The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-03-18
WASHINGTON LETTER.
oOrrcspondence Of The Democratic Advocate.
wAsmINaros, D. C, March 10, isaa

wAsHlSGroS, d. G., March H. ls1G
The campaign may be said to have folly
opened with the organization of the National
Democratic Congressional Committee, who
are now installed at their rooms at 1924
street in this city. The Associated press has
failed to give, 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 fire.
quent occasion to address the officers, we Ap-
pend, at the request of the Committee, the
following Information
RooNs or NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC
CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE
1924 Street Washington, d. C)
Scnais.-Hon. ]. W. Stevenson, of Kentucky Hon
w. W, Eaton, of Connecticut; Hon W. T. Whyte. OF
Maryland; Hon II. g. Davis, Of West Virginia Hon
J. B, Gordon, of Georgia.
House d decentralization. Hester Clymer. OF
Pennsylvania Hon. C. w. Chaplin. OF Massachusetts
Hon. J. W. Thrpekmorton, of Texas Hon. A. S. Hew
it, OF New York; Hon. c. L. Hooker, of Mississippi
Hon. ". sayler, OF Ohio.
L. Harvey. and Mr. Charles Mason.
The Democratic organizations IN all the States and
Territories are requested to send the names Of their
Committees, Immediately, to the Congressional Com
mittee
Applications for documents, speeches, and other
political matter, and all communications relating 10
the business OF the Committee should be addressed
60 the Secretary, Hon James l. Harvey, At 1874 st.
Washington city.
mitiee will be furnished with all documents pub
lished by them, free Of charge.
HESTER CLYNER, Chairman
W. H. bARNuN, Treasurer.
JAMES L. HARVEY. Socrsfdrg,
1t will be seen that Hon. Hester Clymer,
Chairman Of the Committee which investiga.
ted the Belknap scandal is also, Chairman of
fbfz Gnmmttfaa and
the position could have been chosen. Mr..
Clymer is a man of particularly suaye and
agreeable address, and, unquestionably, man
of great ability. The Committee are fortu.
nate, also, in securing The services, as secre-
tary, Of Hon. James Z. Harvey, late U. S.
Minister to Portugal, man Of letters, jour.
nalist Of note, and man of varied and ex
tended information.
The investigation into the affairs OF the Dis
trict government and of the Board of Audit,
which is being continued from day to day by
the Hou:e Committee on the District Of Co.
lnmbia, discloses a system Of official swindling
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 investigations that the several
Committees OF the House are diligently pur.
suing disclose the astounding fact that there has
not been, foryears, an honest man in any prom.
inent position under either the Federal or the
District Government ; and that even the men
in subordinate positions who have had any OBJ.
portunity to steal have invariably followed the
example set them by their Official superiors.
There has been, really, no law, in the proper
aeeeptation Of that word, administered in
Washington for a long time. We have been
under sort Of provost marshal rule. From
the President and his cabinet down to the
Chiefs of Bureaus, and from Judges of the
Supreme Court of the District and the District
Attorney down to the Constable, utter disre.
gard Of the law, where anything could be
made by violating it, or where the interests of
any Of the various Rings were at stake, has
been the rule.
Another one of ex-Seeretary Belknap' post
trading operations has come to light. The
informant is G. 5. Bell, a man well known in
Washington. He viii give his testimony be.
fore the committee shortly. AT the close of
the war, Bell, who had been scout in Gen.
erai ). A. Hurlbuts division, was appointed
to the Secret Service Department on General
Reynold staff, in Texas. He remained there
for several years, and in 1872, learning that
the post leadership at Fort Davis, station on
the Western frontier of Texas, had become
vacant posttradership He brought with him
letters of recommendation from General
Reynolds and other prominent gentlemen.
Shortly after his arrival here, he went to Sec.
Rotary Belknap, exhibited his recommenda.
tons, and asked for the position. The Sec
rotary appeared somewhat indignant at being
approached personally upon such a petty
subject, inasmuch as the post.tradership at
Fort Davis was not very large affair. Bell,
being high-tempered, replied sharply, and left
the Secretarys presence. He had gone no
further than the entrance TO the War Depart.
ment ofhce, however, when clerk of Mr..
belknap came after him, and asked him TO
return for q few moments. Me-. Bell did as
requested. The Secretary treated him kindly:
said that the post-tradership at Fort Davis
was vacant, but that il was worth 10 him 81.
900 year. Bell said that he would consider
the proposition; but concluded that $4,000
per annum was more than he could nav for
the privilege Of obtaining the post, and did
not accept it, He is willing to testify to this
statement as fact.
As soon as the Committee can get AZ il. n
well. known gentleman Of unimpeachable In.
tegrity will testify to a fact which places the
President in hardly less disgracefnl position
than that of Belknap. The gentleman 10
whom refer holds himself ready TO swear
that, on certain occasion, he went TO the
White House and introduced to the President
a genteman who wanted a post-tradership on
an Indian agency. This gentleman made his
appncation, and, after having made il, re.
msrked to the President, in the hearing OF
the witness, that in traversing the Indian
country, he had come across the finest mar
Of Indian ponies which be had ever laid ewes
upon, and, IL the gin would be acceptable he
would like TO make present Of them n
the Presidents boys. fhereupon. without
any hems or haws, the President accepted the
gift, and at once sent Telegram to the Com.
mandant Of the Post where the ponies them
were, ordering them to be immediately far.
warded at his tGranfs) expense. Shortly
after, The applicant received an appointment:
not, indeed, 70 the post or agency for which
he had applied, but to anoth,r equally as
lucrative.
The confession Of Nettleship, one Of tho
safe burglar conspirators, Is likely 10 lead to
the indictment Of several prominent members
Of the District ring. The confession has
thus far, been carefully guarded BY District
Attorney Wells, who admitted, in his testi.
mony given to the Judiciary Committee az
the Houss, on Saturday, that he had promised
Netileship immunity from prosecution in r..
tnrn FOL, bis testimony. Those most familiar
with this case believe that, If the whole truth
Is discovered, i will implicate two or three
men who were, at the time Of the burglary.
public officers; besides Others who were IN,
terestsd in the District investigation. III
Harrington is shown TO have been one 81 the
eouspifgtors, as he probably was, il il be.
lieved that be will prove 70 have been simply
IN agent, and pot 6ne Of the principals. The
comwlitee are conducting the investigation in
secret, and, in this way, hope TO get 10 the
bottom facts. A large humber OF wit.
neszes baye been summoned to Hppear be.
fore them this week, including several pav.
soma 10 NeE York, Newark and Boston. Mr..
froeior hnoftl the ebairnsp Of hscDmmiftss.
he last, and he is Determined TO lat no
guilty man escape.