Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-01-02
Our Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, Dec. "a


Dec. 1864, he secured 49 hours leave
of absence, with permission to take
with him Menenzies, prisoner confined
on the Princeton, and becoming re-
sponsible for his return Menenzies
was blockade runner, had been an Of
6cer in the rebel navy and was, pre-
sumabIy, personal friend of Draper.
They went direct to Baltimore where
an ovation was rendered Menezies at
his sisters house by rebels and rebel
sympathizers, Draper participating.
The jollifcation was exceedingly boist-
erous and was SO offensive to Unionists
as to have nearly provoked riot. The
whole party was arrested, including
Draper, who was informed Feb. 2,
1865, by Sec'y Wells, that his commits
sion was revoked. Draper wrote re-
questing that he be allowed to resign
and his letter was treated as formal
resignation, the Sec'y informing him
that it had been accepted. Draper
tried to get reinstated, but Sec'y Robe
son declined to interfere; but he has
been more successful with the present
Sec'y who decides that he has never
been legally out of the service and, it
is said has ordered his name restored
to the Naval Register. As this deci
sion carries with it pay and allowances
about S25 ,000-for the l3 years
that ne has been practicing medicine
here. rendering no service whatever to
the Government. the case is exciting a
good deal of adverse criticism in naval
and political circles
Since the political lull that has come
through the adjournment for the holi-
days recess, public interest, which had
been largely absorbed in the struggle
fer supremacy in the Senate between
the representatives of Republicanism
and Bourbonism, and by the issues that
have, unhappily, been forced between
the former and the Administration. has
been recalled to several matters now
pending before Congress of such excep-
tional Importance to the whole nation
as to demand much more attention than
has yet been accorded them. The case
of the Union Pacific r. r. is among
these, and it has come to strike many
rejecting people as very remarkable
that a creature of Congress can go on
year after year defying the power that
called it into existence in open viola
ton OF its charters and in virtually re
fusing compliance with its promises as
to the repayment to the Government of
the money loaned to aid its construc-
ton. Away back in the extra session
the President was requested by both
Houses to inform them what impedi-
ments existed to enforcing the original
contract with the road. The Attorney
General appears a long while 10 franz
ing an answer. The interests of the
Kansas Pacific and other roads, as
branches, are Indirectly involved, as
are also the relations of the Govern
ment, to greater or less extent, to the
great railway system of the country;
and Notwithstanding the fact that every
influence is being brought to bear like
ly to aid these gigantic monopolies in
defeating the Governments effort to
establish its supremacy in the premises
and to force them to a rigid accounta-
bility in all time to come, in no previ-
Gus Congresa has there been manifested
such general hostility to their designs
and such determined spirit to estab-
l;sh the metes and bounds beyond
which they may not go hereafter.
Every Establishment, every temporizing g
expedient will undoubtedly be resorted
to by the formidable array of lawyers
here working to defer the blow, which,
when given, will render them hereafter
always amendable to law. The propo-
sition that the Government accept some
million acres of worthless land at val
uation that would be ridiculous even
were the land Of average growth, to sa.
tisfy the Government claims will be
cuhningly and persistently urged; but
forbearance has apparently been
stretched to ita Utmost limit in behalf