Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1876-07-20
Correspondence.
Letters from Washington.

Doubts were expressed by many, army Off
GERS at the War Department. relstive 10 the re-
liability of the scout who first brought inteli-
gence OF the massacre OF Custer and his CON.
mand; but 'aier dispatches have disslpated
them and make it appear that the actual reality
is more terrible than at first stated. The al
most annihiation Of theforce Is incomprehensi T.
bic to oid fndisu fighters here, anf r. shrowiei
in a mystery that will probably never he clearly
solved
The military authorities. one'snd all .simte Ia
giving General Custer character unsurpassed
for courage. and are quite Sc unanimous In the
belief that the disaster was the result OF reck-
less attack upon = merciless enemy. having ev-
cry advantage in point OF numbers and posi-.
tion.wi,h the infantry support, ff,y miles in the
rear. Estimates of Sitting Bulls force range all
the way from GOA TO 10000. The authorities
apprehend that this Indian victory will induce
many heret ofore neutral Indians TO join the
standard ofthe revolted tribes aud make their
sahiugation much more formidable task. and
it has also strengthened the party in Congress
fsvorng a transfer of Indian affairs to the War
Department.
The Belknap impeachment trial attracts very
"" aiitttoHat VENUS 10 the "ntie galleries,
and is very little discussed by the public here.
The House managers appear 10 have the matter
well in hand aud have made rapid progress In
accommodating evidence of the ex-Secre,ary's
guilt Of the misdemeanors with which he is
charged. At first the counsel for the defense
manifested a.most AN ind ference 10 the pro-
ceedings, but yesterday Mr.. Carpenter seemed
To awake from his obivio lsness and actively
participated In the examination of Witnesses
II /, believed that tic trial will be pushed to
verdict before final adjournment. Secretary
Morrill, yesterday entered upon the duties Of
his new position A. Secretary OF the Treasury;
but before leaving the Senate he delivered a
very convincing speech, charging tina, the course
OF the House majority relative to tackng new
legislation to the appropriation bills and insist.
ing upon it, adoption hy the Scnstc a. a condi-
ton TO the granting OF money for the admins
fralion Of the Goyernmcn,,ha- been re, olution-
AIRY. and that is proprcty once admitted 10y
ID" Scuale would he Sirtu1i abolition Of a CO.
ordinate branch u the Government. n had
marked effect on every one who heard 1. Itis
confidently predicted That compromise will
have been rncc,cd by the close OF Monday,
appropriation bill. anj that all the other bill.
now In ,hSpuis befuTe Conference Committees
would h. rapidly disposed 4 and the business
Of the session completed. The Pacific railroad
lobby which has p"rsistontly and successfully
resisted every effort made to obligc that re
mor-cic.s MONOPOLY 10 come up to the terms Of
it, agreement when the Government subsidy
wa. granted. and to repay it for the money aid
extended, out Of it, enormous revenues. suffer
81 fatal defeat yesterday by the passage Of
Mr.. Lawrence, bill requiring the Pacific rail-
road 10 establish sinking fund. lie CLaw-
renee declared It's passage would ave to the
Gosernmen, sl5ocOO.oOo. the amount to be-
come due TO IT in ISIS. when the su.ily bond.
mature. The vote on the passage OF the bill
was 10 yeas to 9 nays. Members evidently
shrinking from putting themselves on record in
opposition to the sentiment Of the country
against special privileges TO hcAdIc-. corpora
tions or individual ,xtortioners
Senator Logan yesterday gave notice that he
would. II possible, call up the bounty bill re-
emily passed by the House and favorably re-
ported by the Senate military committee few
dsy, since, TO day. The House. on the 9Th, Re-
fused 10 pay the claims Of insurance companie.
under The Geneva award. Much excitement
and also 4 good dea, OF bad blood between the
"hards" and "soils' in the pemnc ratio House
la. been oncasi1ned by the refusal Of Mr.. Cab
son Of Louisiana. and Mr.. Wikc Of illinois, Dem
ocrAiic members OF the House Banking and
Currency Committee, 10 unite with their polit-
cal associates on that committee in demanding
the report Of The resumption act, At the dieta-
tiun oil the i. Louis convention. Much pres
surc will be brought 10 bear on these two obiu
rate Democrats, AS il j. The intention TO attempt
lts'rrpeal next Monday or Tuesday III gra-
orally understood that Hendricks acrctli1n (.
contingent upon is repeal. or. at least. upon
AN earnest effort in that direction But it lsa
question pregnent with many ugly possibilities
aud threatens disruption Of the unstable COM
promise Of the II. Loui. Convention.
The murder mania tbs; came in with our
Centennial Fourth, counts four victims That
lat discovered, the murder OF an old coiored
man by his wife. il unusually shocking 10 II.
details. II Is onjeciurcl That the old man wa.
hr-t knocked on the head by = Ratchet and
then his head. arms AN! i.S, ware chopped of
and he nutiiated remains concealed in an ash
heap. where they were found partially decom-
posed from the hrat 81 the weather and the
lime thrown on II TO hasten decomposion.
LOGAN.