The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1877-02-17
Our Washington Letter.
Testimony and Treatment of
the Louisiana Returning OFF,
cers-COngressiOnaI Matters
First Payment to MIR. Eads.


First Payment to NHr. Eads.
WASHINGTON, D. G., Feb. Z, 1877.
EDITOR CHIEF:
The timid Republican members oI
the House committee on the extent OF
its own powers appear to have been
inspired by feeling of terror from
the presence of Mr.. Field, and he has
been allowed the widest latitude
wherein to bulldoze and brow beat
witnesses but Gen. Anderson and
ex-Gov. Wells of the Louisiana Re-
turning Board have forced him to as
sunle more respectful attitude to-
wards them by returning in kind his
arrogant bearing and disrespectful
demeanor but it has been rather
humiliating to Republican spectators
to listen to Mr.. Wells vain appeals to
be protected from the rapacity of
Tweed's lawyer without one sign of
disapprobation or a word sof protest
from the Republican members and
the witness, seeing the futility of fur
ther efforts in that direction probably,
gave his pitiless inquisitor notice that
he would protect himself, which pro-
dnced an instantaneous graciousness
OF manner on the palt of Field. But
he must be remarkably dull if he
doesn't see that his domineering man
ner to witnesses who were temporarily
in his power and there obliged to en-
dure his insults has not increased the
general admiration, never very over
| whelming, for his manhood. The in
dignities which ex-Gov. Wells-now
about seventy-and his fellow prison
er Anderson have been subjected to
by their Democratic custodians, and
the ability displayed in making their
imprisonment as irksome Us possible
occasions SO much Indignation that
Mr.. Randall hastens to clear himself
from the reproach. A damp, dark
and unwholesome cell was designated
for their Incarceration, where they
have been debarretl from almost every
privilege accorded to other prisoners
who have been shut up in the Capitol
from time to time in the past. Even
the distinction made between these |
and the other two imprisoned MEM
bers of the board, are of the most
marked character, and uniformly at
the expense of the former.
Readers of Mr.. Wells testimony at
a distance from the Capital should be
reminded that in his capacity as chair
man of the Returning Board vast
number of papers elating to the cleo
tion came before him whose details it
would be impossible for any man to
remember; and it must also be re-
membered that Mr.. Wells has been
subjected to most rigid examination
without opportunity even for consul
tation, by a skilled lawyer, a vindic-
tive partisan, hoping to trap his un-
wary feet by most ingenious methods
and thereby detect him in something
that would partially offset the frauds
and crimes of which the Democracy
stand convicted, and which might,
perchance, contribute something to
their success in the game not yet de.
cided before the Arbitration Commits
sion. The immoralities of which Lit
tlefeld has plead guilty, and the many
of his testimony have
effectually destroyed all the dazzling
hopes entertained of him, and the self
confessed purpose of Fields other two
less than the outright
purchase of the State of Louisiana for
rilden-would of itself have defeated
he object in calling them to the stand,
,ut in addition they have been shown
% be such notorious adventures,
urning traitors and informers in every
.ause they espoused for money con-
liberation apparently, that they have
inadvertently sacrificed themselves
" calling public attention to their
ecord, without aiding the "reformer"
II the cause that lays so near his heart.
5esides they have been contradicted
pecifeally i'll every essential partic
lar, and incidentally brought out the !
act of the 100000 offered to General {
anderson to labor for Tilden.
A week has elapsed since the count
egap and we have yet no decision as {