The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-02-16
CORRESPONDENCE.
WASHINGTON wICKEDNESS.
The Royal Reception Of the Boss
of the District Ring.
MISCELLANEOUS MEANNEss.


Especial Correspondence OF the Sentinel
WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. 4.-One of the
saddest commentaries on the times, the
most discoursging symptoms OF a wide
spread immoral public sentiment, and
lamentable evidence of a debauched polit-
ical conscience, is the apparent willingness
70 condone and gloss over grave offsnces,
malfeasance in Office. transportation OF
funds, disregard OF official duty, a seeming
insensibility to the requirements of COM
mon decency in melting out even handed
justice to big rascals, big, that is in criminal
acts, and disposition, even among the so
called higher grades of society, to accept
responsibility and wealth, no matter how
obtained, as synonymous terms. How ready
we all are to visit summary punishment on
some poverty stricken yagrant, who, TO APP
pesse the cravings of hunger in himself or
suffering dependent ones, sppropriates few
vegetables or loaf OF bread, but in the case
of q successful public plunderer, who, in vi
olation of his oath oil Office, has amessed a
few hundred thousand dollars from the ma
TONS treasury simply by mistaken y con-
struction of law, we join in tetes to his
honor! This line of procedure hardly COM
ports with the eternal fitness of things or
with the mucn Wanted reputation for
| fairness in the average American.
Your correspondent has been led into this
train of thought, has been tempted to
"point moral" If not "adorn a tale" by a
display of national disgrace, illustrative of
our subject, given in the following from that
eminently loyal journal, the subsidized
venal Washington Chronicle OF the LIST inst:
PRINCELY ENTERTAINMENT.
Our most princely entertainment at the capt.
tai this season was enjoyed last night at the
residence of ex-Gov. Shepherd. More than a
thousand Invitations were extended and
yet the superb mansion was equal to
the task. The occasion celebrated was
the p birthday sbo4f e h3s So score
com plished There are but few homes in the
country that will compare in regal appoint
reds of guests. In style this republican palace
is blending of the taste of Louis XIV. with
Monsieur Mansard who has the honor to give so
many American houses tneiI French crown
Broad stairs lead to the Il laid doors which open
on street, You pass the perfect vestibule To
the right may be seen the grand drawing room
with iJs picture gallery extension. To the LETT
the reception room OF the tower with the library
and suit of rooms beyond. The lower
story is grsced by the supper room and
punch rooms. and by this means the
ceived bis hundreds of friends in the drawing
room, assisted by his agreeable wife and her
white corded silk, high to the throat, and open
sleeves. Its elegant simplicity makes ii a most
becoming ioilet and stamps the wearer per-
adorned the lady "assistant," elaborate in de-
tail, and finished with the usual flowers and
lace. No iairer picture can be given OF the re-
publican court as it exists in 1876, in Washing
ton, and a few of the most elegant
household Mrs. Fred Grant in white corded
silk ornaments, diamonds. Mrs. Postmaster
Jewell, in neutral tint trimmed With the
knap's pale rose silk, with point lace and dia-
monds Mrs Pierrepont mauve silk, with most
black velvet corded with pink satin; coral or
naments and diamonds. The toilets of the
wives of the foreign ministers were OF the most
gorgeous and costly description. Among the
guests might have been seen the president and
cabinet, all the prominent foreign ministers,
members, with all the leading citizens of the
capital.
DoINGs OF THE DISTRICT RING.
Some OF your readers are doubtless IA
miliar with the doings of the "district ring"
its purchase of cheap outlets in the western
part OF the city, its vast ornamental i'm
provements to enhance the value of these
lots, its reckless expenditure of millions of
the nations money in cutting down hills,
filling valleys, building shoddy sewers, ali
in the interest of the spool" In a sentence,
commend us to the artistic performances of
the ''district ring" for an exhibition of the
fine art of eDobellishing, without substantial
improvement, for public plumber under the
forms of law and in illustration of
that modern political nomencls-
ture peculiar to the republican
party, addition, division and silence"
To the ethical student, the brilliant affair"
is very suggestive. That respectable per-
sors should be blinded to the Improperly
of accepting the hospitality OF virtually
convicted thief and condemned villain,
should quaff wine and eat dainty viands
knowing them to have been purchased by
embezzled money, that they should lend
their presence to obliterate all distinction
between honesty aud dishonesty and thus
inter sify the political decentralization en-
gendered by the republican party, is one of
those social incoDgruities not easy of
solution. Community of crime seems
to temper It's isolated enormity.
the reception out of idle curiosity?
Or was it to see what other fools we're there?
To witness congregated shoddy, or q bevy
of villains? DIR. Johnson-Boswell's John
son-tells us that the other sex envies man
his vices. Is it then true that man envles
man his successful crimes? Or to account |
for the distinction we make regarding small |
and larse villains, is it, as Sir Joseph Banks
is said to have remarked at the conclusion |
of some experiments on insects, "F'Ieas are |
not Holsters, d their souls" Whatever |
the explanation of the phenomenon |
delible stigma on the administration. |
IL seems to the writer that the Hoosler |
granger would do well to ponder the subject. I
If the continuance in power OF the party of |
plumber and robbery Is necessary to the |
preservation of free institutions, may |
heaven In mercy save U.s.
THE BOSS TWEED
of Washington, so it seems, is young in
years, and, for one so Juvenile and tender,
he Is a precocious villain. He is plumber |
by trade, but being an Importation from the
land of our yankee cousins, that fruitful
reservoir OF great possibilities, he
has proved himself versatile gen.
irs. He is no mean civil engineer,
at least when aided by that sxillful tape
line measurer, the prosecuted patriot, Bah
cock, the supposed white Hou-e" end of
"crooked whisky" rings. Only Al years OF
age! You'd scarce expect one OF my age"
etc. Or is he like the Octogenaria witness
alluded to by the late Mr.. Corwin in one of
his anecdotes. 1t seems the aged patri-
arch was asked his age, and, when answering
80 years. was reminded by the court that he
was under oath aud must answer truly. On
being closely questioned he admitted he
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