Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-02-17
EDITORIAL INKLINGS.
Gov. Chamberlain and tho President.

"A recent dispatch from Columbia says
that information has been received in that
city to the effect that one day last week Sena.
ator Robertson and Representative Rainey
called on President Grant in regard to an
abusive article on Governor Chamberlain
published in the Washington National Re-
publican, which is generally regarded as the
Presidents organ. In the article in question,
Governor Chamberlain was accused Of i'm
proper conduct on the sea islands soon after
the war, with completely in the Parker frauds
and a host of other ofenses. He was de-
nounced as traitor and his impeachment de-
manded, and it was intimated that he would
be slain if the Democrats, through his acts,
attempted to carry the State by force. Mr.
Rainey demanded of the President whether
the article represented his views The Presi-
dent said 1t did not. Mr.. Rainey denounced
the article as false in toto, and told the Presi-
dent the Republican party could only sue
ceed through Chamberlain.
Death Of Reverdy Johnson.
- Hon. Reverdy johnson, the distin-
guished statesman and jurist, was found dead
about 8 o'clock, P. M, on Thursday evening
last in the grounds surrounding the Execu-
tive mansion at Annapolis, Maryland. Mr..
johnson was the guest of Governor Carroll
and dined that afternoon with other gentle
men at the Governors house. He was found
dead in the yard by servant, and is supposed
to have fallen from an attack of vertigo.
Mr.. johnson was born in Annapolis on the
21st of May, 1896, and was educated in that
city. At the age of II he commenced the
study of law in Prince Georges county, in
the office of his father, who was Chief Justice
of the judicial district. He was admitted to
the bar in 1915, and in 1917 moved to Balti-
more, where he has lived ever since He prob
ably had more business before the Supreme
Court during his life than any other lawyer
in the country He began his political career
in 1921 as State Senator In 1845 he became
United States Senator, but resigned that Office
to become Attorney General under President
Taylor. After the death of President Taylor
Mr.. johnson resigned the Attorney-General-
ship and resumed the practice of law in Bal
timore, but again became United States Sen
ator in 1863, continuing in that position until
1868, when he succeeded Hon. Charles Fran
els Adams as Minister to the Court of st.
James, England, where he negotiated treaty
for the settlement of the alabama Claims"
which, however, not proving satisfactory to
his Government, was afterwards rejected by
the United States Senate. After his return
from England he again resumed, with profit
and success, the practice Of his profession in
Baltimore.
Mr.. johnson has been a firm and constant
advocate of constitutional government since
the war, and an unAinching opponent of the
dominant party.
Straw Bids on Postal Routes.
-- The term STRAW bids" as used for the
past few years in connection with proposals
to carry the mails, while implying fraud on
Lne part VI LuS OluueI, lboJ ho' oo 6SneA"AAJ
understood, An investigating committee re-
Gently taking evidence concerning the postal
affairs of the government, exposes the system
of fraudulent bidding for contracts as follows
Many contracts are extremely valuable, the
Post Office Department being often obliged
to pay as high as 100000 per annum for
transportation of mails over single routes.
Every person having contract for carrying
mails with the Government must of necessity
own large number of horses, harness, &c.,
and command .retinue of agents and riders.
It is for the interest of the contractor to 90.
tain the contract at as high figure as posi-
BILE, so when the time for bids to be handed in
at Washington approaches, the contractor vis-
its his army of agents and instructs them to
make bids at certain prices for carrying the
mails. Say the actual service is worth SoO,'
900 per annum. The contractor bids SlOO,-
900, one agent 5000, another $4,000, and
another $4,000, and so on down until the
lowest bid may be $4,000. Every bid is re-