Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1877-02-15
Our Washington Letter.

misSiOn-General BellSnap Par
dOned in Advance-New Build
ing for the National Library
Captain Eads - Congressional,
Personal, etc, etc.
Special Correspondence Of the OBSERVER.
w WASHINGTON, DC, Feb. 10, ~.
Rear-Admiral Charles Wilkes
died in this city yesterday. An
officer in the Navy for over six
ty years, his career has been at
all times an honor to the service.
OF late years the only event
which has brought him promi-
nently before the public was his
taking of Messrs. Slidell and
Mason, Confederate Commits
sioners, from British vessel in
in 1861. He was not a fayorite
among his brother officers or
with the public, but had quail
ties which made him a valuable
officer. He was rs years Of age
at the time Of his death. An e.
vent of yesterday in our Dis
trict Court reminds us of anoth-
cr aged and noted citizen of
about the same years as Admiral
Wilkes and Of q very venerable
appearance. One might any day
expect Simon Cameron, Sena-
tor from Pennsylvania, to take
that journey which the gallant
Admiral has taken, and to be
heard Of no more on earth, I'M
less the historian Of our coun-
try shall give him a place as one
who, when the life Of the nation
was in danger, accepted office
for the plumber that attached to
it, and who was turned out be-
cause a civil war and a Came
ron in Office were more than the
country could sustain. But
this gray and palsied politician
has not died. He has been sued
for breach of promise. For sew
cnty years false to all that is
usually held in esteem by 9th
ers, this ancient man has crowned
a career remarkable for its
length and its iniquity, by a sin
that his years, if not his NOR
ais, should have saved him from.
The damages are laid at $4,000.
The plaintiff is a white woman
and of good appearance.
To-day a decision is expected
as to the eligibility Of Humph-
ries, Hayes eIector from Flori-
da, and tomorrow on the ques-
ton as to which set of electors
shall be recognized from that
/ State. There has been no indl-
cation, SO far, Of what the re-
suit will be, and speculation is
useless now, as You will have
( the announcement by telegraph
/ before this letter reaches you
1t is proper to say, however
/ that the Republicans arc moro
hopeful than at any time since
! the Commission was organized
Yesterday the criminal case a
gainst General Belknap before
the Courts of this District was
dismissed by order Of Presiden
| Grant. Belknap was indicted
for receiving brides while Sec
rotary of War. What with par
dons after conviction, and dis
missals like this, we may para
phrase what the President one,
said, and instead of letting NJ
guilty man escape, say that m
guilty man shall be punished.
Prominent men in and out OF
Congress have taken hold il
earnest of q project to erect
proper building for the librar.
of Congress. A bill was yes
terday introduced in the Senat
on the subject. The library i
by far the finest in the country
and increasing in size and valu
yearly, and its present space il
the Capitol is entirely made
quate. The Senate yesterda,
very properly decided that Capt
Eads should be paid in bond
instead of cash for his AIissis
sippi river improvements. Th'