Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1874-05-21
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

w NASHINGTON, IL. u, May 10, IOtt.
From Special Correspondent of the Chronicle.
EDITOR BELMONT CHRoNICLE-AI
few years since we we're burdened with
a debt of three billions of dollars, and
had, as our only currency and medi- |
um of exchange, so-called paper mon
ey rating with gold as $50 to 100. But
we have reduced our debt nearly or
quite billion, and have eapproximated
the gold and paper us los TO 1G0. Du-
ring the late panic there was In one
sense no nOappreciable difference between
the two, since both were equally
boarded and possessed of equal cOnfi-
dence on the part of the holder. 1t
Was natural to conclude that the same
national policy which hal reduced
our debt such an enormous extent, ana
gave US currency as valuable as the
precious metals virtually, would not
be interfered with, and would be con-
tinued until no actual difference would
be found between our paper and our
gold. The Presidents most commen-
dable veto indicates how nearly We
drifted into the unwise course OF ln1a-1
ton and expansion. But this weeks
action of the Senate, which will be sus-
tained by the House, shows clearly
that our Legislators have determined
to abandon the course of the past sew
en- years, and reopen the flood of pa
per upon the country. We, who dep
recate such most iljudicious policy, are
utterly at sea in conjecture as to the
cause or reason of all this. Party lines
are wholly ignored, for Democrat and
Republican alike join in desire for
more paper and irredeemable currency,
and nothing but the interposition of a
presidential veto will enable us to reach
specie payments within the next twen-
ty years. Mr.. Sherman's compromise
bill was shorn of all its conservative
provisions by numerous amendments.
Mr.. Conklin's amendment to with
draw currency from the East and send
West and South was rejected, and the
real spirit of the Senate under the lead
of Morton and Logan, is for Unlimited
expansion and pOstponemept forever
of resumption of specie payments.
The Presidents support OF Baxter as
IGovernor of Arkansas, summarlly dis
poses of that serious problem. Brooks
at once acquiesced by disbanding his
troops and surrendering the State
House to Baxter. 1t is difficult to per-
ceive how else the President conld
have acted. Brooks snap judgment,
taken in a court which assumed an
warranted jurisdiction, certainly did
mot authorize him to eject Baxter ifl-
mediately by force of arms, and the
Attorney General well puts the case
in saying that if such course be suS-
tanned by the General Government no
lState in the Union would be safe from
!, scenes of riot and blOodshed at the
|, hands of contestants. Arkansas needs
peace, for she, with other States in the
Mississippi Valley has suffered terribly
Through such malcontents as Brooks,
and now that her Executive can have
full opportunity to second and enforce
proper laws for protection of property
and life, and for building up her many
valuable material interests. We who
know her needs earnestly trust she
Imay now rid herself of her many
plaques.
Gen. o. o. Howard has been acquit-
ted by the Court of Inquiry which has
been trying him for alleged malfeas-
! ance in Office as Commissioner OF
Freedman's Bureau. To those who
know him as / do, to be man who
would be guilty of no wilful wrong and
whose only aim1 has been to do right,
the charge that he is responsible tor the
derelictiOns of his subordinates is as
prepusterous as that Gen. Grant is a
thief because some Indian Agent rob
bed not only Indians, but the General
IGovernment.
One j. Blickensderfer, Jr., of Ohio,
is lending his mite towards throwing
mud at our city authorities in the Dis,
trict Investigation. He has measured
some Of the squares and streetS-nOt
five per cent of the whole-and though
: the errors he claims to have found have
satisfactorily been accounted for, and
fully explained, yet he argues that the
, whole system of measurements is
wrong, and his statements will be duly
: cited as showing that we have most
corrupt city government. We are
thankful the Investigation is drawing
near to an end. Nothing criminal has
been discovered. But the subject de-
sired by the memorialists of crushing
our credit has been thoroughly accom-
pliShed. l..