Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-02-24
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Special Correspondence.

Special correspondence.
WAsHINGToN, D. g., Feb. 81, 1876.
A prominent Southern paper, in COM
menting ON the JEFF. Davis letter, Uses
the following language:
"The leader of The Republican party
rises in his place in Congress and charges
Mr., Davis with outrageous cruelty and
inhumanity to detenseless prisoners Of
war. If Mr.. Davis were guilty OF such
a crime he would be justly considered
infamous so long as his name could be
remembered. Yet because he does not
remain quiet under this accusation, and
allow his silence to be construed as ad-
mitting its truth, he is censured in the
harshest terms. And when he answers
his accuser and pronounces his state
ments false, proves his statements false,
Southern Democrats say his letter Is
entirely unralled for Out upon such
Southern Democrats they are too
polite to be entirely honest"
This demonstrates almost as clearly
as Davis letter did the incapacity of
Southern men to understand Northern
sentiment. 1t is not the effort OF Davis
10 clear himself from Speaker Blaine's
charges which astonishes and disgu5ts
both Democrats and Republicans at
the North, but his open reassertion of
doctrines upon which the South went
into rebellion and his defence Of rebel
lion itself. If he can show that he was
not guilty of unnecessary cruelty to
helpless prisoners of war, it is his duty
to do so, and without exception the
Republicans 0: the North would rejoice
i'm his vindication. But there is an
overwhelming majority of voters who
have already seen treason giorifled
longer than they care to. This is hat
they object to in Mr.. Davis letter.
BY the way, one phase of the State
rights question comes up for decision
shortly before the Supreme Court. Ii
is to be decided whether or not the
United States, by virtue of the right of
eminent domain, can appropriate for
use as sites for public buildings, land
within State. The case comes from
Ohio, where the cilcuit court held that
the right OF eminent domain was in the
United States. 1t is singular that no
record OF the exercise of this right Is
found. The decision will be looked for
with much interest.
On Tuesday, the House Appropria-
ton Committee reported unanimously
a reduction of the fertilization appr0p-
ration hill from 50, 800, 600, the depart
ment estimate, to S3l5, 900, and the bill
passeI the House. This Is reduction
indeed, and was unanimously concur
red in. In the Senate there VAS a lit
tie natural democratic quIbbling at the
pension appropriation bill, but it pass
ed. This i the bill making appropria-
ton to carry out existing laws. No
bill involving an increased expense for
pensions is expected to pass.
The trial OF General Babcock eXcites
much interest here, where that most
atfable and agreeable of all army and
navy officers has resided tor many
years. 1t il fair to say that while the
Generals duties here have kept him In
constant communication with all class
rs of people, he has made no enemies,
but many friends.
The cOnfederated democracy in Con
gress are having hard time on the,
finance question. They have appoint
ed caucus committee of thirteen.
whose duty it is made to report some
measure on which the party can be
united, but it will he impossible, for
neither the straight hard money nor
the full iledgcd inilationists will give
an inch.
The friends of the Texas and Pacific
railroad claim ii majority for that
it will pass. The committee is for 1t,
and many members think that the
passage of the bill would be good
financial measure, rs it would cause he
investment OF eighty millions Ofdollars
of foreign capital in the country, and
that it would put thousands of labor
ers and artisans to work. Should the
bill pass the House, there Is no doubt
of its success in the Senate.
The British Parliament proposes that |