Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-08-03
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER

| When Yaryan was engaged before
the Committe investigating the whisky
prosecutions, retailing the gossip about
i the President in that connection, he
startled the members thereof by detail
ing the arduous efforts made by MessrS.
BristoW and Bluford Wilson to induce
the President to act in accord sWith
them in securing the conviction and
punishment of those bold transgressOrs.
The substance OF his testimony was to
the effect that it Was only after much
earnest solicitation on the part of those
two good men that President Grant,
seemingly much against his inclination,
gave their reform work half hearted
endorsed, and very reluctantly issued
his "let no guilty man escape" prOcla-
ton. Of course this was urged against
| the President as another proof that he
was never in sympathy with Bristow.
But another development, invalidating
Yaryan's credibility as witness, and
placing the late Solicitor of the Treas
ury in very questionable attitude,
has just come to light. Mr.. Wilson
left several boxes in the Treasury TO
follow him into retirement, filled, he
said, with private papers. But when
a search was made for the letter con-
tanning the above instructions it could
not be found, which, among other rea-
sons, induced Secretary Morrill, to order
the boxes unpacked. The missing let
ter was found among other alleged pub
lie papers, and Mr.. Wilson was, yester-
day, engaged in explaining away (not
very satisfactorily it seems) this appar-
ent tampering with public ocuments.
The action of the House, yesterday,
in adopting the minority report in the
contested election case between the sit
ting member, Good, Democrat, and
his Republican contestant, Platt, has
surprised no one conversant with the
animus of the present House majority.
A majority of the committee that in
vestigated the merits of the case, in
Guiding two Democrats, reported in
favor of Mr.. Platt; but consistently
with their traditions and practices, the
majority, regardless of everything, save
partisan considerations, gave the seat
to their party friend.
The Appropriation bills still in dis
pute before Conference Committee have
made very little progress, ifany, during |
the week.
A basis of agreement on the legisla-
tive, executive and judicial bill was
agreed TO a week ago, contingent upon |
the reports of the heads of the various
executive departments who were re-
quested to state whether the proposed
reduction of clerical force could be
made consistently with the efficiency
of the public service. 1t is now pre-
dicted that the reports will be against
the reductions, in which case some 9TH
er method of adjustment will have to
be found or the bill must fail.
A report was, yesterday, made in the
Senate from the Conference Committee
on the consular and diplomatic appro-
priatiOn bill. Senators Hamlin, Ed
munds and others declared that the
Senate had gone to the utmost verge of
in an attempt to adjust the
matters in dispute, offering to accept
The reductions of salaries, if the House
would recede from the proposed new
legislation, but it stubbornly refused
md no agreement could be reached.
There now appears to be disposition {
IN the part of Senators to resist hereaf-
er the pretensions and encroachments
If the House to the bitter end. =
The river and harbor bill is still be-
ore the Senate, and it Ww looks as
hough it would die at the hands of the t
loctors of that body; but should it reach +,
he President it is believed sthat he
would kill it with veto. p
The proposed impeachment of Secre- e
ary Robson hangs fire, or perhaps
hould say, has been virtually abandon
d. The report of the majority of the
Ommittee which has been investi-
ating him during the past seven :
months, with the one single purpose
# partisan advantage, is handsomely
isposed of by the minority report, and
he points made are effectually dis
rOven and shown to be baseless.
The infiatiOnists have at last achieved
victory. At Democratic caucus on CO
night it was agreed by vote al
f AZ to "a to vote for repeal of the q,
ate of resumption. But it is yet un-
ertain whether the committee on &c
'anking and Currency can be brought h,
, report bill for that purpose. The pl
liver initiation scheme, it is now claim q,
4, has sufficient friends both In the al
louise and Senate, to insure its passage SSi
it can be brought up for action. W
Senator Logan again attempted, yes. or
'rday, to secure some action on the u,
Iualization bounty bill, but failed. so
le gave notice, however, that he re
ould soon call it up again and insist 2
pom its disposal.
A vote will likely be reached as to
elknap's innocence or guilt, on Mon n
~. There Is but little interest mani i
sted in the matter.
The feeling as to adjournment Is one
Encouragement. n,
The hope cherished last week that an 0n on