The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1878-07-12
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington, D. c., July 9, 1873.

On Wednesday the 10th, the Potter Com
mittee will continue the examination OF
witnesses here. So far as has been made
public Senator Kellogg is the principal wit
ness to be called at present The late re-
markable change in his relations with the
Administration will attract general attention
to his testimony. From being very free in
his condemnation of Mr.. Hayes he has be.
come equally free in his praise, and is often
with him. The Committee expect to close
here in about two weeks. The sub-commit-
tee in Louisiana will continue its labors in
definitely.
Your correspondent has often urged upon
heads of Departments-and especially upon
Mr.. Schurz, because he was believed to have
given civil service reform some honest study
the reorganization of the force employed
under them. The folly of attempting to i'm
prove things solely by an absurd competitive
examination on points not likely to ever
come before the officer after appointment,
seemed to have control of Mr.. Schprz' S
mind for time, but has not now its old in
luence with him. Last week he did a SEN
sible and practical thing in dismissing from
Office the appointment clerk of the Interior
Department. This man had been, under
Chandler, employed by one of the Republi-
can Campaign Committees, and, on account
of his partisan bitterness, WIS lifted by old
Zack into the delicate and highly response
10 h,nh hoa uot
displaced him. Mr.. Schurz will now have
less difficulty in finding out what are the
actual-not partizan qualifications of his
subordinates, and can go on more intelli-
gently in the work of reorganization.
Some of the Republican journals show
disposition to defend John Sherman from
the charge of leaguing with scoundrels for
the purpose of stealing the vote of Louisiana
but condemn or fail to defend Senator STAN
ley Matthews. Others are eloquent in de-
fence of Matthews, but attack or fail to de-
fend Sherman. The evidence against both of
them is strong. That against Matthews is
especially strong being in his own handwri-
ting, but his offense is no less than Sher-
mans. A man would rather be convicted of
disturbing the peace than strongly suspected
of burglary. Matthews ohense was that he
tried to cover up the frauds which there is
now little doubt Sherman assisted to commit.
1t is not ;proved that Matthews was in the
House and encouraged the robbers in their
work, and promised them protection, but
only that he afterwards became aware of the
facts and tried to conceal them for the bene-
fit of the man who had the stolen goods.
Either offense is grave enough, and the Re-
publican newspapers-friends and enemies
Of both the distinguished ststesmen-willd do
we'll to compromise matters and say nothing
about either of the distinguished criminals
With intelligent Democrats and with Re-
publicans who have become ailenated fiom
their party by its pharisaical pretensions to
monopoly of all the virtues in the face and
eyes of its proven corruptions and its shame
less championship of fraud, the massing of
that party's artillery and small arms on
Speaker Randall since his telling arraign-
ment at Philadelphia of its Congressional
leaders, will pass for just what it Is worth.
1t will neither divert public attention from
the incontrovertible points made against
them nor damage Mr.. Randall before the
next National Democratic Convention. More
than any other man he is regarded as the
one who led an oppressed people out of
bondage into he promised land of their de-
liverance.
SEMINOLE