The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1877-12-06
Our Ma.hlnrtaHLt.er.

light hearts sailed out of Norfolk har-
Dor in her last Saturday noon, happily
ignorant ST the terrible wreck and
death awaiting them 4 few hours later,
on the trcachcrous shoals Of the Carroll
ma coast. The statement published is,
/ substantially, Is as follows: March last,
Lieut.. Arthur II. Fletcher; ker eNecu-
tive oliic%e obtained a 2i-hours leave
Of absenc6-iae le ship, and failing to
she sailed out without him. 4 few
days later he returned anG reported To
the senior officer at Port Royal (whcnce
the ship sailed), stating that he had
been for some time terribly depressed
by Il prescntment that should he at
tcmptto iinSih Iris cruise in her 1.-TWO
years, she would be wrecked and he
lost; that he lad made every effort to
get detached but the Department had
refused his petition based on such Il
foundation that he then determined
to desert. lie was placed under arrest
for this oifcmSe and tried here by court
martial last August. Commodore Clitz
Snd Commander Ryan of the Huron
were cited to appear for the defence, TO
prove that before leaving his ship as
above stated, he told them of the feeling
Of horror that had taken possession OF
his faculties, relative TO continuing his
cruise in the Huron. All this is said
to be q matter of record, and your cor
respondent remembers well the court
martial from having q near relative on
4 and conycrsing relative to the case.
OF course the Department could not en-
tertain tavOrably the only defense pos
sible under the circumstances, and MIR.
Fletcher was the recipient Of SOnC ridi-
cule in naval and other circles where
they were known. But since the tragic
ending that came to mott Of his old
~shipmatGs, many cOndcmning his
course heretofore, find abundant cause
for il; and he is judged by all much
more lenicntly. He, at last, has cause
to congratulate himself that he needed
tn, impression go pershsteniy enforced,
though doNe ut rLrG expense Of popular
ity and his good name. "a live dog is
better than a dead lion" There now
seems the best of reasons for suppOsiug
that the struggle for the control Of the
Senate, was all "Cut and dried by Il
few Of the leaders of the minority, after
mature deliberation; and that Thur
man was selected to inaugurate the At
tempt after having made IRE (as
thought) Of the rcnegradcS from South
Carolina and Florida. The programme
no doubt contemplated seating Ham,
burg massacre Butler first, then Eustis
if possible, and with the two woes thus
gained, il is hoped the report fayoring
the admission OF Kellogg may be de-
tcated and Spoiford struggled in. The
hating, illogical defence attempted by
Patterson and COnovcr on Friday
showed to what pitiable straits the two
men are directed. They have success
lively tried, at least Patterson has and
the other probably, to shield themselves
behind the Southern policy which left
them dCfenseless and with their hands
tied, at the mercy of the ~bulldozers, ku-
klux and rifle club gentry the failure
Of their Republican associates 10 csti-
rate them at their proper value, their
convictions of duty, and many other
circumstances likely to suggest them
selves to men conscious of having earn.
ed the contempt Of all honorable men
by their treachery, duplicity and dou-
bic dealing. The air of AFFECT submits
sion which characterized PattersOn's
demeanor when ordered by Butler with
oaths and u crack of the plantation
whip, to fall into the place assigned
them in the rear of the Democratic col
umn dissipatcd a good deal of sympa-
thy felt for him heretofore in common
with other Southern Republicans, by
the indifference shown as to their fate
under the new order Of things cstab-
l.ished in that section. But it begins to
be suspected that the worthy pair will
continue to vote in such 4 way as APP
pears most likely to leave them holding
the balancec of power, when all the
contested seats shall have been filled.
No doubt is entertained in many quar-
ters that the conspiracy whose first
fruits are already visible, cOntcmplates
crushing any Republican admitted
from the South, as evidence can be had
to order; and the present movement
against Kellogg ie believed to have
been suggested by the probability of
his admission. Many also believe they
have detected the hand Of the great
"Reformer," himself, in the past
weeks stouggle, either with n view to
inaugurating the promised fight for
MIR. Hayes seat, or to keep his cause
prominently to the fore, as the surest
passport to a denomination in 1880.
The Democrats were demOralized by
their defeat Wednesday and the ses-
sion Yesterday was devoted by both
sides to entrenching themselves in
their position; House proceedings are
entirely devoid Of interest, eve when
in session. It IL believed conference
committees VIII be necessary on the
Paris ENbosltibn bill and the silver
bill. Bland declares the Senate amend
mcnts to the latter cannot be accepted
by the House. Though the purpose
to the President 70 veto II is
based purely on speculation as to his
sentiments, its opponents will have
hope from the source, No reliable cs-
O ftie damages from the late
flood on the potomac DIRE yet possible,
hut they will aggregate many thou
sands Of dollars. Hundreds Of farms
on the bottom lands further up the riy-
EFF have been deyasted; and the dlsas-
tcrs from the same cause in portions of
Maryland, North Carolina and through
Virginia, are reported rs without pre-
Weather has now turned cold
and w%interlike. DEWITT.