The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1874-01-23

duced bill into the House 10 place Tue
Jail Of the District Of Columbia In
charge Of Marshal Sharp, brotherin-
law Of the President. The Jail Is now
in charge Of Of warden, Gen. Croker,
against whom or whose management no
complaint has ever been made by his SUI
periors, his subordinates, his prisoners,
or the public. The Judges Of the su-
preme Court Of the District, who are
charged by the law with the supervision
Of the Jail and its officers, are all under
stood to approve its management.
Neither has General Crockcr been
charged with disloyalty to the Republic
can party, Of which he has ever been an
able adherent. But Grants brother.in-
law wants the law changed back so as to
give him as Marshal, supervision Of the
jail, and to enable him, by feeding the
prisoners, and making other OUTLAWS for
the institution, to add some $4,000 a
year more to the handsome income he
now gets. These perquisites sought by
Marshal Sharp, brother-in-law Of Presi-
dent Grant, were abolished by law some
years ago, at the modest salary Of $1,000
without perquisitcs, The warden does
not handle a cent Of the money expend-
ed for the support Of the Jail, and the
District saves the amount which Marshal
Sharp, President Grants brother-in.law
has been trying to grab, at every session
Of Congress, during the past four years,
by getting some lick-epittle senator or
representative to introduce bill
duce bill to fill his, Sharp's pockets, at
the expense Of the people of the District.
This time Hale, of New York, has I'M
dertaken the dirty work, in return for an
executive appointment which yielded
him several thousand dollars, as salary,
during the FIRST nine months Of his pres.
eHt term in Congress-he earning at the
same time his pay as representative at
the rate Of $500 a year. But SHARP
will fail now as before; and Hale will
have performed his dirty work in vain.
CONTINUATION OF THE vIRorSIUs IN.
CURRY.
The investigation concerning the loss
of this vessel was continued at the Navy
Department yesterday. 1t was shown
that there were two large holes in the
bow which admitted water freely; fact
which seems to confirm the suspicion
that she may have been scuttled to pre-.
vent her delivery to the Spanish author.
tiles, upon proof that she was engaged
in carrying contraband Of war to the
Cuban insurgents.
There is really no difference in princi-
pie, in cases Of this kind,
whether the state Of belligerency was re.
cognized or not. The offence charged
against the Virginius was both interna'
tional and municipal. If it had been
the former only. it was the duty of the
United States to have either prevented
her proceeding on her voyage or to have
arrested her therein. That duty was moi
fulfilled. Hence, the Spanish authorities
at Cuba were compelled to take cogni-
zance of the acts of the insurgent vessel;
for it cannot be supposed that Spain was
bound to endure quietly the consequence
es of the neglect Of the United States to
enforce international law; and it is diff
cult to see why the right to enforce her
own municipal law upon which she was
obliged to rely for safety, should be de-
MED to Spain, as it is to discover what
other power, under the Circumstances,
could have so efectually repressed the
expedition.
1t is little wonder, then, that in antic-
ipation of decree from an international
tribunal for the re-surrender Of the Vir-
ginius to Spain, super-zealous patriots
may have scuttled the ill-fated ship, in
order to avert prospective national hu-
initiation. The inquiry into the cause Of
her loss, however, will be continued on
the 18th inst, and the Judge advocate
will then make up the record.
A. F. b.