Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1876-04-08
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

in detail, and with desirable accuracy.
the personnel Of the Committee. and as
State and local organizations, and other
Democrats all over the country, will
have frequent occasion to address the
we append, at the request of
the Committee, the following infor1na-
ton:
RooaIs OF national DEMOCRATIC CoSG Con-,
l32i + street, Washington, D.. c.
Senate-Hon. j. W. Stevenson, of Ken
lucky: Hon: W. w. Eaton, of Connecticut;
Hon: ID. V. White, of Maryland; Hon. II. G.
Dovis, of West Virginia; Hon. J. B. Gordon,
House-Hon. r1esster Clymer, of Pennsyl.
Hon J. w. Thockmorton, of Texas: Hon.
A. 5. Hewitt of New York; Hon. c. E.
Hooker, Of MiSsiss.ppi; Hon. NJ Saylor, of
Ohio
District of Columbia-Mr. J. W. Corcoran,
Mr.. James f. Harvey and Mr. Charles Ma.
son.
The Democratic organizations in all the
States and Territories, are requested to send
the names of their committees Immediately
to the Congressional Committee
Applications for documents, speeches and
other political matter, and all business of the
Committee, should be addressed to the Sec
rotary, Hon. James E. Harvey, at 1924 F
street, Washington City
HESTER CIyMER, Chairman.
W. III. BARSUM, Treasurer.
JAMES e. HARVEY, Secretary.
It will be seen that Hon. Hester
Clymer, Chairman of the Committee
which investigated the Belknap scan
dial, is also Chairman of this Committee,
and no man better fitted for the posi-
ton could have been chosen. Mr..
Clymer is man Of particularly suave
and agreeable address, and, unquestion-
ably, man of great ability. The Com
mittee are fortunate, also, in securing
the services, as Secretary, of Hon.
James E. Harvey late U. S. Minister to
Portugal, man of letters, a journa-
list of note, and q man Of varied and
extended information, whose large &C
quaintance and experience must prove
Of great value to the party.
THE DISTRICT INVESTIGATION.
The investigation into the affairs @!
the District government and of the
Board of Audit, which is being contin-
ued from day to day by the House
Committee on the District of Columbia,
discloses system of of1ic swindline
and robbing, by wholesale and retail
that completely throws into the shade
the crimes of Tweed and his associates
in New York. This and other inyesti.
cations that the several Committees o.
the House are diligently pursuing dis.
close the astounding fact that there has
been, for years, no honest man in any
prominent position under either the
Federal or the District Government
and that even the men in subordinate
positions who have had any opportun
ity to steal have invariably followed the
example set them by their official su
periors. There has been, really, nc
law, in the proper acception of that
word, administered in Washington fol-
long time. We have been under &
sort of provost-marshal rule. From
the President and his cabinet down te
the Chiefs of Bureaus, and from Judges
of the Supreme Court of the District
and the District Attorney down to the
Constable, utter disregard of the law
where anything could be made by vio-
lating it, or where the interests of any
of the various Rings were at stake, has
been the rule.
MORE OF BELKNAP's RAsCAL1TY.
Another one of ex-Secretary Belk-
maps post-trading operations has come
to light. The informant is G. S. Bell
a man we'll known III Washington. He
will give his testimony before the COM
mittee shortly. At the close of the
war, Bell, who had been a scout il
General S. A. Hurlbut's division, was
appointed to the Secret Service Depart.
ment on General Reynolds staff, il
Texas. He remained there for severa
years, and in 1872, learning that the
post leadership at Fort Davis, station
on the Western frontier of Texas, had
become vacant, he came to Washington
to secure the vacant leadership. He
brought with him letters of recommend
alton from General Reynolds and Other
prominent gentlemen. Shortly after
his arrival here, he went to Secretary
Belknap, exhibited his recon- menda.
tons, and asked for the position. The
Secretary appeared somewhat indignant
at being approached personally upon
such a petty subject, inasmuch as the
post-tradership at Fort Davis was not q
very large affair. Bell, being high-tem'
pered, replied sharply, and left the Sec
retary's presence. He had gone nc
further than the entrance to the Wal
Department Office, however, when q
clerk of Mr.. Belknap came after him.
and asked him to return for few mo.
ments. Mr.. Bell did as requested
The Secretary treated him kindly; said
that the post-tradership at Fort Davis
was vacant, but that it was worth tc
him $4,000 year. Bell said he would
consider the proposition; but concluded