inquire into all the rob
berries now going on by Government officials
| Summers proposition was sen; to the tomb
Of the Capulets,n never to be resurected.
Trrmbull aided by Carl Sehurz, the cautank-
erous.' as the Radicals call him, and Upton
the "slasher." when be starts in, raised such
shindy over Trumbull's resolution that
| Donnyhrook Fair was but patch to the scene
in the Senate chamber during the past four
days. Of course the corrupt and fostering
Administration supporters, came TO its res
cue, and their efforts to stife investigation in
to the well known theiving now going on is
most damning. AT last, after caucus and de-
bate in the Senate, Committee has been Sc
lected which, with the exception of Senator
Bayard, Democrat, will put in practice their
knowledge of show not to do it, and the re-
suit will be that the Radical Administration
will be likened unto the purity of the celes-
tial regions and each and every one who sups
at the Administration table will be pronounc-
ed Immaculate and above the suspicious which
Senator'S Trumbull Schurz, Upton and other
Radicals point at them. Yesterday in eau
Gus the Radicals anticipated Pandemonium
and let themselves loose for q time. Senator
Trumbull with the tonacity Of bulldog,
kept up his barking at the Grant ours and
new committee on investigation and expendi-
ture, to inquire into all the present defects of
the civil service, raised cain. Trumbull,
however, was master of the situation, as the
GRANTEES dare not vote down his resolution,
as it would be virtual Acknowledgement
| that the administration feared investigation.
After q most exciting debate of an hour and
a half, Mr.. Trumbull carried his point, ex-
cept that part Of the instructions to the COM
mittee to consider the expediercy of amend,
ing the laws under which appointments to
the public service are made, so that they may
no longer be used for political or party pat
ronage was voted down, as was also the pow
er to send for persons and papers, and to
make inquiry into the supposed corrupt use
of the public money. The victory of the anti
Grant men was somewhat dampened by the
selection of the Committee. Messrs. Buck
ingham. Pratt, Harlan. Howe, Poole, Stew
art and Bayard, who, with the exception of
the latter, are looked upon as quite as good a
set of whitewashers as could be picked out.
So ends the first pitched battle between the
Grant Radicals and the sore heads The
question of Importance to the Democrats now
is, will all the propositions of honesty and
love of right as spouted by the Reform Radi-
Gals in the Senate amount to bolt from the
tyranny of King Caucus, and separate and
independent action in the Senate, and an In
dependent nomination in case the present de-
fender and fosterer of corruption and robbie
~, is re-nominated?
Since writing the last few lines have re-
ceived positive assurance that Senator Trum-
bull will bolt from the Radical caucus. This
determination means volumes, and the end is
not yet, and the road to it will be crooked
and the gait rapid and rough one. From the
aspect of things just now, the Democracy
have only to grid up their loins, keep stiff
upper lip, keep their powder, i. e. their prin-
ciples dry, close up their ranks, and the sore
headed Radicals, either for honesty sake or
out of spite to Ulysses, will drive the wedge
now entering the Radical party clean through
it, and the people will get their own almost
without effort, despite power, money and pat
ronage. Ex-senator Williams, of Oregon,
succeeds the brute Ackerman, as Attorney
General.
1.-THE President yesterday" says the Re
publican ''paid a friendly visit to Gen. Spin
ner, of the U. S. Treasurer, and assured him
that he need not give himself any uneasiness
about his responsibility for recent losses.
"Upon what meat doth this Grant feed, that
he is become SO great? p l always thought
that Congress appropriated the peoples mo-
ney to cover these robberries, now find that
Grant assumes that power.
ORsoN PRATT AND THE Book OF MORMON
n ~ n L L L