Union and American. [volume] (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1875-1877, 1876-02-10
WASHINGTON. d. C..

WASHINGTON. d. c.,
Feb'y 5, 1876.
Some most startling exposures
have been made in the Senate Of
the fraud, rottenress and corrup-
ton that have characterised the
management of this District. When
the republicans, unable any longer
to withstand the current of public
opinion, abolished Boss Sheppard's
government, the act appointing the
commissioners and board of audit
distinctly prohibited the increase
of the District debt. Tn direct
violation of the law, the debt has
been increased several millions.
and the people of the United States
have these millions to pay. The
whole matter was thoroughly VEN
tilated by the democratic Senators,
and to their credit be it said, some
republicans joined them in the
work. But under the act the
money must be paid. 1t seems to
be exceedingly difficult to get a
government for this District. Suf-
frage puts power in the hands of a
negro rabble, and they elect the
worst thieves they can find, and
appointments by Grant have only
proven that as a detective, he can
beat the negro rabble, for lie has
succeeded always in finding bigger
thieves to put in office; a new deal
will propably be tried this session.
INFRINGEMENT AND REFORM.
The work of reform goes bravely
on in the House. Expenses are
being reduced in every department,
though the radicals are fighting the
reductions, and it is feared the re.
publican Senate will not agree to
the appropriation bill, and will, by
a committee of conference, force
them up. While the democrats
really desire to reduce the ex-
penses, as a political measure they
q stand that kind of a movement.
That the democrats will force a re-
duction Of at least twenty million
dollars is now certain. Had they
full power it wodld be more than
double that sum. The efforts at
reform are not confined to the f.
nances alone. There have been
many and fragrant abuses in the
judiciary department of the Gov
ernment, and the Judiciary Com
mittee is at work trying to correct
these. But in
INDIAN AFFAIRS
corruption and rascality are being
developed that absolutely startle
the scarchers and almost excite in
credulity at the magnitude of their
ramifications. From the highest
to the lowest, all connected with
these affairs are more or less i'm
plicated, either in thievlng them
selves or concealing the thefts of
others. The bottom facts will not
be arrived at for some time, and
only those unusually favored can
hear anything of what is being
done and that only upon a promise
of secresy. The committees are
absolutely forced to this course, as
were their work public, every ef-
fort would be made to defeat them
by keeping witnesses away and de-
stroying papers. Quite a number
OF witnesses, summoned from Min
nesota and the Northwest to ap-
pear before the Indian Committee,
have arrived this week.
TEXAS AND PACIFIC RAILROAD.
The advocates of this road have
been before the Pacific railroad
committees of both the House and
Senate during the past week, with
arguments showing not only the
necessity but the economy of the
asked for aid, and proving con-
clusively that the Government
will be amply protected in guar
anteeing the interest on the
bonds Of the road, which is all
that is asked @for.9 The Hon.
John c. Brown, late governor of