, 1877-09-22
Our Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, Sept e,


EDITOR STATESMAN 1t is not unlikely
that Senator Davis, Of West Virginia, viii
receive greater credit hereafter than he did
a year ago, for his persevering efforts TO Sc
cure an investigation of the workings OF the
treasury department. With few exceptions,
even .he political friends of Senator Davis,
were tartly in his support. At the next ses-
sion of Congress a more specific arrangement
of the officials viii be made and a thorough
investigation demanded. Facts developed
In the last year or more, and the course of
Sherman in diverting, to other uses, monies
which should have been paid to various cred
itors of the government, VIII furnish good
grounds for even fuller oserh.uling than
Senator Davis asked for. 1t can readily be
shown that the monthly reductions of the
public debt, reported by Sherman, VIII not
bear moments investigation
Tomorrow the administration goes to Ohio
on an electioneering tour. Hayes will dis
tribute medals, bands will play, speeches he
made and every display that is usually
thought to influence votes, Just prior to cleo
ton, viii be part of the trip through Ohio.
Unless the people Of that state have gone
mad they viii give to the trip the weight it
should have, and viii look upon it as an at
tempt of reform administration to take
advantage of all the tricks that make machine
politics disreputable.
Assistant Secretary Mccormick, If we can
believe him, is about TO resign. His place is
diStasteful to him his eyesight is impaired !;
he does not care for public Office ; his private
business demands all his attention he needs
a season of rest after his ar,luous official
labors He is also to be made secretary of
the interior. and foreign minister. These
reports give as Mccormick gives them to
the newspapers. 1t seems most likely, how
ever, that lie viii remain assistant secretary
as long as the powers that be viii permit.
For 4 long time eN-Secretary RnbcSon and
William +. Chandler have had demands
against the NGtioRn! RprJI;ccn establish
ment which could not he enforced without 4
sale of the establishment It's now rumored,
as once or twice before, that one, or both of
them, with ex-public printer Clapp will as
sumo charge Of the paper at an early day.
One of the members of the Louisiana re-
turning board -Anderson-who was here
lately, carried back with him presidential
appointment to federal office In New Or
leans The reason why Anderson is not in
the penitentiary is because the democrats Of
Louisiana are not rs ready as these of South
Carolina, to investigate the acts OF their late
rulers.
Speaking Of South Carolina, it seems pn,-
per to say that the Investigations into repub-
hcan misrule, Ill that state, have so far been
fairly conducted The results are startling,
duplicating United States senator, COVER
nor, and almost whole legislature in the
habitual perpetration of frauds, but the eyi-
dence has cone from parties who might be
prejudiccd by political feeling. While the
democrats of Louisiana upon whom, prob
ably, much more depends, be as courageous
Of those of South Carolina.
Secretary Sherman, few years ago, owned
a large amount of unoccupicd real estate
here. Last spring he commenced to build
on it, and at the same time the district COM
miSslcnarS-our governors. commenced to
improve, at great expense, The streets around
the property. So rapidly did the commits
sionerS push the improvements that the c"a
tractor had 70 work his men day and night.
This money was spent by the commissioners
and spent In this urgent manner, because
Sherman, who owned the land and was
building on it, was secretary OF the treasury.
The houses put up By Sherman on this land
are for sale. If they meet the ready sale
that secretary's houses ought to meet they
will all be sold this fall, and the secretary
will have disposed of an unprofitable piece
OF land for three or four times IT former
value, simply because being secretary, he
could secure the improvement of streets, at
public expense, around his property EEN-