The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1876-03-11
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENCE.
WAsHINGToN, D. c., March 8, 1876

WASHINGTON, D. c., March g. 1876.
DEAR WHIG:-The season having ended
in Lent, all the gay festivities are turned
to meditation, cards, quiet dinners and
prayers. The great event of the week in
the social world was the stepping down and
out of Secretary Belknap. A man more
to be pittied than abused. The event has
loosened all the tongues in Washington.
Gossip degenerates into scandal; while facts
heretofore ignored because it was impolIic
or impolte to mention them, are now as
common as influenza on the corners. And
so tongues wag, and so the world goes.
What an illustration of human nature in
pull backs and swallow tails, and the va
riety of human wishes beneath diamonds,
lace and fine linen. But yesterday and the
elegant parlors of the War Secretary were
crowded with sycophantic admirers. The
beautiful Mrs. Belknap stood in her stately
dignity, smiling on her hosts of friends.
A more lovely, graceful, gracious creature
never came to adorn the social circles of
our National Capital. And how they fol-
lowed, f1attered, sought and sued. An un-
ceasing roll of silken-lined carriages rumbled
along the street. 1t was favor to be
admitted, an honor to be recognized. To-
day the street is as deserted and silent as
cemetery. The Chief of Police or Sergeant
alarms alone enters the doors. Within,
shame and misery alone hold possession of
the elegant parlors. All is silent, save the
stitied cries of anguish from the once
courted but now abandoned mistress. The
rumors in regard to the unfortunate Ex-
Secretary of War and his misdeeds continue
to multiply, and seem at the present time
to be most fruitful and unwearying topic
of conversation. The seandal-mongers, not
content with the public disgrace into which
he has fallen, are attempting to blacken his
private character and enshroud his family
in deeper shame, humiliation and sorrow
than the cloud that now envelopes them;
while his unfortunate moral carcass is being
preyed upon by the buZzards of the Con-
federate and Copperhead Democracy
They hover over it with fendish delight
bred of beastly though natural fondness
for the stencil of corruption. They pounce
upon it and root through it again and
again with an apparently Unsuitable ap-
petite. 1t was expected that the Judiciary
Committee would present the articles of
Impeachment to- day, but informalities
which they discovered made it advisable
that they should take different course.
The fact was realized that they had no tes-
timony. Why Mr.. Clymer and the Demo
cratic members of the Committee have
determined to defeat justice by aiding and
abetting the escape of the man Marsh, is
beyond Republican comprehension, and the
Republicans of the House are determined
that the proper explanation shall be given,
or that Mr.. Clymer shall take the blame
that belongs to him and his committee.
There are multiplied weakenings on the
part of the House majority, and an evident
intention on their part to keep up the
excitement as long as possible fo- the ex-
press purpose of making capital for the
approaching campaign. There is an under
current to this great case which will soon
burst forth upon the public, carrying with
1t an astonishment and amazement at the
duplicity and insincerity of the Democratic
investigators, little dreamed of in the pres
ent rush of excitement