Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1878-01-10
Our Washington Letter.

The Baltimore SIMS Wash
ington correspondent tele-
graphcd that paper last night as
follows; "The decrease of the
public debt for December is in
significant. In fact. if it had
not been for what is really an
unjustifablc procedure ca the
part Of the Secretary Of the
Treasury, there would have beer
a considerable increase in the
debt for the past month. To
prevent this the Secretary has
refused TO pay a number Of
claims Of the justice Of which
there could be no doubt, and
which have passed through all
the requisite forms"
The San and other infucn.
tial papers, are just becoming
aroused 10 the truth and impor-
lance of what was long ago sta-
ted and discussed in this cor
respondence. Secretary Sher-
man has not signed a debt state
ment SINCE March 4lh, to which,
if it were private matter be-
tween man and man, he would
dare TO attach his name. His
monthly statements, instead Of
being, as they should be, show
ings Of the actual condition Of
affairs, are SO made as to hide
the truth. lie has pcrsistently
robbed the poor that the rich
might feel secure in their IN
vestments, and has concealed
the fact.
Senator Davis, of West Vir-
ginia, who came here hot for an
investigation and who was &C
corded a special committee TO
inquire into this very subject,
has contentcd himself, SO far,
with sending to the Treasury a
series Of questions concerning
dead and gone irregularities of
the Department, which were Of
comparatively light importance
in their day and are now past
remedy. Let us have the pres
cnt time investigated.
The people of this city awoke
this morning to read Of the
daily murder in their midst.
The white population of Wash
ington is as temperate and or
derby as any equal number Of
people in a city anywhere. But
the war left lis a class Of ne
grocs whose evil inclinations,
losing the restraints imposed
by their previous condition,
cause a heavy addition to our
criminal records. Add to this
the fact that we have less than
half the police force we need.
and our deplorable condition is
accounted for. The talk of
lynch law here is not as wild as
some Of the papers seem to
consider it. Twenty srecial po-
licemen-all good citizens =
were yesterday sworn in with a
view to protecting persons and
property in their llrlghborhood.
Near where they reside two
young white girls have been
outraged by negroes, and a MUIR
der committed.
Senator Patterson was much
worse last night, and his ply
sicians again express doubts Of
his recovery.
New Years day brought us
the usual suspension of bust
ness, the reception at the White
House and at the residences of
officials ;nl private citizens.
The air as Ike May and enjoy
mcnt was general.
In the absence Of Congress
there is a great deal of discus
sion in the press and elsewhere
on the probable course Of Sena-
tors in the event of new nomi-
nations being made by Mr..
Hayes for the New York CTS
tom House offices. 1t is found
that there was no truth in the
statement made a few days
since, that all the Democrats
who acted with Senator Conk-
ling on tie former occasion
would now 90 with Mr.. Hayes.
Some one fond Of inyenting
stories told that one. Argu-
ments are used in this matter
that might as fifty be used iii a
discussion of the temperance
question. 1t is urged. for in
stance, that Southern Senators
should sustain Mr.. Hayes be-
cause he has done his duty by
The South. BIT the subject of
New York Custom House Of
ficers has nothing 10 do with
the South except as that section
is concerned TO have the laws
faithfully executed, and if
Conkling's friends are as faith
fnl and competent as Hayes'
and Evarts' friends, | do not
see why Southern men should
go out of their way to give
4 Il.