The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1871-02-15
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

f.
1 duce resolution looking 10 the protec-
4 tiou of negro cadets at West Point, and
8 on vote to suspend the rule only "a
3 voted in the affirmative. The elephan
4 tine negro which the Radicals have on
Z their hands is nigh we'll "played out"
8 and as for West Point, the management
s of that institution under the present
a administration is vilainous.
y The Sub Committee Rbeipvestigated
Nthe West Point outrage recommend that
q the three members Of the fourth class,
D who we're driven from the institution,
b be restored, and that all Of the first
class, and others who we're guilty ofsuch
d gross behaviour, including Cadet Grant,
4 Son Of Ulysses, "ehip Of the old block
head" cadet Townsend, son Of the Ad>
4 iutant General Townsend, and cadet
Farragut, SOP of admiral Farragut, be
4 expelled from West Point. These ca
b diets, from the positions held by their
4 fathers, run the institution jus; as they
b please, in total disregard of rules, regu-
3 lat ous, orders, sights or deceucy, and
i they are ppheld in their insubordinaticD
) aud bad conduct BY the President, who
/ when cadets of the first class have been
\ found guilty by Court martial, has par
& doued them. The conduct of the officers
! has also been severly ceusured for neglect
Of duty. To save West Point from decay
and contempt, an example must be
I made Of both the guilty cadets, Presi-.
dents son or no President son, and the
officers Of the institution, and vigilance
8 exercised to see that Presidential favor
E itism be excluded from it during the
rest Of this imhccile, corrupt and profit
q gate administration. That Congress
E;will white wash, or let of easily, is ex-
( pected so far as the cadets are concerned
( The officers will probaly be made the
scapegoats in order to shield the eldest
born Of our Ulysses.
The President, standing between the
nervous and anxious Radicals of the
1 North and West and the rampaeeous
Radicals Of the South, has determined
to shirk the responsibility Of either
signibg the bill repeating the test oath
or ofve,oiug it, and will let it become q
law by the constitutional expiration Of
!. the ten days in which he had 10 sign
or veto it, thus making Congress respon-
sible for its results, be they good or
bad, to the Radical party.
The Soathern Pacific Railroad bill
in the House yesterday, was referred by
a vote Of 129 to 61, the Committee to
report it any time after the 18th inst.
|: This action insures its passage this ses'
D sion. A large number Of Democratic
lmenbers voted for this bill on the
sgrouDd that it was simple justice to
q the South to have this road.
The presence here of number Of
prominent New York politicians, OF
. both the Coukling and the Fcnton
wings, has given rise to the belief that
great efforts are being made to heal the
differences and re-unite the party in
that State. Collector Murphy is here
to assist in the passage Of the last Radi-
cal eectioneeriag fraud, the enforce
{ ment bill, but at the same time he
wants peace, as Senator Fenton is max"
ing things very warm Tor him in New
York, and will make it worse if Grant
and Coukling continue to ignore him
in the patronage in that State. From
present indications, New York is not
only hopelessly Democratic but it is
more than doubtful, il the present feud
continues, whether the Radicals would
not be for some other candidate for the
Presidency than Grant, hence the anx-
icty to patch up a peace.
1t is stated that the fisheries trou
bleS were purposely provoked by Eng.
land, in accordance with plan long
laid, so that when our Government
cane to urge a settlement Of the Alaba.
ma claims, concession Of fishing privl
lescs might be offered as a proof Of
friendship, but really for the purpose
Of still further delaying the
adjustment of the more import
ant question involved in these
claims. From what | can learn the mes
senger sent by the President after the
San Domiugnjob expedition, was for
the purpose of their recall, not on &C
count Of Cabral's success as stated, but
because the English Government have
made such very liberal offers with regard
to the fisheries question aud the Alaba-
ma claims that their setilem, nj is sassaIed