The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-07-20
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

WASHINGTON, ID. o., July 10, 1878.
The merely sensational effect Of
the sudden decapitation of Collector
Arthur and Naval Officer Cornell has
subsidized, leaving the commentators
tolerabIy well settled as to the
grounds of their approval or disap-
prevail. Truth cOmpelS the state
ment that very few have thus far
been heard from willing to volun-
teer any defense of what looks like
almost anything but "Civil Service
Reform" according to the view of
all but an insignificant number of
those who have not etmade their Ver-
dict public. "Reform" has been fur
Their shocked by the announcement
OF the appointment of Alex. Reed to
an Office away out in Washington
Territory. Very few have forgotten
the persistency with which Reed
was urged on the Senate for confir-
nation as Postmaster of Toledo last
winter. He was rejected each,time
his name was presented, and despair
ing, seemingly, Of getting him con-
tirmed in an Office nearer home, kS
has been banished to the Western
WildS. a discrimination in favor Of
the Western over the Southern car
pet bag official seems to have made
an opening for I class of men who
have found it wholly imprscticabe
to secure such endorsement for Off
cial position among those Ultimately
acquainted with them, asto induce
the Senate to look on theircandidacy
with any sort Of favor.
The investigators have locked up
and gone home. Potter and his adj
herents persisted to the last in their
refusal to hear Mr.. aherman'S wit
nesses. BY them the Secretary de-
clared he could prove tie most fright
full reign Of terror ever tolerated by a
community processing civilization,
during the late Presidential cam
paign in the two Felicianas. Mr..
Sherman said that he could show by
them that above 80 Republicans were
made to bite the dust in these two
parishes alone, besides numberless
outrages only one degree less shock
ing. Of course they were not the
kind of witnesses the honorable Pot
ter and hts fellows cared to hear. 1t
was much more Important to show
the country that Mr., Sherman wrote
a letter to Weber and Anderson.
Out upon such hypocrisy! Kellogg
was about TIE only witness eXamin-
ed since the committee reopened the
show, and he appeared an unwilling
one throughout. Next to Potter,
people here seem Of the opinion that
Butler has proved the most lamenta-
Bile failure of any of the patriots who
hoped to distinguish themselves by
sowing the seed of revolution. The
whole business has turned out too
contemplate, even to be called
farce.
The evil genius that has never re.
Taxed its grip on Democracy since it
precipitated the country into the
whirlpool Of civil war, seems still to
have full possession Of the party
press. 1t couldn't do the work the
Republicans would have it more GER
tainly were that party's managers
directing it. In their fear of Gen.
Grant and their frantic efforts to kill
him they have brought him into
a prominence that may give him the
nomination by acclimatiOn. Thus
early we hear much about Hayes
successor here and where any other
name is heard in that connection once
| think it is no eXaggeration to say
! Gen. Grants is heard a dozen times
among Republicans, both "stalwart"
and Administration The mention
! Of his name, even with the mercury
dangerously near 1902 in the shade.
arouses degree of enthusiasm that
reminds one of old "Wide Awake"
times in 1860. There is undoubtedly
a feeling Of confidence in him in an
emergency, not accorded any other
man. Grant and Blaine is the latest
slate. Thurman is good deal talk
ed about on the other side. But it
would start the party out under such
load of ridicule to attempt to match
the "bloody shirt" with Thurman's
"red bandanner" that it would break
down before the half mile pole was
reached.
The intelligence received this
morning from the Oregon hosti.es
has startled everyone and seems to
confirm the belief that Towards
engagement was only with a frag-
ment of the Indian force. The tenor
Of all the dispatches now being re-
ceived at the War Department is to
the effect that the Oregon Indians
heretofore depended upon as friend