The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-03-15
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENCE.
WASHINGTON,
Mar. 2, 1876.
EDITOR DEMOCRAT

WASHINGTON,
Mar. 2, 1876
EDITOR DEMOCRAT
GRANT AND BELKNAP.
The startling and disgraceful facts
revealed to the House Of Representa-
tives by the Committee on Expendi-
lures of the War Department will
shake the credulity Of the American
people, from centre to circumference,
and open their eyes to thetruth Of the
charges heretofore made against the
Republican Party by the Democracy.
1t is fearful indictment of the Ad-
ministration. 1t does seem hard,
however, that Belknap should be so
summarily dealt with for only taking
$4,000 for an outpost Office" while
Grant was quietly permitted to take
100000 from A. T. Stewart, Of New
York, to make him Secretary of the
Treasury for forty-eight hours.
Then, again, it is strange that the
President can appoint member of
his own family to the lucrative posi-
tian Of chief sutler, to the exclusion
of all old hands ON the frontier, and
that no articles of impeachment are
presented to the House; and, allow
his son, while an officer in the regular
army, to advertise himself as part
ner of firm of brokers in Washing
ton, as he has been doing for nearly
q year, and is doing n0aU. Is there
not nerve enough in Congress to call
the President to account2 The fact
is that the acceptance Of Relknap's
resignation by Grant, after he knew
the grave and serious charges against
him, is unprecedented in character,
and reckless disregard Of the laws
of the country and the rights of the
people. 1t is plain thai Grants in
tention was to screen Belknap in his
guilt, and shield him from the strong
arm Of the law, which, without doubt,
places the President, himself, in the
attitude Of a conspirator, Or, at least,
as an accessory after the fact His
case is plainly one for Investigation;
and no time should he lost in the pre-
misses; as no man under our Govern
ment is too big to be made an exam
pie of. To
HESTER CLYMER OF. PENNSYLVANIA
is due the merit Of giving the death
blow to the Republican Party, by ex-
posing the rascality Of Belknap. 1t
will not, therefore, be uninteresting
to your subscribers, or uninstructive
to young men who hope to win their
way to honorable fame and honestly
acquired fortune, to read the follow
ing brief biography Of this sterling
democrat:
Hester Clvmer, of Reading, was born
in Ca.rnarvon township, Berks Coun-
ty, November 3, 1927; received his pri-
mary education in the schools of Read
ling, and graduated at Princeton Col
lege, New jersey. in 1s4T; stu lied law,
and VAS admitted to the bar in Berks
Comfy, in 1919; pursued his profession
in -hat County until the au'umn OF
1851, Y!.sn he removed to louisville
Schnylki.l County, and there pract.ccd
nn!l 1865, when lie returned TO Read.
i idg, end snon acquired al extensive
practi"e. In January, 1869, b. appoint
ment of tsi' Judges Of the Conrt OF
Homnon Pleas, he represented Borks
t'opnty in tie Board of Revenue Com
missioners Of tic State, aud, in the
same year. he represented his District
: in the National Democratic Convention
which held its sessions at Charleston
and Baltimore. He was a member of
. the State Senate of Pennsylvania from
October, 1860, until he resigned when
nominated in Ma CHI, 1866, as Democra-
tic candidate for Governor of Pennsyl-
vania; in 1868 he again represented his
District in the National Democratic
, Convention which met at New York.
In lS70he was appointed by Governor
Geary member of the State Board Of
Public Charities; visited Europe iii
, 1S70-'7l; was President of the Demo-
cratic State Convention which met at
Reading in May, 1872; was elected to
the Forty-third Congress, and was
reelected to the Forty-fourth Congress
, as a Democrat, receiving 1858 votes
against 535S votes for Mcknight, Re-
publican.
7 WHAT Is THE PARAMOUNT ISSUE OF THE
COMING STRUGGLE?
Manifestly, Honest Administration
In getting this, we get all-without
itNoTH1NG. Honesty of .Administra
( ton involves the turning out of dis
f honest agents, the looping off of ex'
, cessive expenditures, the reduction
of the army and navy to a peace stan
| dard, peace with the Indians by ad
! herence to our treaty obligations
q prosperity in the South by allowin!
: the people to govern themselves
! Honesty of Administration involve
i. the breaking up of all corrupt ring
f which have plundered the peopl
S through the District government, tn
Y Internal and External Revenues, tn