, 1878-05-24
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON. d. c., April 20. ls7,


The Conklng-Mines sensation. which
The other day absorbed the attention of
everybody, yielded the place it temporarily
held 10 its successor, the alleged confession
of McLin and Dennis. save with the com.
paratvey few personally implicated in
the lIelald's startling publication. The
fact that McIin has made some such state
ment rs is attributed to him and that Den
mis- has hinted at frauds in the interests of
both sides in the late Presidential vote in
Florida. is generally admitted McLn
appears from latest reports to have made
more than one, all to the same general
purport of iiScrediting the decision of the
Florida Returning Board in favor of Mr..
Hayes. Mr.. Blair appeared about the
only prominent politician here who AS
cribrd the sO-called confession to the prcks
of conscience, and was confident that it
was WAS another broad stride towards
seating Mr.. Tiden in the chair now OcCu-
pied by Mr.. Hayes. Stripped of all the
verbiage surrounding it, the confession
seems to have been engineered and to have
come from three disappointed aSpiraEts
for office As the distribution OF Office has
been generally conducted heretofore the
charge that they have been ungrteiully
treated and their services ignored. seems
well founded. The general opinion among
COngrCsSmen-Dcm and RcpubIi
cams-sO far as any has been expressed, Is
that the confession even If it clearly
established fraud. Is wholly ineleyant So
far ms the title derived from the Electoral
Commission Is concerned. But it IL be-
licved, all the papers. will ultimately 60
into the custody of the Judiciary House
Committee; and they may considerably in
hucnCe the final disposition OF Mr.. BIair's
"quo warranto" scheme. 1t is believed
by not few that this latest is the second
step of the series to be- taken by Mr.. I'll
den looking to his ultimate occupation of
the White House, Blair's being the in
itatory. According to these Mr.. Hayes is
to be Oustcd if possible. Otherwise public
sentiment is to be so moulded that it will
demand the nomination of Mr.. Tiidrn aS
the martyr candidate in 1850 by the Dem
Ocrntiu National Conventions; and he is
credited with being the chief engineer in
charge.
It will gladden. the hearts Of many who
have viewed the growing power of mono
poles with distruSt and of many Others
who have experienced something OF their
expressions, to learn OF the almost uIani-
nous passage of the Pacific Railroad bin
By the House, only two diS>enters going
on record. But any tendencies OH the pant
of the public to self ielicitation over this
seeming growth OF virtue in the popular
branch Of Congress will likely be dis
missed when they read that the annual
grab made under cover ofa bill nominaly
Tor the improvement Of rivers aed harDOrs,
was forced through the House without OPP
portunity for debate. by vote of 1866 to
66, $500. 600 to be taken at one grab for
distribution to the constituents OF men,
Lers seeking reelection. 1t Is selt-evi-
dent that many of these gentlemen dare
not 90 before their people on their record.
Hence the National Treasury is to be de-
pleted to restore their popularity. dare
assert that a careful Inspection of the STA
tistiCs Of the commerce and trade of
many of these inland water courses, will
fully justify the storm Of Indignation
aroused by this palpabe steal.
A good portion OF the time OF the House
Yesterday was devoted to the repeal of the
BANKRUPT Act, and after the adoption of
Mr.. knatts amendment, explicitly re-
pealrg the act of 1874 and section 81 of
ihe Revised Statutes. the absolute repeal
of the law of 1861 and all supplementary
acts was effected by vote of BOG to 30.
The adoption OF the amendments OF course
carries the bill back to the Senate.
1t is to he hoped the startling lntclli-
genrG reaching us from time to time by
the progress made by communism IN Call
tornia towards complete supremacy. and
OF the alarming proportions agrananism is
assuming in cities nearer home will have
the effect TO arouse Ollr rulers to sense of
the danger threatening every community
in the country. Tie devastation aud ruin
wrought in two short weeks last summer
by this lawless spirit intlamed by the cum
ming appeals Of wicked demagogles and
made desperate by the destlultDn every
where prevalent, ought to warn lis what
might be effected through thorough organ
izatiOn and concerted action. And it
ought not for single moment TO be lor-
gotten what Il terrible element we are not
only tOleratlng but are encouraging to cllt
our throats. in the armies Of tramps over
running the country in every direction
from Maine 10 Taxes and from the At
lantic TO rhe Pacific seaboards. We have
given them every opportunity to mature
their plans IN concert with tie vicious
classes IN Onr large towns: and they ap-
pear only waiting Tor few ruIlianly lead