Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1876-05-04
Correspondence of the Beaeom.)
WASHINGTON, April %, 1876.

WASHINGTON, April %, 1876.
The Committee on Expenditures of
the Department Of Justice have had be-
fore them Mr.. John ]. Davenport, Of
New York, the gentleman who was paid
s34, 900 upon the order of the President,
to be expended in the prerention Of
frauds in the election in the City Of
New York. There is no effort now
either to deny or conceal the fact that
he did receive the money, and the
elaborate explanations and arguments
brought forth to demonstrate the per-
feet propriety Of the transaction are
really pitiable.
Mr.. Davenport, in New York con-
ceives plan Gas he thinks) for the de-
lection of frauds in elections, and, be.
ing a public-spirited and patriotic citi-
zen, what does he do9 He rushes off
to Long Branch (where be knew he
would find the President, it being Sum-
mer time) and having laid his plans
before him, solicits trifing dona-
ton to enable him to carry them
out and thereby save the country from
ruin. Mr.. Grant, of course, never knew
anything about it, but be no doubt BY
instinct caught at theidea suggested by
the old saying, "Set a thief to catch a
thief" and concluded that any system
that would detect fraud would most
likely be able 10 perpetuate one also
(which was moAe to the purpose, MINNIE
diately Bought Johnny Davenport, fraud
machine and all, and sent him to Wash
ington. with an order ON the Attorney
General for the money. This money
was Paid, but Of a fund not appropriated
for any such purpose, and the whole
transaction was u clear case Of stealing
money to be used for corrupt purposes.
The Hallet Kilbourn habeas corpus
case was disposed of yesterday, and now
We shall await the further action of the
House upon it. Kilbourn has been ia
ken out Of the custody of the Sergeant
alarms and delivered into the hands of
the Marshal of the District, from whence
he has been admitted to bail i'm the sum
of ten thousand dollars, his partner, J.
M. Sattor, being his bondsman. Judge
Cartier in remanding him to the custo-
dy of the Marshal, delivered long and
evidently carefully studied decision, but
the conclusion that he arrives at is a
matter of surprise to all who have Civ
en- the case any study. Theproposition
that any court or body of competent
jurisdiction ever did or intended to
delegate to any other court or body the
the power to punish attractions Of its
own rules is too absurd to entertain for
a moment.
The Belknap case is becoming more
rediculously disgusting, the couuselha
ing been arguing before the Senate a
motion for q postponement until De-
eember next. If the application had
been for his discharge it would have
been quite as reasonable. The Senate
however, very properly denied the mo-
tion, and the case will be proceeded
with forthwith.
Gen. BelknaP seems to have recover
ed from his deep shame and mortifca.
ton. He is as fresh and blooming
looking as an innocent" and appears
just as happy. His must be parallel
case with that Of the horse-thief who
was prepared to plead guilty, but upon
hearing the argument Of counsel for his
defence was so convinced of his limo
cence that he wept over the hardships
of his prosecutions. 1t is astonishing
what n retouuding quality there is in
some consciences.