Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-04-27
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON d. c., April y, 1876.

Inc appearance or J0nn j. DaVen'
port before the House Committee on
Expenditures in the Department OF
Justice yesterday, effectually siienced
and badly demOralized class of scan
dal-mOnger5 and sensational newspaper
men making this city their headquar-
ters. Tho testimony of eX-Attorney
General Williams was caught up, gar
bled to suit their vile purposes, and
then scattered broadcast by telegraph
in every direction. The substance OF
the startling Developments yarn sent
out by these ver.ciOuS newS-gatherers
last Wednesday evening was to the ef-
feet that President Grant had been con-
victed of malfeasance in Office on the
testimony of Williams, as given that
day, before the committee-but his tes-
timony was susceptible of no such con-
lstruction; on the contrary, his state
ments and those of Davenport made
yesterday all go to show that the mony
that was sent to New York by direc-
tion of the President was money ap-
propriated by act of Congress for the
purpose for which it was used, to wit:
to insure fair election in New York
City, where ballot-box stuffing and re-
peating had always been the rule un-
der Democratic auspices. But by the
energetic action of MIR. Davenport as
chief supervisor of elections for the
southern district of New York, many
of the frauds by which the Democrats
formerly rolled up such tremendous
majorities in that city are rendered
impossible; and it was to pay the me-
cessary expenses incurred in perfect
ing his admirable system of registra-
tion so fatal to illegal voting, that the
money in question was used; and if
the methods adopted by Mr.. Davenport
have been one half as efficacious in Sc
curing fair elections in that city as the
results seem to indicate, the Govern
ment never made better investment
in the interests of morality, law and
order. Tucker has put his foot in it.
again to the infinite disgust and dis
may of the few Democrats here who
have sufficient amount of political sa-
gacity to know that an attempt to res
urect any of the lost cause heresies,
which cost half million lives and
many millions of money to bury, will
bring down on the party guilty of such
a sacrilegiOus work, the crushing indig-
nation and righteous wrath of the 10y
al masses OF this country, and the con-
demnation and detestation of the in
telligent and liberty-lOving people of
every nation under the sun.
During the discussion in the House
over the adoption of the minority re-
port of the Judiciary Committee in the
Hallett Kilbourn case, this representa-
tive of the old school gentleman of
Virginia was much annoyed by Mr..
Blaine's pertinacity in asking ques-
tiens; and finally after being led into
an ambush by that gentleman, he de-
family admitted that he did, while At
torney General of Virginia, just prior
to the war, make a decision which vir-
tually authorized any local or State Of
ticer to search any mail matter brought
within the limits of the old Domin-
ion' for 'incendiary documents like
the n. Y. Tribune, Uncle Toms Cabin,
or the Impending Crisis, and to sup
press them when found. He farther de-
clared that he was willing to stand by
that decision to his dyingFday, which
avOwal OF constancy was heartily ap-
plauded by most of his ex-Confederate
and COpperhead associates. Now a
more outspoken reputation of all the
results of our late war-One that even
Toombs or jeff. Davis would not blush
to acknowledge as their own-has not
found expression for some years. Ben
Hill couldn't do better il he were tOI
give free expression to the prompt
ings of his Southern heart.
The Committee on Expenditures of
the War Department, are still taking
the testimony of post.traders, although
nothing very startling or of much util-
ity from partizan point of view ap-
pears to have been obtained to reward
their diligence.
The chivalrous Don 'Piatt, whoseI
well-known sentiments of contempt for
all classes of subsidy takers, appears to
have fallen a victim to the blandish-
ments of moth externinator; consid-
GRAFTON, fifteen per cent of the profits.
Mr.. Smith, the Journal Clerk of the
House, who was indiscreet enough to !
send out circulars soliciting the patron
age of ex-soldiers who were to received
Il bounty under tho bill now before the
House awaiting its action, grew sick
and disgusted with the sedentary sur
and resigned. He had been
previously Investigated. Another high
toned and virtu0us officer of the House,
Horace Br0ughton, Clerk tothe Mill
Iary Committee, apl ears to have been
afflicted with some evil or 'crooked'1
spirit. 1t need not surprise you to
earn that he has followed the foot
'teps of J. Wilkes Booth Hambleton's Il