, 1878-01-18
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

WAsnISGToN. u. G. Dee. 2S, 1877.
Lieut.. Walton, Assistant Inspector ot
Ii Il. Saving Service on the North Caro-
lima oasf, in al, di,lce 10 orders 10 thor
unrhly investigate all the circumstances
attending the loss of the Huron, has just
made his report after examining under
oath a large number OF witnesses. Two
of the points seemingly established by the
investigation are that II the station near
est tine wreck had been manned there pro-
bably would have been no loss of life; and
that n the crew nearest had been prompt
lv notified of the disaster, when one Evan
0,Neil. fisherman. first saw the vessel
ashore a few moments after the Huron had
struck, there would have been time
for il to have got to the vessel In season TO
have secured most of the stranded crew.
But instead of taking the course O'Neil
seems to have lies,lrely landed, attended to
ali the details deemed requisite to insure
the most ample returns possible from his
fishing trip before informing anyone OF
the drowning men on the beach, and then
no have waited for his breakfast at home
before going to the scene of the wreck.
This man appears to have been as desti.
TUE OI IlehTU
ipgs of humanityas the veriest savage that
ever lived. While some OF the fishermen
that gathered on the beach when the men
aboard the ill-flttd ship were perishing,
did their utmost to save the lives OF those
washed ashore, those of the O'Neil type
appear to have been sufficiently numerous
TO have stripped everybody that was final
'ly rescued from the waves of everything
of the slightest value about their persons,
the hands OF some of the corpses being
found shockingly mutiIated by the vio-
Ience used in stripping them Of the rings
worn. Lieut.. Walton says that on the
" bodies found, there remained not one
trinket, such rs the surviving friends
won'd have cherished as relics OF priceless
value: and he finally concludes with re-
commentator that precautions be at once
taken against the disgrace Of employing
O'Neil In any capacity In the lite-saving
service. From the terror Of the report II
would APPEAR that the names OF quite q
number of the other wretches who utilized
the ghOstly occasion to enrich themselves,
might well and properly have been In.
clnded In the list Of those who have for.
feited every right to the consideration and
sympathy of their fellows.
Mr.. Chandler has had a good many
readers; and men of all parties appear
united In the belief that nothing would be
be better calculated to draw President
Hayes over to the opposition than tor the
Republican leaders to formally endorse
the position taken by Mr.. Chandler. III.
decd that would appear the only alterna-
tive that would be left him by such q de-
Caration OF want OF confidence In him
from tile party nOminally supporting him.
There seems no doubt that portiOn--per-
haps n majority of the Republican leaders
would privately agree with Mr.. Chandler
In his condemnation of the alleged anti
Republican measures of Mr.. Hayes; but
they regard such a public PRONUNCIATION
Of their view rs Chandler has given his,
as premature and the last degree impoIitic
under present circumstances. e-a
The impression Is growing that the
House will undertake a general revision Of
the tariff law. lt'so, we may expect TO see
Republican arrayed against Republican,,
Democrat against Democrat; for there are
lew Statesmen extant with whom the APP
peals OF the pocket would not be more p0-
tential than those OF party were they
called upon to decide between them; and
with our vast extent OF territory and our
diversified industries 1t must be expected
that the views of members of the same
party will vary with the interests of the
locality represented; that the distance be-
tween the extremely orthodox and the ST.
perlatively hetrodox In theology, for in
stance Prime and Ingersoll, would not be
found greater than that between the pro-
tectionist of Pennsylvania and New Eng
land and the free trader OF the South or
West. The press representatives OF locali-
ties where vast amounts OF wealth are
massed are giving out notes OF alarm over
the Indications they think they hive dis
covered of purpose on the part ofrepre-
sentatives from those Identical communi-
ties that have camored loudest for re-
monetlzati0n, TO re-enact the income tax
law. Ifthe inquisitorial features Of such
law could be avoided In Its execution,
and the provocatlon II affords for lying
conld be reduced minimum through re-
gard TOR public morality, | believe from
what see and hear that poor people and
those of moderate means would regard the
passage of any law which would certainly y
extort the proportional part the very rich
should in equity pay, with tolerable de-
gree eofre'ignatlon.
The response OF some are evidently In.
terested IN the good name OF the members
Ofthe Washington Monument Association
to some structures of Clark Mills, tacitIy
endorsed by the - STAR" seems to Ignore
the fact that contributions have been con-
stantly made since the last stone was laid
on the uncompleted shaft. and 1t must be
regarded as unsatisfactory. KNOX.