, 1878-04-20
Our Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, April 4, 1873.


EDITOR STATESMAN The river and har-
Dor appropriation bill, now in the hands OF
the House committee on commerce, Will be
made to cover less amount than usual
Properly distributed, the money 50 rsed can
be made of advantage to the whole country,
bat this is not always done. The most alb
surd schemes are sometimes given place IN
the bill. More than the usual care Will be
exercised by the House committee at this
season, and If that committee Is sustained,
small ainoun. OF money will this time ac-
con,plish more tLan larger amounts have
heretofore done
Hon. Montgomery Blair s resolution, which
was passed bv the Maryland legislature, Is
topic of general discussion The attorney
general of tie state is by il directed TO show
10 the supreme court Of the United States
the fact that Maryland was, by reason OF
frauds in other states, deprived OF her Just
aud constitutional influence IN the electoral
college in 1876, and a recount OF the elec-
toral vote by order OF the court Is asked.
Mr.. Blairs idea is. Of course, that the lnres-
;irations to be made by the court VIII be
thorough, and that the matters ne electoral
commission declined To coI!Slder-the frauds
in Louisiana, etc.-wiii lie inqnireG INTO In
order that the court may take acton IN the
case an act of congress is necessary, and th;.t
will he presented this week. Mr. Blair Is
confident such an act will pass without de-
Law: and that Mr.. Tiiden will spend some
norton Of the coming summer IL the white
house, Mr.. Hayes retiring He also believes
that :he people will cordially welcome the
change, and that it will create no more ex-
citcment than an ordinary legal proceeding.
| have never doubted that Mr. Tilden was
elected. and was swindled out of his seat, and
that whenever the case could be properly
brought before the supreme court, he would
get his rights, and have not hesitated, is your
files viii show, to suggest methods OF action,
but | have not the faith that Mr.. Blair has III
the early success Of his scheme. There Is no
good reason for believing that congress Will
mass the necessary bill Mr. Blair Is not 4
/ porular man, with either democrats or repnb-
! iicans. The democrats Of the house, 1t Is Iair
| to suppose, viii not be more united on this.
| than ON other subjects. Republicans, however
much they may dislike Hayes, may hesitate to
| take action which is morally certain 10 result
! in The inauguration OF Z. democratic president
However, there seems TO be no constitutional
| objection 10 the proposed action, and III good
morals there is everything in lis favor, and
| | hope that all the bright anticipations of MIR.
Blair may be realized,
Senator Eaton, who was chairman Of a com
mittse investigating the freedmen's hospital IN
this district, has presented a report, showing
that all the serious charges made against TIE
management, We're unfounded. There Is some
thing singular III the parSiStency with which
secretary Schurz has sought TO remove the Cis;,
GERS of this institution. The investigating
committee, appointed by himself, reported the
charges unfnun,led, and he d!,resss;sr!cd the r.
port Another committee reported Ike IN
first, but that report, too, was disre,s ,s;a:,e'l'
Il is said that even the coniplaisant Mr. H.ye-
| is beginning to understand that httie good
sense Is ~ Necessary - \ head tui! o: the"re'
iii conducting 4 reform successfully. When b,
is convinced Of this fact, lie Will make 4 va
cancy III the interior department. KEN