The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1876-04-22
Our Washington Letter,
Washington, y. c. April II, 1876.
THE NEXT PRESIDENT.

udtcS lOI tIc nomination At So. Louis
have been active, during tie mas,
week, and it is almost impossible to
avoid discussion on the subject, when
ever opportunity for it occurs. Judge
Davis is very much talked of, hut it
is not evident that he has very great
strength-about as much perhaps,
us Mr.. Thurman. Gov. Hendricks is
still the strongest among Western
men. But. even among his most
earnest admirers, and no man has
warmer friends. there are frequent
admissions that it may be impossible
to elect Western man. Whether
there DC trnth in this or not, it is
very ce'ta!n that naiority Of the
Southern delegates will favor the man
VIII" is certain to have the greatest
strength IN the East. The absolute
necessity of carrying New York and
New Jersey. as well as Connecticut.
coupled with the evident attention of
the Republicans to make the
big fight j" those States, has lei to
the frequent mention Of RoratlO Sew
monr, rs i man npon whom the party
con|d unite; and there was i strong
undcrcnrrcnt in his favor. But his
positive refusal to be Il candidate, and
the fact that he will head the New
York delegation in favor of Samuel
}. Tilden, has had the effect of ad-
ding very mnch to 1'iklen's strength.
T'licn Is certainly stronger row than
at any time heretofore. gather
these facts from men who are
opposed to rillen on some questions,
and who will support him only be-
cause Of their conviction that the
candidate Of their first choice cannot
he elected.
The Administration BurgMry-Gnnt
at last alarmed for his personal im-
munitytor criminal prosecutions.
"Givc rogue rope enougl, and he
will hang himself.' At Il moment
when every person not utterly lost to
every sense Of ,lccency and Justice is
filled with horror and disnr,y at the
disclosures Of Col. Whitley in refer
ence to the "safc burglary case" the
Washington National Republican, the
organ of tho White House Ring, at.
temps to brazcn it out. and abuses
the Democratic House Of Represent
tativcs, which is engaged in bringing
these criminals to justice, for wasting
time in useless investigations. The
details Of this case are so terrible that
the penple will be STOW to compre-
bend the esormity Of the crime At
tempted. Gen. Babcock, an officer
Of the United States Army, anil
therefore supposed to bc a gentleman,
the secretary rs wel1as the most in
innate personal friend and adviser OF
the President, together with Richard
Harrington, Assistant District Attor
ney, and a lawyerof high social and
professional standing, with Others,
formed a plan to send an innocent
man, Columbus Alexander, to- State
prison, because he VAS engaged in
opposing the swindling operations Of
Boss Shepherds RinS.J 70 accom-
plish this, it was determines by Bah.
cock aud Harrington to employ pro-
ftssional burglars to break open tic
safe Of the District Attorneys office,
take out certain books and papers.
carry them to Alcxander's house, and
deliver them to him. At that mo-
mcnt, the Chief of Police, who was to
be in waiting was to have arrested
Alexander. Then, the burglars were
to swear that Alexander employed
them to commit the robbery. Har-
rinston would have tried him before
a packed jury, and he would have
gone to State prison. The scheme
failed by a mere accident. The burg
lars went to Columbus Alexander's
house at A. NJ, instead of 10 p. NJ,
as they were told to do, and failed
to wake him and, on going away,
were themselves arrested by the pc.
lice, who do not seem tn have been
fully informed is to the details of the
plot. TO carry out this plan, Bah
cock employed Co. Whitley, who
has now turned States evidence
against his fellow conspirators. AZ
forwards, when there was some pros.
pcct Of bringing these williamson just.
ice, the then Attorney General, an in
famous scoundrel, know as Landaulet
Williams, gave an order to disconti-
nue. the prosecutions. He did this in
collision with General Babcock, and,
it is said. by order of Grant. Grant
is fully alive, now, to the danger he
is in, himself and, as the telegraph
will have informed you, has demand
ed to be heard before the Judiciary
Committee Of the House, in his own
vindication. His hour of action has
come and he must either ut once de-
nounce, and cut loose from, the vii
lains who have been his intimates
and advisers, or fall with them.
The Proposed Reduction Of Salaries
has raised a howl -vf Indignation
among government employees in
Washington. The fact is that most
of the clerks have become accustom-
cd to style Of living wholly out Of
keeping with their positions. A ST.
600 or $l,6W clerk, for instance,
pays 5000 or 81 900 per year for the
rent of 4 dwelling, when his salary
warrants him in paying not over $3.50
or $500, at most. He lives precisely
as persons of means live has the
best the market affords buys the
most costly furniture gives enter
tainments; and perhaps, keeps a
horse and carriage. 1t is easy to see
why a person who lives in such a
style complains of the inadequacy Of
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