Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1876-06-08
Our Washington Letter.


WAsIIINGTON,D.C., June 3, '76.
Hot weather has commenced
in good earnest, and if we may
judge by the past what we are
TO expect in the future, we may
make up our minds either to be
melted or burnt into cinders in
July and August, they having
ever been considered in this To-
cality the hottest months Of the
year. It is a remarkable fact,
that Notwithstanding our broad
and airy streets and elevated
location, the mercury has indi-
Gated by several degrees war
mer temperature here than it
has ever done in New Orleans.
This is decoration day for those
who fell in obedience to their
sense Of right son the other
side," and a pleasing feature in
the observance Of the occasion
is the presence of quite a large
number Of Massachusetts sol
dicrs, who have courteously prof
fered their services to assist in
decorating the graves Of the
Confederate dead at Arlington.
There will be no speech, only
religious services and decora-
ton Of the graves. The prom
inent topic is the Blaine inves-
tigation, and as the case now
stands it looks bad not only for
Mr.. Blaine's prospects for the
Presidential nomination, but
has cast a stain upon his hither-
to unblemished reputation as a
high-minded and honorable gen.
tleman. What the result of
the investigation may be, time
alone can determine. The pres
ent status of the case is this,
two gentlemen, Messrs. Fisher
and Mulligan,the latter atpresent
Treasurer of the Globe Theatre
in Boston, having been sum-
moned before the Committee
on the Judiciary now investi-
eating Mr.. Blaine's connection
with the Fort Smith and Little
Rock Railroad bond matter, had
in their possession some fifteen
letters of Mr.. Blaine's to Mr..
Fisher, who was at the time
they were written, the proprie-
tor Of a large sugar refinery in
Boston Mulligan being his
chief bookkeeper and having
with Fishers consent tie let
ters in his possession. These
letters, it seems if exposed,
would be very damaging to Mr.,
Blaine, not only in relation to
the matter now under investi-
CATION, but bearing very unfa-
vorably in reference to the Spen-
Ger Rifle contracts. Mr.. Blaine
learning that these gentlemen
were in town, called upon them
at the Riggs House, where they
were staying and after some in
formal conversation, asked for
the letters. Mulligan said he
would permit MIR. Blaine to
read them if he would promise
to return them to him immedi-
ately. This Mr.. b. promised,
and after having read them he
urged Mr.. Mulligan to permit
him to retain them, using every
argument he could think Of.
This Mulligan positively re-
fused to do. MI. Blaine then
asked to be permitted to read
the letters again and having
got them into his possession re-
fused to give them up. Mr..
Mulli9an reported the facts to
the Committee, and on it's as
semblin9 Yesterday morning
Mr.. Hunton, the chairman, re-
newed the request that the let
tiers taken from the witness
Mulligan by Mr.. Blaine be pro-
duced. Mr.. Blaine replied that
when first asked by the Com
mittee to produce the letters he
had said before doing so he
would consult counsel, and in
full filment Of that promise he
had consulted Messrs. Jere
Black and Matt Ii. Carpenter,
who had advised him not to pro-
duce the letters, Oh the ground
that to compel him to do so
would be unjust and tyrannical.
They also hold after reading she
letters Fifteen in alp that they
have no relevancy to the ques-
ton at issue. After Mr.. Blaine
had refused to produce the let
tiers, Mulligan was questioned
concerning the one in which he
says that Mr.. Blaine acknowl-
edged the $4,000 transaction.
He proceeded to tell all he knew
about it. The Senate has an
nounced its decision in the