The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1878-08-22
Washlngtoa Letter.
WAsHIsGros, d. C., Aug. IL, .

WASHINGTON, ID. u, Aug. lI 20.
Political circles Just now seem most
agitated over the matter Of the cam
paign assessments levied against the
White House occupant, whether or no
he has paid them or intends TO, if he
has not already responded. He may
regard it as impairment and as no
body's business save that of the par
ties directly concerned; but great in
terest is manifested in the matter all
the same. Whether he pays or refu-
ses to pay he seems destined TO run
the gauntlet of a CALLING fire, for either
event the somewhat cont adictory
and inconsistent views he is reported
to have expressed at different times
as to the duty Of Federal officials, APP
pear susceptible Of being used TO in
tensify his distress, whichever horn Of
the dilemma he. elects. The matter
seems calculated to give him trouble
in another way. Some of the incum-
bents of the fattest places, not con
tent with a quiet refusal to contrib
ute, take occasion to lecture the Re
publican National Committee for
their assurance in asking contribu-
tons under a reform Civil Service,
and the tone Of their responses is not
infrequentE ibsoIent and offensive.
Postmaster Loge, Of Cincinnati, is
said to have been SO gr~atuitously in,
sulting that. his case with quotations
from his reply tO:the Committee have
been laid beforethe President.
Indian Agent Livingston of the
Crow Greek Agency must he an IN
veterate consumes Of tobacco and
drugs. 1t is said that in the system
attic hunt instituted for stolen goods
ard for other thieves, quite one-eighth
of the Indians tobacco supply allow,
ed Govt was found concealed under
the floor of the Agents store-house
and enough drugs to send the whole
sioux nation to the happy hunting
grounds.
The latest hypocritical swindler re-
ported by those making the rounds
If the Agencies to smoke out the
whelps, is of the quota contributed by
the Congregational Church TO teach
the savages Christianity aud make it
mol, inIprtSsiEe by the v%irtuous eX.
ample they should set as clmoners of
Govt annuities. His grabs were not
on the same extensive scale as Liv-
ingston's but revealed a character
equally dishonest and base. 1t is
now said that Livingstone thefts will
amount to fully 100000, which ad-
ded TO those Of the latter will bring
the total well up to $4,000.
No one needgo outside the columRs
of the Congressional Record of the past
five years to convict Thurman of
grosser Inconsistencies than ever Ben
Butler was guilty Of, and as a trim
mer aud straddler the record shows
he can give Hendricks generous odds,
then beat him out of sight at his own
specially. The party hasn'ta a, more
subtitle platter ordinarily. But it
seems the universal verdict that he is
suffering IRON the White House itch;.
and the summersaults and hand
springs he turned in his late Ohio
speech, are explicable on no other
theory than loss.of mental balance
through the severity of an ailment
that has shipwretEed the reputation
of not a few men quite as able as Mr..
Thurman. Reasoning a frtof the
fact that one had repeatedly boxed
the financial compass, jumping.,at M
bound from the most conservative
ground to that occupied by the Ohio
school of inAatiotists; then back again
Or lighting at some intermediate point
as appeared most popular, would
hardly seem to. commend them Tor a
position when their influence eupon
finances must prove potential for
good or evil. But it now seems very
probable that Democracy will pay
any price demanded to secure an al
lance with the factious outside of the
two old parties, including the Green
hackers proper, the socialists and the
communists; and Thurman seems to
have set himself to the task of squar-
ing his views that they may clash
with none of those popular with pos
sible allies. 1t is intimated that
Sec'y Sherman will make one or more.
speeches during the campaign in
Ohio in reply to Thurman. But his
experience in politics long ago con
WINGED him, probably, that facts and
figures are never half as effective with
some people as a demagogus appeal
to their preju1ices and passions.
We seem steadily marching on to
resumption and those opposed includ-
ing about all of the classes named,
are correspanding)y desperate. Sub.
scriptions to the popular have shown
no abatement but rather on increase.
All the gold needed by the most lib.
eral estimate to- meet the require
ments of the law $500 aa2f,of1l
vaults or has bSa1E