Middletown transcript., 1877-07-28
washington Letter.
mAsnlsaror. DC. July Is. Is7i

wAsnISaros, DC, July Is, 1871.
Deplorable as is the loss of life and
of property. and far reaching and dis
asterous in lis effect upon both capital
and labor, as is the loss of confidence
in ordinary business affairs, the great
evil Of the riots now existing in the
country seems to your correspondent
to be not in such losses but in the pos
sible success they viii give to the old
effort to convert this Union Of States
into d centralism. The pernicious effect
Of the late war upon the different States
is seen in the hearty calls made by
Governors upon the Federal Govern
ment for assistance. This confessed or
rather assumed weakness of the State
Governments, and quick appeal to the
central power to enforce local police
regulations, argue for it the spirit of
Independence and State pride which it
ought to be the first object of the peo-
pie to cherish and of their executives
to inculcate. Instead of increasing the
Federal army as will be attempted,
an effort should be made by every
State, if a greater force shall hereafter
seem necessary, to organize and sup
port an effective militia. To keep in
reference by the United States Gov
ernment within clearly defined consti-
tutional limits, and to discourage even
such interference in purely local affairs
except in the last extremity, is the
duty Of every patriotic citizen. Tt is
the strength Of the States that makes
the general Government strong.
From appearances to-day it seems
likely the disturbances in the East will
be over within forty-eight hours. What
course affairs may take in the West
none can yet tell, but the better opin-
ion seems to be that without encour-
agement from the Atlantic coast, the
western troubles will be brief. The
presence Of General Hancock in Balti-
more was Of signal benefit. The rioters
had healthy respect for him.
Among the arrested men in BaIti-
more not one was striker. Hardly
one was a laboring man. They we're
roughs who took advantage Of the
strike to plunder and burn, and in
other ways crafty their hatred Of love
and order.
The laboring people of Washington
are mostly colored men and though
without work or money they have
never shown any disposition to be vio-
lent. The fearful death rate among
them-being 80 per annum in each
1000, while among the whites here it
is only 20 per annum for each 1000
must in part be attributed to the lack
Of sufficient food. Yet there has been
no attempt at any time to organize
violence.
Assistant Secretary Mccormick an
nounces through the papers this morn
ing that he will resign Ills place on the
National Committee, and not his posi-
ton in the Treasury. This we are as
sured is done because Secretary Sher-
man says he cannot get along without
Mr.. Mccormick. We hear enough
about Mccormick. The papers are
full of Mccormick. Mccormick is
rapidly writing himself into bore in
newspaper offices. Mccormick cannot
sleep night unless his name is in the
papers.
It is a subject of conversation here
among all classes that the cordiality of
Secretary Sherman's relations with Mr..
Hayes must be impaired by the trou-
Bile now abroad in the country. That
Mr.. Hayes published his change of
mind on the silver question is well
known. He was once a single stand
ard man, but now believes in a double
standard with certain qualifications.
Sherman is now a determined
friend Of the gold standard though
formerly in favor of a double standard.
As the labor troubles Will inevitably
bring into immediate prominence this
financial question, and as these two
men differ radically upon it, the sug-
gestion is not unreasonable that Mr..
Sherman may retire from Office before
the fall elections are held. Whether
or not Mr.. Hayes would take the occa-
sion of Sherman's 5 retirement as a favor
able one for the further reorganization
Of his cabinet is uncertain but there
is no doubts great pressure has Of late
been brought to bear On him by par
ties whom he likes and trusts, in the
of at least two other changes.
RENO.