Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-07-27
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
The Prospect-Put the Saddle on the Right
Horse Getting Hot, and the Thermometers
In the Nineties-Two more Appropriation
Bills Passed-The impeachment Trial Near
an End-The Heated Term.
WASHINGTON, D. c., July 20, 1876.

from all sections OF the Union, OF the
enthusiastic interest shown by the
friends of Hayes and Wheeler, in in
augurating campaign fraught with
results upon which the future pros
perity of tbs country must, in a
great measure depend. In the West
Republicans are organizing in the
election districts, with a determine
tion "to fight and win" In the
North and East the fires have been
kindled on the hill-tops, and sounds
of preparation are heard on every
side. Even the South, terrorized as
it is by Ku Klux and task.master,
shows signs of a resolve to contend
for the enjoyment of that freedom of
thought and action which was prom
ised as the result of long and
bloody war. On all sides the signs
look cheering, but it must be forgot
ten that "eternal uigilance Is the price
of liberty"
Democrats, in and out of Congress,
say that Republicans, just on the eve
of the elections, flaunt the "bloody
Shirt" and manufacture scenes of
slaughter and outrage in the South TO
excite popular indignation. But
what are the facts ? 1t is patent to
the whole country that the Demo
cratic political engineers in certain of
of the Southern States, on each an
nual return of elections, concoct and
execute system of prosecutions and
murders, having as an object the ter
rorizing of the colored voters of the
South, and the intimidation of the
colored Republicans, by which they
may either be kept from the polls, or
coerced into voting the Democratic
ticket.
1t is, with the Democratic mana
gers, very desirable that these Gin.
flictions" should be fresh, that they
may be potent in producing the de-
sired results This year we have the
Hamburg, S. @, massacre, with all
its inhuman cruelty. In Congress
the Democratic leaders are using
every effort to "squelch" debate, and
prevent injury in relation to this
fiendish butchery. But it will not
do. It is of the same old series of
of outrages, growing out of the over
thrown institution of human slavery,
supplemented by Ku-Kluxism in post
bellum times, and intended to prevent
the casting of the colored vote, as the
colored voter would wish, for the
Republican nominee. No, no; if
public attention is yearly directed to
violence and murders in the South, it
is because of the occasion being fur
nished by the actual commission of
them by Southern Democrats This
is the horse upon which the saddle
should be placed.
Bristling debates in the Senate and
the House took place yesterday.
Senators Merriman and Salisbury
boldly charged the Republican party
with fraud and mal-administratIon.
In reply, Senator Morton asked them
to name any good act done by the
Democratic party, within the last
twenty-five years. They were also
requested to show by what investiga,
ton in the House, it had been proven
that the Government had lost a single
dollar. Evasion, but no answer, came
from the Democratic side of the
Senate.
In the House the discussion was
equally lively. The iniquity of the
Hamburg massacre was wildly por-
trayed by Smalls, of South Carolina,
Garfield, of Ohio, and others. The
Democratic leaders were forced into
an acknowledgement of the enormity
of the outrage, but made vain efforts
to explain it away They were not
successful. They did not like to talk
about it, but demanded "to be let
alone" in the settlement of such
trifng affairs as the murder of few
unprotected negroes. How will it be
Will not the National Government
come to the rescue of the weak and
defenseless :? "'Tis q consumation
devoutly to be wished"
On yesterday the reports of the
Committee OF Conference on the
Army Appropriation Bill, and the
sundry Civil Appropriation Bill
were agreed to. BY the former the
Army is not reduced in number, but
the whole subject of recognizing the
Army is referred. to a special com
mission to be composed of two Sena-
tors, two Representatives, two army
officers and the Secretary of War
This commission is to make report tC
Congress at its melting in December
next.
The Sundry Civil Appropriated
Bill appropriates ten and one hal
millions less than last year. This
reduction will certainly necessitate
the passage of Deficiency Appro-
priation Bill at next session. The
change in the manner of selecting 6
Public Printer heretofore known as
Congressional Printer) is probably &
iudicious one. Hereafter that officer
will be appointed by the President.
by and with the advice and consent
of the Senate Formerly, he was
elected by and was recognized as ar
officer of the Senate.
The Senate conferecs were success
full in preventing the repeal of the
laws relating to elections. This is Of
great Importance, in view of the
frauds which have for years charac.
terized the elections in New York
City, and other places in which the
Democratic party has no control.
All the testimony in the trial Of
ex-Secretary of War, Belknap was
closed on yesterday. Three of the
managers on the part of the prosecu-
ton, and the three counsel for the de-
tense will now be heard. The ver-
dict will, no doubt, be rendered this
week, and it will then be realized how
insignificant the result requiring SO
much time and labor, as we'll as OBJ