South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1876-05-19
Cur Warrington Letter.
wAsnINoroN. d. c.. May II. 1876.


Editor lnfeiligesce1 :-GRANr's CES.
rENNiAL SPEECn.--People have fire.
quently expressed the belief, whenever
our soldier President has issued State
papers, that they were written for him
ey como OF HE Cabinet officers When
he delivered the longest speech of his
life-thc one read BY him at the Sol.
diers" Convention at Des Moines-it
was generally believed that it's real AN.
thor was Bishop Simpson, OF the Meth
odist Episcopal Church. Be this AS II
may. there is no doubling the authorship
Of his little 6vc and ten linc speeches
made In response 70 serenades, and the
addresses Of Mayors and other officials
on his various junketing tours about the
country. These are Enthusiastically hi.
own; for there is an awkwardness OF
diction and bold defiance of the rules
governing the construction or the
Queens English marking them all Of
which none OF his constitutional advisers,
except, perhaps, old Zach. Chandler.
could possibly be guilty. On par with
these was ais speech ut the opening OF
the Centennial Exhibition on .Wedncs.
day last. It's a model OF awkwardness.
Nevertheless, tie assembled thousands,
including the Brazilian Emperor. threw
mp their hats and shouted long and loud
over tho Presidents ungrammatical ut.
tcrances. 1t is safe to say that no one
but the man who endcavorcd TO iisprove
the proposition, "Thc pen is mighticr
than tho sword" will ever claim the au.
thorship OF the Presidents Centennial
address.
CONGRESS oUTwITTED ny MURTAGu.
Nlurtagh, the proprietor OF the Nation
al Republican, the ''home organ" Of the
Administration, by the exercise of the
shrewdness he confessedly possessed in
securing government pap to keep his
fulsome sheet in existence, has. Mt last,
secured the printing Of the District tax
list. although it was evidently the inten.
ton Of Congress to have the work done
ut the Government Printing Office. A
bill directing il to be done there passed
the House last week but.unfortunately,
did not reach the Senate in. time for nc.
ton before Congress adjourned to ut.
tend the Centennial. Fortunately for
MurtaSli. however, he was already in
possession Of the copy" The con-
tract having previously been awarded
him by the District Commissioners, and.
knowing that tile Senate would concur
in the action of the House. he at once
set at work large force Of extra en-
ployecs i and the result Is that the tax
list was printed and sent out with the
Reptblioa, for tho frs. time OIL the 10th
inst. There will now. Of course, he no
necessity for further action on the House
bill, rs the printing OF the list is an ac-
complished fact. Mr.. Murtagh will con.
scanently come in for the nice little sum
OF $40, 900 or thereabonts from tic Dis
trict cxchequer. Last'year he charge
100000 for doing the same work. but
received only $4,000. lie there,rpon
brought suit to recover the remaining
$4,000, claiming that $50. 600 did not
compensate him for the job. This year
he was anxious to do the same work for
$4,000, and will undoubtedly make -
handsome profit, even ut that figure. j
omitted to say that, in such hot haste
was Murtagli to complete the printing of
the list before the Senate could act upon
the House bill, that in his paper on the
10Th inst, lie boasts OF his enterprise,
and states that so continuously did the
compositors work that some of them
dropped from their frames, simply cx-
hausted from fatigue Congress was
certainly outwit.ed by the Organ Grin
der this time.
POLITICAL.
General Bntler has boon interviewed
on the subject Of the Republican nomi-
nation for the Presidency and expresses
himself favorable to Morton.irst and
Conkling second, and believes the chan
ccs OF the former better for tho nomin-
nation than those or any other candi-
dates yet spoken of. lie fears that the
state Of Morton's health may be an i'm.
pediment, but that this should only render
the convention more careful in selecting
the Vice President. He thinks Conk-
ling would certainly carry New York a
consideration which in the present state
Of parties gives his name great weight.
| There is an apparent harmony between
the supporters OF these two aspirants
which BODIES no good to Blaine. who
leads the race so far, In the delegations
elected. 1t is evident that he will bc
the object of continued attack from the
| Morton and Conkling forces, who will
unite with all other opposing elements TO
beat him. Butler thinks the nominee
will be Morton, Conkling. or the great
| Unknown. lie does not regard the
( chances of either OF the other Republic.
can candidates now 40 prominently spo.
ken OF as worthy OF consideration.
BLAINE N THE MARYLAND CONVENTION
The Maryland Republicans. who man.
! age to DC always engaged ia little frac.
tional quarrels, or struggles Of tho outs
against the Gins" appears to have limi.
ted their choice to Blaine ahd Brisiow
ms double team at their late election OF
! delegates TO the State Convention -
There was no ayowed difference ofopin.
/ ion, and yet :hc strife was ~ little for
leadership rs at any period ia thc liisto
/ ~ Of the party, the records OF aspirants
( being overhauled without mercy and
] R,tssl.