Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1879-01-31
THE NATIONS CAPITAL.

A singular case has arisen in our courts. |
Some years ago, one O'Brien committed a |
most cowardly and colG-blOOded murder !
and was sentenced to be hanged. Through !
the Intervention of Mrs. Gen. Sherman and
other Catholics, Gen. Grant cOmmuted the
sentence to imprisonment for life. Sub
seouently OBrien's wifeapplied for divorce,
but without waiting for decree got mar
ried. Recently Mr.. Hayes pardoned the
murderer. the husband, and now our courts
are asked tC decide whether Mrs. OBren
is guilty of bigimy. While her first hus-
band was in prison, under life sentence,
she was innocent, and of course, could not
have been indicted, but the pardon by re-
storing him to all his former rights gives
him back his wife, who in being too much
married finds herself in bad fix. 1t is to
be regretted that this wholesale pardon
business cannot be stopped. Gen. Grants
kind heart led him to listen to any plea and
Mr.. Hayes is not whit better. Another
interesting chapter arose in this case.
O'Brien's mother got possession OF his
child but its mother sued in the courts for
its recovery, and though the grandmother
pleaded and charged bigimy against the
mother the courts rejected the plea and re-
stored the child to the mother.
Mr.. Blaine gave us all able argument
this week on Naval matters. He puts aside
the politician and enters the field of argu-
ment as readily and ably as if born and
reared LAWYER Senator Eaton tried to
insinuate that Mr. Blaine was no lawyer
and could not therefore talk law, but the
listener could only feel that Mr.. Eaton got
the worst of his tilt.
The most surprising incident OF the
House was the acrimonious debate be-
tween the Democrats upon she question OF
paying Southern claims. The ex-Rebels
Ellis, of La, particularly were claiming
that Rebels only were loyal and should be
paid in preference. Bragg, Of Wis, at
tackled this paradoxical heresy and during
the intense excitement aroused by the col,
loquy the Republicans felt the force of the
old saw when rogues fall out honest men
get their Just dues" We shall see more
e of this fight in the future for you may be
assured that rebeldom will never rest unit
rebels are paid for supplies just as loya
! | men have been. The District of COlumbia
r has been receiving considerable attention
e of late from Congress which has passed
several measures intended for its benefit
!. One of these is called the claims bill be
II cause its object is to give some means o
l. redress to those having claims against the
= = District for labor done, supplies furnished
o etc., during the Boss Shepherd dynasty
The act of Congress abolishing ShePherC
e and his government prohibits payment o
any Indebtedness contracted by him, l
It thereby the debt of the District was in
creased, hence several millions Of dollar
d due honest contractors were left unpaid
70 and all means of redress taken away froE
v the creditor. The House passed the claim
ie bill without much debate, for its justie
= = was unanimously conceded, the member
differing only as to the manner Of payment
+ and it rests.with the SenatefOr concurrence
Aa lively debate upon th
eVeral Senators are NJ