The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1876-04-01
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, d. c., |
March &c, 1876.
Editor Nall :

of the Republican papers here has
/ changed regarding the Belknap
matter, and there is Il strong dispo-
sition manifested to stand by Belll
nap and defend him, making Marsh
the scapegoat. SO long as Marsh
was safe in Canada, thy professcd
to be very angry with the Commit
tee for letting him go, thus losing
the only witness who could convict
the cx-Secrctary and argued that
the prosecution must therefore stop
In other words, Belknap could
neither be impcached nor convicted.
But the Judiciary Committee of the
House demanded tat the President
should proc;,rc the return of Marsh
by granting him immunity from
prosecution, and Grant was forced
10 comply, or stand convicted be-
fore the country of desiring to shield
Bclknap from criminal prosecution,
rs he has already attempted to
shield him ircm Impeachment.
As soon us was learned that Marsh
was really coming back, the tune was
suddenly changed, and the Nation
al Republican, the Whita House or
gan, asserted that Belknap's coun-
sci was very anxious for Marsh to
be secured, as they could, by his
testimony, prove Bolknap's into
ccncc. They will probably next
accuse J. Proctor Knott of procur-
ing the return of Marsh for the pur-
pose of securing the acquittal of
Belknap; just as they have accused
Hester CIymer of sending him
away for the Same purpose. just
now, they arc abusing Marsh very
soundly, and speaking of Bclknap
as a victim, VINO has been made by
a combination of circumstances and
the perfiiy of false friends, Qikc
Marsh), 10 appear to be guilty OF
crime of which he is really limo
cent. Forgetting that Belknap
went before the Committee and con
fessed his guilt, they assert that he
was condemned without a hearing.
This sounds natural, and gives evil
dc..,c OF returning confidence. the
tact is, the administrators. party
were so demoralized by tho unac
countablo weakness of Belknap in
acknowledging his crime, and the
startling fact that one of the ":sang"
had refused to perjure himself, that
they were thrown off their guard
| They were all right now though,
and prepared 10 swear that Marsh
is william, and Belknap his inno-
cent victim. Besides,
GRANT AND BELNNAp
are really in the samc boat for if it
was wrong for BelkLap to let his
wife know what appointments she
might sell, il WAS equally wrong
| for Grant IT, give his brother, Awful
| Grant, sim..ur Information tor The
same purposes. We have no evil
dencc that Grant got any of the
money his brother received but
we do know that ne used his high
position to obtain information
which he sent privately to his
brother, as to what places were TO
DO made vacant, in order that his
brother might sell the positions, and
that the persons from whom his
brother obtained money were af-
forwards appointed. 1t may be
! that more direct evidence would be
required in court of law but it's
a pretty strong case morally as II
stands, and men have been convict
| ed oncircumstantial evidence less
| conclusive.
| THE PRESS
is going to exert mighty and I'M
precedcntcd influence in the APP
preaching campaign-af fact that the
nominating conventions, and polIti
| clans generally, will do well to
make IL note OF. The number Of
newspapers entirely untrammclled
by party ties has been rapidly in
crcasing from year to year; as has
also been the number of papers still
popularity known as republican or
democratic papers, but which do
not hesitate, on what they concciv,
to be proper occasions, to pitch in
to the leaders and repudlatc the
measures of their respective parties,
ncnts. These independent and semi
Independent papers, of which there
are some two thousand, daily and
weekly, in the United States will
certainly throw their influence in
favor of the best man. Of course, a
few may be bought up; but by far
the larger number will act on their
respective convictions. Another
important fact to be considered
by politicians is that these papers
are supported by constituency
without who SC aid they could not
live, and whose views, therefore, it
is reasonable to suppose they re-
fleet, to a very great extent. Here
in Washington, are to be seen, ev
cry day, men from all parts of the
Union, who express, substantially,
the opinion that their respective dis
tric.s will give ma ority for the
from the North, South, East and
West, who have been democrats all
their lives, affirm that they would
rather vote for Abraham Lincoln, if
he were alive now, because of his
unquestioned personal integrity,
than for lifelong democrat; of con
cedcd ability of the highest order,
but of doubtful or even unascertain-
ed honesty. Nor will vacillating,
,nltti.ian who Il.
Watching, suit the democracy in its
present temper. On the other hand
you hear republicans who prayed,
in 1868, for Andrew Johnson's con-
viction, and, occasionally, even one
who, as Il Congressman ut that time,
voted for his Impeachment, affirm
that if johnson were alive now, and
nominated by the democratic CON
vention, they would rather vote for
him, because of his deserved repu-