The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-11-30
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.


tic OOllS 6SSlOHdl AOulIllltleeS nave
already been held to get the particu.
lar work with which they are charg
ed well in hand, in anticipation Of
the reassembling of the National
Legislature next Monday. The usu-
al lack of interest was shown by the
failure to secure quorum at several
of the meetings in question. In
keeping with Democratic brag and
bluster about reform" we were as
sured prior to the meeting Of the
three last sessions that the appropri-
alton bills were all to be in shape to
be reported before the holidays. But
we all remember that at the last two
sessions some of them were not re-
ported from the Committees until
late in the following Spring or even
Summer. Hence the repetition of
former boasts excite very little else
but derision and lncredulity.
One of the most important matters
that came over from the last session
is the bill in aid of the construction
of the Texas Pacific r. r. By mu-
tual agreement in the Senate the
first Wednesday Of the present ses-
sion was assigned for its considera-
ton. The main feature of the bill is
the guarantee OF the interests of that
roads construction bonds, at per
cent. and among the conditions pre-
ccdent to granting that limited aid
are the following, which seem to
amply guard the Government from
possible loss in the premises: The
road is to surrender previous land
gra IS, covering more tnan 5000, 600
acres Of land the absolute Surrender
of the control of the road to Govern
ment, till every claim it may have
against the Company shall have been
sa It's ed, this provision carrying
with it the right of Government to
fix the prices for such transportation,
postal and other service as it may
require. The bill also provides for
the creation Of sinking fund to
satisfy all claims the Government
may have against the road, and as an
additional security first mortgage
is to be executed in its favor on the
road and all its equipments. The
House bill is very similar only a
little more strict relative to the roads
| Eastern connections. The purpose
of the Central Pacific monopoly to
hold on to its present control of all
trans continental trade has become so
apparent that steady reaction has
provoked in favor of the Texas
Pacific, extending, it is said, to many
Members of Congress heretofore hos
tile to it and this reactionary move
ment of public sentiment has receiv-
ed a decided impetus from the pub
licity given Auditor French's report,
detailing the point blank refusal Of
Mr.. Huntington's Central Pacific
Company to comply with the laws
of Congress.
Most everybody will agree with
Mr.. Evarts that the months inter-
vening between Presidential nOmi-
nations and the following November
is about all the time we can profita-
bly, devote to the red-hOt work of a
Presidential campaign. But it is no.
ticeable that the present discussion
of the availability of General Grant
as Republican nominee to succeed
Mr.. Hayes, has been prPcipitated by
Democrats. 1t also requires no
stretch of the memory to recall the
fact that the very men and papers
pretending to a free knowledge of
Grants purpose to overturn our free
Government and establish military
despotism, are precisely the men and
organs that fought hardest and de-
claimed lOudest for the destruction
of the Republic and the establish
ment on its ruins of an Oligarchy
founded on slavery as its corner
slone. We know how Grant gave
the lie to all their predictions by
| quietly slipping out of the place now
occupied by President Hayes. And
o their everlasting shame and con-
fusion it is known tht the men and
papers who have revived the old
tales of Grams intended coup d etdt
his purpose to merge representa-
tive Government into Caesarism-
are the ones who have most loudly
applauded or most abjectly apologize
ed for the wretched burlesque on Tree
suffrage enacted in the South on the
5th inst. Nor has it escaped public
notice that it is these men and or
gans who are responsible for the dia-
! bolical murders and terrorism which
haye characterized the bloody rule of
Southern Democracy since it wrest-
ed con troll from the hands of a peace.
able majority and reduced it to a
condition infinitely worse in many
respects, than the legalized slavery