, 1876-04-29
our washington Letter.

WASHINGTON, d. c.. April u, 1876.
EpIIoK SIAriasNAS The question OF the nounina,
tlons a, St Louis IS still the most aiorIn, IN rr
Sate conversation among democrats Their are ,.aDy
shades OF cpinion bCt it l. verv evident that the
statement IN favor Of some man who can certainly
drew the vote Of disafeeted republicans. and hold
those Eastern States that are now d.rro-,,i. = b.
coming stronger every day. That without tbose
S's' the party cannot elect is nominee, is admit
ted- The announcement that Horatio Seymour, to
gether with tharles u'Connor, and men of that
stamp, VII head the New Nosk delegation in favor
of Samuel j. iilden has given TIllen more strength
! tlAh ne has hal at any tine heretofore A warm
friend Of Gov Hendricks sid to ms Yesterday that
Tor The first time he began to see The necessity fr
tdKlhS up an Eastern man. There il 10 disposition
10 abandon favorie eindidate- anywlere. hut there
Is an evident determ nation TO do whatever NAV
eventually appear 10 be for the best interest Of tie
party as whole. Success Is the Watchwptd of the
party and # the republicans expect to see il split by
sectional differences they are doomed 10 dsappoint-
| ment.
| EELESAP's Tue BETTER WAY
| Within year or two, several fires have occurred
at the navy department building, under p culiarly
suspicious circumstances; ana there are those who
are uncharitable enough 20 believe that they were
lighted with a view 10 the destruction OF certain doc
umerts which the secretary feared might reveal Nm
pleasant things if called for by Congressional in
vestigating committee. At any rate, the fires de-
stroyed large number O. records before they could
be extiRguished. Belknsp did the thing better, by
procuring the passage OF act permitting, him TO
destroy such papers and records as he might deem
useless. Commenting on this, the wicked bat witty
Donn Piatt says: " How neatly and quietly William
NunY Ia, ,1-
fetching of engines and brutal splgsh.ng Of water
Only coal grate-a steIlthy search and an active
hand. Score one Tor William Shame On the RO-
tund-n II PEttt who said of ROssOn's naut cal
experience, that he always seisick when look
ing at carpet of u navy pattern. But If Robson
knows nothing about the sea- II Is believed that he Is
thoroughly posted IN Obalng and rscility and that
II he could be shown up, lie BelknaP business would
! be dWarted INTO comparative inSignlhcancc The
proper committee OF Congress Il working diligently
| IN investigating his department, and, II Is 20 be
hoped, viii finally succeed IN smoking out the willy
New Jersey pettliO5ser-
GES. sEIRsiAS 4 TALRFR.
It seems to be a settled thing that Gen. Sherman
will soon remove his headquarters from St. Louis to
Washington, where they properly belong. Notwilh-
standing statements 10 the contrary, he left Wash
ngt,n solely account of his personal dislike of
secretary Bclknap who took every occasion 10 ignore
| officers of the army without transmitting them
through General Sherman AMI the regular military
channels. General sherman is a queer comb nation
! of the constituent elements Of humanity Willie
admitted TO be brave and kllful officer he fails 20
Impress visitors with that fact He Is careless in
dress as he IS hruSque and hghty III manner. HIS
hair Is ;hin ard fTOUSy, his beard short and stuhy
and lis conversation earnest but somewhat iHCOhr-
ent. lie falls easy YlcJIn Ia newspaper uieu, and
I ~ fn fl,u.-l less
any question put TO him. He seems 10 speak with
ont reference % unpleasant consequences, and
frequently fuas spread out III the newspapers re-
ports OF conversations which he never dreamed would
he made public He is, Gt all times easily accessible
to callers and l. uny striking contrast 30 Gen
Scott who presided with such cNCrss OF dignity
over the alIay, before the wsr General Sherman
gave up his PTesjdruti asp rdtionS long a9u, Ike a
sensible nan, AMI content 20 remain tie head OF
the army fur life rather thIn run tie risk Of losing
| the stakes IN a Tor the chief nagistrIcy.
HOW UNCLE SANS Monty GOrs.
The Senate committee on education ard labor Is
e5mpos-d d Of Nessrs Patterson, Morton, Morrill, Vt
Burnside, Bruce, Cdarkeyl, Sharon, Gordon, MaNey
and Key. The distinguished chairman OF the CON-
nittee Patterson, Of south Cardinal had the honor
of being jailed for perjury, some other crime OF
equal gravity Just before coming to the Untel States
Senate He WIS fortunate enough to evade trial,
hONSNes oie' ~ 9' '1'N ''il''''1
him, his brother radicals of the Senate made him
clai, man OF the important committee referred 10 at
the SPECIAL session Of the Senate, last spring Thus
far the conn ltee has not held single session, and
It is safe TO predict it never viii, long Patterson
remains chairman HIS associates, even his radical
brethern refuse 10 attend The meetings Of tie
nttee ard the result IS that he constitutes himself
that body, and employs clelk who hs nothing to
do except TO draw his pay-s7 7.20 per day, Sundays
included If this session Of Congress lasts through
june, this Government 4" beat" Will have drawn
over $500 .or seven months Of ieness. Under SIM
| liar circumstances however, it has always been
understood in the Senate since the the preva-
lence there OF Grant ISM that the chairman of the
committee gets h If Of his lOafng clerks salary,
much to the disgust of the latter. This particular
committee seems 10 IL especially unfortunate in lis
| cbairIneu During the Forty-thiri Congress, the
| cbairruanShip was held by unlettered Texan,
named Flanagan who never rose IN his place IN the
Senate but 10 make ass OF himself. lie author
zei his son. fully Illtertte as himself 70 crw the
~ nj clerk for that WIS all he lad 10 do the
committee never transacted any business, or even
reid a meeting during the sessions OF the Forty
third Congress The capa ty OF has son TO draw hls
! nav was uuQuestOnahle but the same could hardly
b ad Of his intellectual fitness for the position lie
ocpiei In proof OF this, II may he stated that he
hegniled his time BY writing cards. which he took
ryrtt rriae IN widely eireUl ing bearing the follow
ing; Sam1 Flanassn, CLARK Of the Committee On
| T7,cation and IatoT.'' los.
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