Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1876-05-31
correspondence.
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, ID. c., MAY 26, 1876.
THE ST. LOUIS NOMINEE.

no bitter feeling is exhibited by any OF
them, nor hard language used. The
| southern Members of Congress, particu-
. larly, express themselves on the cXcitins
topic Of the day with moderation worthy
OF all praise. They are pretty firm, how
ever, on one point. "They say ''we mnst
have Democrat" In ~ we met the
Liberal Republicans more than halfway.
We accepted as our candidate man whom
our people and the Democratic party of
the North had looked upon, for NOR, than
quart Of century as 4 bitter and able
foe, but who, vt the eleventh hour, i'm
pelied by the great good that was in him,
had become our friend when he saw us
weak and oppressed. We forgot and for
gave, and tried our best to elect him He
was beaten, and the effect OF that defeat
is still felt. IL will operate aginst the
nomination of any man ut st. Louis who
Is not identified will the Democratic par
". There is no evidence that any mere
sectional differences will be allowed to in
terterc with the selection Of the most
available candidate. The South gives as
su9nce ofthis, by refusing to put forward
an extreme man from that section. The
South demands that the North anu West
shall unite with them on a candidate who
cannot be defeated. The leading issue of
the campaign will be Administrative Re-
form. Not an empty promise of Reform,
m ID simply to be broken, bu5 the as3ur-
arce OF such complete change in the adj
ministratlon Of the Government, as Shall
drive corrupt men from Olfic. :, and substi-
tute official honesty for the dishonesty
that now disgraces every department. of
affairs. The mau who can best represent
these principles, and who can draw the
largest support f. II dissatisfied Republi-
cans, as well as from Democrats, will be
the choice Of the st. Lodis Convention;
and he cannot lie defeated. At the pres
ent writing, that man is generally con-
coded to be Samuel j. Tllden. of New
York.
TIE VICE PRESIDENCY.
Gilbert c. Walker, Of Virginia, is
stron ely urged for the second place on
the St. Louis ticket by prominent men Of
all sections. Virginia, herself hesitatcs,
as the most prominent Southern STATE, to
advocate the claims OF Mr. Walker; it be-
| ing tacitly understood that no citizen of
the South is TO be presented at St. Louis
for either nomination. The fact, howev-
er, that Mr.. Walker is of Northern birth
and education, that he became citizen Of
Virginia after the war, and that he made
himselfso acceptable TO the Mother of
States as to yet elected Governor, and af-
towards q Representative in Congress
from the Metropolitan District, may
cause his case to be considered exception.
al by the Convention. The needs OF Vir
giDia and her undeycloped resources re-
quire that she should have efficient repre-
sentatives in every department of the
boNciHtlSHt' NJ liill Couiu serve ner
more cAe ,tually as Vice President, and no
man would work for l,r more faithfully,
than Gilbert c. Walker. The friends of
EX-GOVERNOR SWAMI, OF MARYLAND,
also member Of the present Congress, of
which he is chairman of one of the most
important committees, that OF Foreign
Affairs, are active in his behalf. Mr..
Swami is acknowledged, on all hands, to
be qualified in every respect for the high
est office in the gift of the people; but as
the nomination for the first place on the
ticket is likely to be made with refer nee
to the importance of the State of the NOM
inee to victory in the coming conflict, his
friends will probably decide to urge him
for tn, Vice Presidency. There is, prob
ably, no man, in or out of Congress, to-
day, better qualified by natural ability. cx-
perlence in public affairs, and unmpeach-
able integrity, thln Gov. Swami, to pre-
side over the U. S. Senate.
''wHo THE DEVIL. Is BEALE?"
"Who the devil is Robson" was the
univ arsal query when an obscure Jersey
lawyer was called by Grant to place in
the Cabinet. The desire for information
was quite as keen when Grant made Aker-
man Attorney General, Borie, Secretary
of the Navy, and R.lknap Secretary of
War; and it was some time before peo-
pie could be made to understand that
these worthless Were great m@n and de-
served we'll oftheir country. The ques-
ton is now asked, "Who the devil is
Beale ?'-the individual nominated for
Minister to Austria. The answer is quick.
ly 81, en-. Bealc is PERSONAL fiend of
General Grant, and was lieutenant in
the Navy when Grant was fighting on the
MlsSissippt.i He is wealthy man, having
made money'some way or another during
the war. and retired from the navy, sew
eral years ago. While man Of educa-
ton, he has seen nothing of public life,
and is utterly unit to represent the coun-
try at one Of Tie principle courts of Eu-
rope. 1t is somewhat doubtful whether
he will be confirmed by the Senate; for
that body, understanding the brevi,y Of
Grants tenure of Office, is getting posi-
lively disrespectful in its treatment of
ellis Alcoholic Majesty" The Senate has
already
PASSED ONE BILL OVER HIS VETO.
and threatens opass anOther-ihe bill to
reduce the salary Of the Chief Executive
to $4,000. This bill, which was vetoed
lu tln ....l. ri tal a.,l