Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-08-14
LETTER IRON WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, d. c., August 9, Isl

Ill 4 Il
! WASHINGTON, d. c., August 9, 1876.
/ To the Editor Of tie Kenaebec Journal
Since last wrote July has passed and August
is here, and still Congress continues its sessions
with much speculation as to its final adjournment,
and no little anxiety on the part of the members
who desire to take part in the general canvass.
The Impeachment closed with acquittal, as many
supposed it might, leaving General Belknsp in
the lands of wise and just public opinion fully
informed by the evidence and untrammeled by
any technical plea as to "want of jurisdiction.
| The country as well as the immediate actors will
not regret that the trial is over. Had the Ex-Sec
retory been guilty by confession, of all or more
than charged private citizen, he was
powerless for further evil, and in days when
! Economy and Reform are so often paraded, the
cost of such trial in time and money, seems
hardly to have been such as careful men will con-
slider justifable. 1t is very wise, no doubt, to
search out and punish crime, and polite measure
the part of any party out Of power investigate
the actions of their opponents, to see that no
money is unjustly appropriated. or unwisely spent,
yet it requires in such cases lest honest search
for faults loses all semblance of justice in the bit
terness of personal and partizan malice, and the
use of the public money to drag backward and
forward net of investigation where nothing is to
be found, even greater waste than the very
faults they were seeking to remedy, even if they
existed as presumed. On this rock the democra
cy of the House, the present session have split,
for already the naval investigation that has been
greatly trumpcted likely to produce great re-
suits spun out by visits to the different navy yards,
its records swollen to thousands of closely printed
pages, the points adverse to the Secretary of the
Navy sprung on him with little or no notice, has
finally changed so that like the weaver in the
play, who as a lion could "roar SO as to do your
heart good" they now satisfied from lack OF
evidences of guilt to "roar as gently as sucking
dove and extend the time in substance with an
| other committee, in hope to meet better success.
The investigation as to the government Insane
Hospital, filling more than four hundred pages
closely printed, has exonerated the surgeon main
", and with other committees the results have
been much the same. So the work goes on and
the country pays the expenses, which are neither
few nor small, and the people are supposed to be
lulled by the cry Of "Retrenchment and Reform.
When the ''Rver and Harbor bill, which contains
the appropriations for public works, as the title
indicates and where was real chance for re-
trenchment, came in, it was plain that even the
dislike to swell the amounts was not enough to
control the wish OF men who had the power to Sc
cure job III their section and cause them to see
that the knife could wisely be applied to their own
pet measure. So even party necessity did not con-
troll the House majority, and it came to the Senate
in such shape as to show by means of a thorough
sitting at the hands Of the republican Senate
how hollow the cry and profession of Reform as
special attribute of democratic house.
What would be the effect of real reduction of
appropriations below the needs Of the government
is not vet seen fully, though the injury in the
Mail Service alone by the stopping of the fast
mail has been so greatly felt in the business
centres of the country that the proposition is now
being considered to make special appropriation
for this purpose. In other departments the same
pressure will be felt. The Revenue Service
crippled, and the confederate records unexamincd
are common illustrations; while in nearly all,
/ much of the work must be delayed till Deficiency
Bills can be passed to complete the work of the
year.
| As no appropriation can only be used in &C.
cordancc with law, and all such as are unused
90 back to the Treasury at the end of the year,
it would seem too transparent sham for party
capital even to appropriate less than is needed
now, leaving necessities that must be met at the
next session, because then the election will be
past.
The Hamburg massacre i, gloomy common
tary on the philosophical and brilliant argument
of Lamar, who will also meet the report OF the
Congressional Committee who have visited Mis-
sissippi and know how elections are carried.
On motion to print additional copies Of an
official document containing the letters and evil
dence in the Hamburg case, in the Senate, much
earnest argument has been made, and the issues
Ringing upon this class of matters have been sharply
discussed. While write, Senator Patterson OF
South Carolina is speaking; and how long the
debate will continue, is one of the things like the
time of the coming adjournment of Congress, that
"no teller can find out" So far, however, the
Republicans have no cause to regret its con-
| tinuance.
The cool weather that has favored US lately has
set in motion the tide of travel that had well nigh
ceased and the halls and galleries at the Capitol
are full with strange faces, many of them for the
first time at this place, and highly interested
spectators. Among the local attractions, the
Germans are celebrating tnclf annual ocnutAen'
Fest, where they crown King of the Society
who wins his place by good Workmanship, and is
liable to lose ii next year if he is not the best shot
Banquets. literary exercises, &C., in park owned
by the society, and decorated admirably with flags
and strcamers and Chinese lanterns in the even
ing; dancing, singing, gymnastic exercises in
other buildings, and plenty Of lager beer make
it most enjoyable to the German people Excellent
order prevails, and the utmost good nature APP
pears on every hand. Among other things quite
noticeable was bust of Baron Steuben, who was
quite famous in our Revolution as drill-mastei
of the continental troops, and it is said first ex
pressed satisfaction at the result OF drill when
Stony Point was carried by bayonet charge
under direction of General Wayne. This with
the union of German and American flags in the
decorations speaks as plain as words of the real
regard of the German population for our country,
of which especially in the centre and west they
are becoming so considerable part and taking
place among the most worthy citizens.