South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1876-09-29
Our washington Letter.


AShiNGTON, ~. u, sept. Il.
Mr.. HARPER The ArE-BuRoLARY
TRIAL has commenced, but it excites
very little interest. 1t has got to be an
old story. Dick Harrington, the most
active of the conspirators. jumped the
city some time ago; and his wherea-
bouts is unknown. 1t is very doubtful
that Babcock can be convicted OF aid.
ing and abetting the conspirators. The
jury will probably not agree. Some OF
them will conscientiously refuse to
credit the evidence Of the main witnes.
ses for the detectives
and thieves who have agreed TO tell all
they know Of the crime in the commits.
ion Of which they were prominent nc
completes, provided they shall not be
harmed. But the lack Of general inter.
est in the trial arises mainly from the
fact that the people have very little
confidence, nowadays, i'm either courts.
juries or counsel. And that little con-
fidence is growing beautifully less, from
day to day. When a man is arrested
now, no matter for what crime, the
question is asked. "iIas he plenty of
money!" 1.-THE answer is in the affirm.
alive. it is taken for granted that he
will get Off; il in the negative that he
will suffer the penalty Of tho law. It's
a sad state of things. But it's true;
and pity It's It's true. 1t seems TO be
just rs bad in one party rs in another.
The whisky frauds aud the Bcl.nap az
fair are no worse than tue Tweed es.
cape. and the retention in Office, UP to
this day. OF Sheriff Conner who let him
go. This state Of things can't last much
longer. A grand smash-up is immi-
nent. In the meantime, let rs watch
and pray.
CENTENNIAL TRAVEL.
Since the advent Of cool weather the
number OF visitors to the Centennial
has increased. aud so many OF them
take Washington on their way homo that
our hotels have been unable, for few
days, to accommodate them, and are
obliged to tnrn them over to the board
ing houses and private families, where,
however, they are we'll taken care off,
These visitors have the appearance Of
intelligent thrifty, well-to.do farmers,
mechanics and country storckeepcrs
Many are accompanied by their wives
and families. They are all remarkably
orderly and well.mannered. have not
yet seen one of. them under the inhu.
cnce of liquor. The vigorous. bloom.
ing, healthylooking wives and daught.
ers of the several families attract good
deal of attention and admiration, as
they crowd Pennsylvania Avenuc, and
our other thoroughf;,res. on theic way TO
and from the Capitol, the Tresury De.
partment and other public buildings.
Would it not be well, by the by. for the
press Throughout the country to remind
persons who propose TO visit the Cen.
tcnnial that it is their duty TO so ar
range matters that they will be certain.
y othomc on election ddy? Citizens of
the six States which hold elections on
the 10th of next month should be ut
home then, also, IA we'll "a in Novem-
Der. Never, perhaps. since the n
doption Of the federal constitution, has
there been more important Prcsden-
tial election than that OF next Novem
Der will be ; and the result may be large.
~ influenced by the October elections
TIE POLITICAL SITUATION.
AT the present writing, il looks as If
nothing can prevent Mr.. Tilden from
being elected but the neglect OF his
friends to convince the voters OF other
Northern States than New York tina. he
was loyalist. in word and deed, dur
ing the late civil war. In his own En-
pire State, where his staunch Unionism
is 80 we'll known no such efforti is need.
ful but in other States which adhered
to the Union cause during the rebellion.
it is highly desirable that an effort
should be made to counterfeit the posi-.
bic effect Of the vile aspersions ON bis
patriotism that are bciny circulated in
thousands Of pamphlets by the kcpub.
lican Committee, and in the columns of
the newspapers of that party. Mr..
Tilden's friends should not rely too i'm.
plcitly and exclusively, on his piesiiye
as reformcr. or on his hard money re.
cord. While Administrative reform
and sound currency are regarded as
among the important issues OF the hour,
there are tens cfthousands of voters all
over the North who look upon them as
secondary TO that OF the integrity Of
the Union. Mr.. Tillon's record during
the war is so widely and favorably
known in New York, that the neglect
OF his friends TO prepare such n pam.
phlet as is above indicated. Cor circnla.
ton in Indiana, Ohio, and the many
other Northern States where il is nov
so much needed, can not any longer be
excused. 1t is the one great need Of
the campaign In the North, aud should
be issued without delay.
OUR INDIAN WAR.
The campaign against the Sioux has
ended, at least for this senson. without
any further advantage to either side
since Clusters death. When Generals
Crook and Terry combined their forces.
they found that the Indians had broken
up camp and scattered in various direc.
tons through the wild Northwest, where
it would have been folly 90 pursue them.
Some people are now complaining Of
Crook for being "too cautious !" they
think he ought to have stamped ont the
Sioux. Such critics would be prompt
10 dcuOuuco tho qamo man m r,.t, "a