Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1876-08-21
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, August s. 1876.
Special Correspondence.

been added this morning the report of
the Senate Committee, especially appoint
ed under recollection Of March 81 last,
to investigate aud report upon the last
Mississippi election. The report of this
committee submitted to the Senate yes
terday, discloses, to use the mildest
terms that can be applied in the premis-
es. most shocking and disgraceful state
of affairs, and one that impearatively
| demands that the strong hand Of the
general government should interpose to
protect its citizens in right guaranteed
by the Constitution. The testimony
taken will fully support the allegation
that force, fraud, and intimidation were
generally and successfully resorted to to
carry the election of 1876. But before
proceeding to detailed statement of the
facts and conclusions sustained and war
ranted by the proof, the committee think
it proper to refer to the suggestions and
excuses offered in justification of the
outrages committed. 1t has been alleged
that Governor Ames was an unfit person
to hold the Office to which he was elected
in 1878; but on the contrary the COM
mittee find from the evidence, as well as
from general report in Mississippi, that
General Ames was not amenable to any
just charge affecting his personal integ-
rity, his character as public officer or
his ability for the duties of chief magis-
trate of that State; but that his fitness
in all these particulars was sustained by
the testimony of those who were not in
political accord with him. Complaints
and charges against class of persons
called ''carpet baggers" are frequent in
the depositions taken by the committee
in the State; and it is to be admitted
that small number of migrants from
other states misused the confidence of
the colored people, secured Office and be-
trayed the trust reposed in them. But
the number of such persons was compar-
atiyely small and it is but just to say
that the majority are intelligent, upright,
and brave men from the North who have
been proven incorruptible and who, in
peril of their lives, are now struggling
to maintain their political opinions
against fearful costs, and to secure a
just administration of government. The
committee find that the young men of
the State, especially those who reached
manhood during the war or who have
arrived at that estate since, constitute
the muscle and main force of the dam
gerous element. AS far as the testimony
throws any light on the subject it tends
to establish the fact that the Democratic
organizations in the State generally en-
courages these young men in their evil
course and are in large degree respon-
sible for the criminal results. The In
! dian war threatens to be long and bloody,
if the accounts received from the 'front.'
,, ier are to be relied on. The Providence
; Or. ID Journal is in receipt Of a dis
patch from an officer Of the army, dated
Mouth of the Rosebud River, August 6.
which says the reinforcements are near
ly all up and that move will be made
against the Sioux on the 10th instant.
, The Idaho Statesman, a paper considered
good authority, gives statement made
by Catholic priest, Father Mesplie,
who is said to be unusually well posted
on Indian affairs, In which he says that
the aggregate number of the various
: tribes who will take part in this war is
| much in excess of what is usually given
as the largest number Of their warriors.
He says that the Indians can put go.
900 warriors in the field, well armed
: and equipped, and they will fight to the
{ last extremity. 1t is expected that the
War Department was determined to seize
1 the goods Of any trader found selling
arms or ammunition to the Indians and Il
a disposess the agency Indians Of their
; arms and ponies. They would have Il
!. rely solely on their bows and arrows and
other rude weapons Of warfare. and
would be compelled TO place themselves
on an inferior footing. Itcan hardly
be presumed that the agency Sioux woulC
be willing to make such a sacrifice unlesl
a the demand was backed up by militar,
force. sufficiently Formidable 70 awe then
n into submission.
4 Ex-Attorney General Williams denie
,e the report that be was removed By th'
). President and says that the sole reasOI
lr Of his retiring from the Cabinet was be
# cause his resources did not allow him q
! live 10 style betting the position. IL
- also says that bis wife was the recipien
Of letters Of the same character a. thos
received By other Cabinet ladies aud q
:, the same period. The letters we're sap
= 70 be Of seandalous character. and th
: story goes that they were penned b
y Mrs. Williams and that the discovery 9
this fact led 10 the summary dismlsss
= Of Mr. Williams frsm the Cabinet 1h
q articls.in the Cincinnatti Gasetts repeal
= ing this story, which i said 70 have bee
written By Blueford Wilson gives Ai'
. ali the credit for the discovery. Genera