, 1877-06-23
Our Washingten Letter.

has done q sensible thing III appointing a
democrat one Of the commissioners of this
District. The people here are 10 great ex
tent Geuandent upon Ihe action OF Congress.
and i, Is manifesrly desireable that the local
Offices should be filed with men whose poliu-
icsi opinions are IN harmony with those of
the TWO houses. Mr.. Bryan, who has receiv-
ed the appoin,me WAS one of two men sug-
gested by Mr.. Coreosan, the largest resl-es-
tate owner of the District.
In late interview here General Butler
was extremely bitter III his comments ON the
fact that Mr.. Corcoran seemed 20 have the
ear of the acting President IN relation TO Dis
trict affairs But Bu Ter is partisan, and
spoke as Il partisan. With a debt Of over
$2O, 900 ,0O0 and real-esrate valuation OF
less than 500, 600. 600, and without trade or
manufactures, the property holders OF the
District have somrrhIug besides politics to
think of
Gen. Butler, by the way, has just written
letter TO Wayne McVeigh, one Of the Presi-
dents Louisiana commissioners. The letter
has The vim and point of everything that
comes from Butler, and something more than
usual of scurrility and petty personal abuse.
I
McVeigb is not, and that the President Is,
he person that Butler is driving at. Ii Is
we'll understood that war has commenced
against the administration. and that Butler
Is doing the preliminary fighting.
The troops heretofore kept in Louisiana
have been ordered 10 the Wes:. This IL cary
ing out the acting Presidents well known
purpose not 10 keep soldiers IN any place
" here their presence could be considered as
a menace TO the people. Those In South
Caroliua will probably soon follow. The
good old deInocraric doc rine that the strength
aud prrperulry of the Union of States depends
on the good will Of all its members, rather
than upon the exercise of force, has evidently
Il hold upon the acting presIdent.
There Is much OPPOSITION from both par
tie- TO he stand taken III regard to hieXico,
aud II will not be surprising if the order 10
Gen Ord to cross the kIo Grande with sroops
wherever he thinks 1t necessary, should be
modified.
Secretary Sherman has unifOrmlr expressed
an idea that all Questions TO LOSSES in
cIdeut 10 ihe war, by ciIIzzus of the United
) aies, should be submitted 10 and passed up
pn by some court, tuard or commission spe-
ciaily authorized for the purpose. The talk
II Blaine aud hers during .he last Campaign
bOur the doubling OF the national debt by
payment of Sou hern cl1ims" If Tllden Was
lected was boSh, and was intended only To
1T c. the election 'hen about to take place.
But the parry of which Mr. Blaine WAS, up
to the 4th OF March, leader, h..s bern pay
Ing millions of dollars yearly Of the claims of
H. Nm b.rr b,.
ty by reason of The war. Thosr Payments,
80 lar as they ere made by tho Treasury,
have been s'opped by the Present Secretary.
lie has an idea, stated above, that all OF
n-m should be referred for examination o
som COMPETENT AN horiiy, having fxed rules
oy whic;. 10 decide hem.
TG-re is u ciauUr of c ,inauts and some OF
their agents u aust this, but | believe that
the SECRETARY pig, 1t promptly adopted and
put In;o operation, would result III be,,, Il, 10
proper claimants, and III O only 10 rhuse
no own or cun;ios iraudni. mt or wv .;ered"
,illIms. Heretofore one court has passed up
~ some OF these claims commI-isSlJn has
''~Srd upon aBO her class; the treasury upon
other classes, etc. Each of these bodies has
had Is own rules TO evIdenc-, and the
most coniradIetOry cOLclusiuus ere reached.
rhe man who sol pay through the cour, for
his cotton " IS reGusrd by the commission any
payment for his mules, aud, through the
Treasury got haif-prce for corn and oats
Each body WAS supreme in is sphere, and
,ur commission, und the Treasury. arbi,rari-
iy decided upon the prices to be paid as
well upiu he facts in the cases As there
are many millions of dollars worth Of these
examination, Secretary Sherman's plan seems
10 be both just TO the claimant and necessary
for the projection of the government. In
Justice to the citizen, and for the honor of
the nation, however, if former Iae; hods of ex-
nina Ion are TO be suspended, the new oues
hOuld be promptly created. DEM