Middletown transcript., 1878-10-12
washington Letter.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Oct. 9, 1878.
1t is not improbable that to-day's
election will decide the Presidential
contest Of 1880, and to this is due much
of the interest felt all over the coun-
try in the result Its bearing on the
next Presidency, and on later State
elections, gave to the Maine election
an Importance in the public estimation
that the defeat of MN like Powers and
Hale would not have given. The eff
feet Of the Maine Waterloo will be felt
to-day in all the October States, and
they, in their turn, at the greater cleo
tionS in November. What the Pine
Tree State did will, as nearly as we
can tell this morning, be repeated in
the West, and then the Republican
leaders, already quarreling over the
Maine affair, will probably separate
finally, There is no longer vitality in
the Southern outrage business. and the
people, we may be sure, will not be
deluded by the cry of honest money!
when it comes from a parcel of men
who we're poor when they entered Con
grcss, have lived beyond their salaries,
and are now among the millionaires of
the country. A plausible humbug
may attract for a while; but one like
this can hardly have disinterested wor-
shippers at all.
The truth is that the Democratic.
party always was, and is to-day, the
friend of "honest money" and on any
question connected Herewith three
fourths will ultimately trust that party
rather than any other. Tomorrow
may not be a day of complete Demo-
cratic victory, but it will be, let us
hope, of complete Republican over
throw.
The press and the conventions of the
Republican party, for several months
past, urged thereto by knowledge of
what the people imperatively demand
ed, have advocated cutting down of
the expenses of the general govern
ment During the extra session of
Congress last Fall sundry intelligent
Democrats, after a careful examina-
ton of the subject, decided that $780,
100000 a year could be saved without
interfering with the efficiency Of any
branch of the government, and they at
tented to secure a reduction. They
were thwarted by the whole body Of
Republicans and by few Democrats,
but have not given up the fight. If a
handful of Republican representatives
are in earnest in seeking an economi-
cal administration Of affairs they can
have it. They will be supported by
nearly all the Democrats, and the mag
niicent sum named can be saved to
the poor men-who are the ultimate
tax-payers-of the country.
The fever-stricken Southwest is in
debted to Washington for the idea of
sending down the Mississippi to the
desolated minor cities, from which or
binary approach is cut off, supplies Of
medicines, provisions and clothing.
Our own citizens first proposed this,
and first contributed literally to it.
Other steamers will follow, for the la
test advices, if possible, are worse than
any previous one.
/ regret that any illusion to the do
nestle affairs Of the family Of General
Sherman found its way into my letter
of last week. It's sending was an ac-
cident. The General and his wife, |
have every reason to believe, are in as
complete harmony as often falls to the
lot Of human beings, and they are both
too sensible and too honest to permit
any religious differences to mar the
rare serenity of their domestic life.
SoLoN.