Weekly Trinity journal., 1872-04-06
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, March 81, 1872.

| The declaration OF lne ITfOUHe lndI
the Philadelphia Convention would be
an office-holders' gathering as contra-dis-
tinguished from the Cincinnati Conven-
ton, which per contra, is to be made up
of men who either want office or want to
remain in office against the will Of the
. Republican party, has made some stir
here among the papers. The occasion
for it arose from the fact that there is an
effort now being made to quietly arrange
a choice of delegates to Cincinnati, and
the correspondent of the New York Times
called attention to the fact. The petuance
Of the Tribune arises from the exposure
of the paucity of the number of sore
ton at Cincinnati would evidence either
that it was a Democratic gathering, or
that, if Republican at all, it would endorse
the Philadelphia Convention and its au-
thority to speak for all true Republicans.
No respectable Republican would encour-
age the suggestion of the New York
| HeraId TO pack the Convention at Gin
cinnati. Such a course would cause the
martyrdom of few wailing malcontents
and give them more importance in the
politics Of the country than they would
ever be able to earn by their unassisted
destructive genius. Nearly all the men
Of standing in the country who have been
named by the Tribune or Senator Upton
as afiiatng with the proposed Assistant
Democratic Convention have positively
declined to act as physicians at this sore
head hospital. A little trepanning at
Cincinnati, by which the brain Of Mr..
Greeley may be relieved Of its present
high pressure, will no doubt result in
present benefit, if it does not positively
cure him Of disposition to be an indc-
pendent President maker. lie has tried
the remedy before, and the Philadelphia
Convention will doubtless put head on
him and make him again sound as a new
dollar, as did the Convention which re-
nominated President Lincoln.
IL u / n f.' lbA lDN hl ANA
The papers here are filled with evidence
taken before the investigating committees.
The New York Custom House, the Sale
Of Arms, the Seneca Stone, the District
of Columbia, the Navy Department, and
several other investigating Committees
have been at work for some weeks at an
expense of no less than S250,000 for wit
ness fees, printing, reporting, ETC., and
absolutely nothing new has been elected.
The public press now days keeps so sharp
an eye upon all public affairs that the
facts become instantly known. Thus,
despite all the extraordinary efforts of the
enemies of the Administration to gather
up all the purchasable material from
Maine to Texas, to swear er p0rte against
Grant and the leading officials, nothing
worth recording has been discovered.
Before long the country will see through
the bare-iaced swindle. First, lies made
out of whole cloth are published, and
upon these an investigation is asked. If
the Republican party refuses a Committee
it is at once asserted that these lies stand
confessed as truth. But if Committee
is granted, enough disappointed men are
expected to come forward to swear to
enough Of case to enable the Schurz
reiormers to throw dirt at the Admins
tration.
A Blow AT THE CLERKS.
The House Of Representatives yesterday
passed Bill forbidding clerks in De-
partment from acting rs attorney or agent
before the Departments within two years
from the time they left such employment
under penalty not exceeding s. ,000 and
an imprisonment of not more than one
year in the penitentiary. A similar law
passed the House last session, but failed
in the Senate. 1t was proposed to make
the law apply to officers and members
Of Congress as well as clerks, but sub
stitute leaving all out save the clerks was
finally passed by large vote. Thus the
head of Bureau incurs no penalty and
is justified by law in doing the same act
which in the subordinate becomes a high
misdemeanor. 1t is difficult to see the
equity in this character of legislation. A
clerk, after giving his best energies to his
duties for years until he knows little else
and is rendered unfit for outside business.
if suddenly dismissed from Office to which
he is liable without any fault of his own,
! =. ,t,,1 L., al Z, To-, q
after his living is taken from him. 1t is
impracticable to make the law operative,
for no such law can prevent man from
acting as clerk for some one who does
practice in the Departments. If this is
specimen of laws intended to reform the
civil service, it has in my opinion little to
recommend it, more especially as it is
retroactive in its character, and if it be-
comes law will place the status of a
clerk lower than when he entered upon
his duties and will give him little encour-
agement or pride in profession which is
thus hampered by penal restrictions in
Jtturo.
SALE OF ARMS.
Secretary Robson testified before the
House Arms Committee yesterday that
ten thousand stand of Remington rifles
made for the use of the Navy, and which
contained a defect, were sold to Poutney,
Trimble Il Co., of Baltimore, at an offer
made by them of $40 piece, the Govern
ment making $4,000 by the transaction.
The agreement was made and the arms
sold to this firm after the conclusion of
peace between France and Germany. The
Secretary testified that he had no idea
l-Mhnt the firm wnntnd with thnso nr,.,.