The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-05-01
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
]" THE EDITOR OF THE NEW NORTHWEST:
! Ihe result of the extra session, or it4
probable duration, can be no better fore.
told now than il could last weak
rather tedious discussion of the arm
Dill has consumed the time in the Hous,
while the Senate is leisurely waiting f,.
something to do. Mr.. GarfelPs speec.,
on the legislation proposed by the Dem.
ocrats, prohibiting the use of troops 4
the polls on election days, is the leadin
effort on the Republican side, and hi.
friends have admired it rather prOfusely
Taken all in all, however, the effect wa
simply that of piece of vigorous de
clamation. Whatever basis Of truth j.,
may have contained was exaggerate
beyond the usual license Of deelamatory-
rhetoric, while some of its statement
are not borne out By the facts. But the
worst of it all is that, even bad all his
statements been true history, they woul.i
have come with better grace from any
other mouth than Garfield's, inasmuch
as his own previous declarations AM
votes come within the scope Of his de
nunciations. Not much more than =
month ago Mr.. Garfield stated, on ths
floor of the House, that the Republican
were ready to coneede that the condi-
tions requiring troops at the polls and
the test oath no longer existed; and nov
he is engaged in an effort to make the
proposition to repeal them appear rev
olutionary But what use to look for
consistency in politician They are
about all alike in advocating what, for
the time being, seems to serve the ends
Of their party. A prominent Republi
can, in private conversation with the
correspondent of leading independent
journal, day or two since, said: 1--WE
are all President 1t is not q
question whether these laws should oi
should not be repealed, but a contest for
position in the Presidential race. o.
course, we don't think there is any rev
olutiOn about it, but we want to consol-
idate and unite the party" This is tn
thing in a nutshell. The country il
not effected one way or the other, bul
the Democrats are bound to repeal these
Republican laws, and the Republicans
are bound they shall not. The Demo
Gratis have both houses of Congress and
can pass the acts, but the Republican.
hope to sufficiently stiffen the spine os
the White House to insure veto. Amt
it is all for party-all "President-ma
ing"
The Cameron Oliver trial came to an
end with about the result that had been
anticipated-s verdict for the defendant.
The case occupied two weeks, filterine
an unusual amount Of garbage througl,
its proceedings, and the verdict is pretty
generally indOrsed by the public senti-
ment. Simon had already been bled
enough by this bold, bad woman-and
while he now escapes a judgment for
damages, il has cost him a heavy ex-
peuditure Of funds, aud a smirching Of
character that few men Of position would
bear for any amount of money. The
wonder is that man of Simon Gamer
on's knowledge Of the world, a man OF
his varied experience and extensive OBJ
servation, should have become involved
in such an affair. There is q moral tn
adorn this tale. So long as public meIl
keep mistresses, so long will Washing
ton be, as it now is, more or less infested
with this class of adventuresses, ami
there certainly should be some way to
prevent influential men from quartering
these upon the Government. They
should not be allowed to place them
upon the pay rolls OF the various depart
ments, where they draw the salarie,
that ought to 90 to respectable women
with families to support. There are iu
the employ of the Treasury and other
departments hundreds of worthy women
and honest, charming girls, but they
are constantly humiliated and contamf-
mated by contact with the creatures
whom Congressman, Senators aud others
cause to be associated with them. Il is
a disgrace and a shame, and there ought
to be some way to stopit.
While waiting for the appropriation
bills to reach the Senate, the Wallace
Teller Committee are amusing them
selves with looking up the means en-
ployed by Secretary Gorham to raise
his campaign fund last year. There isa
law against assessing Government en-
-. Irt - goar,s q rroffxy Ia roo fuuF
was raised in this way. 1t is amusing
to note the different bent OF this Teller
Committee, as it was, since its complex
ion changed. The other OK is being
gored now. But such is politics.
DON PEDRO.
Washington, D. c., April 4, 1879.