The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-02-13
Washington Letter.
WAsH1NeroN5 d. G., Feb. 8, 1879.

Washington Letter.
- WARRINGTON ID. G., Feb. 8, 1879.
Senator Conkling has lost his grip.
Had the crushing defeat he has just
sustained occurred some: months ago
The loss of power and prestage that
must result, might have overthrown
him in the race for reelection. Less
than a year ago, when this same con-
test was on, the Democratic Senators
almost unanimously voted with Conk-
ling to assist him in defeating Mr..
Hayes, es,=appointments~ New York.
This time twenty-four Democrats voted
the other way, not because of any love
for the frauds in and about the White
House, but because the public good
| demands that the case be. effectually
disposed, of, and because Conkling
failed to manifest any appreciation of
the service done him before. The vote
was sore disappointment to the New
York Senator who had counted noses
and up to within a few hours of the
Executive Session believed he had a
majority. But the seductive influences
of patronage had been at work, and
John Sherman's promises of fat places
were too much for Conkling's mere
personal appeals. There is scarcely q
doubt that this sort of bribery won
over to the administration side some
half dozen Republican Senators who
had pledged themselves, to Conkling,
among them one, who, as member OF
the committee, signed the report
against confirmation. Senators do love
to have good berths at their disposal
for their dependents. Moreover, there
are some of them who 60 out OF office
in about three weeks, and the prospect
of Foreign Mission, or some such
thing, has decidedly modifying effect
upon theirrtempers. This. administra-
tion-don't hesitate-to buyaanything it
wants. It bought its way into office,
and has done nothing since but con-
fer rewards upon the rascals who sold
out to it. Some very interesting cor
respondence was read in the course of
Senator Conkling's remarks in Execu-
tive Session. One of the letters was
sent from high Treasury official to
the Collector at New York requesting
the appointment of q son of Judge
Bradley to position for manifest
reasons" Another letter wanted one
Howard slowed away In some fat place
and Senator Conkling said this was for
manifest reasons - too, as Howard
was Mr.. Hayes biographer. These
letters were written before the acting
President suspended Collector Arthur.
This is a nice administration to make
loud pretensions of Civil Service re-
form and purity. Bah! !'.T :at alfa-
The prospect of an extra session has
resolved itself into almost a certainty.
AT least that is the prevailing opinions.
The Senate both before and since the
recess. has consumed a good deal of
time in, doing nothing in the way of
real business. This Custom House
contest, and the debate on Edmunds's
political resolution just concluded. have
between them done much to retard
progress, and no it is said the Senate
Committee on Appropriations proposes
to attach provision to the Army APP
preparation bill. repeating the posse
comitatus clause passed last year. OF
course this will be resisted by the
Democrats, who object to making a
police force Of the army in q free State.
The test oath for jurors has got to be
repealed. a fight over that occurred
in the Senate early in the session, and
finally the Democrats allowed bill to
go through which only half covered
the case, but now that ittranspires that
the administration is making use of
the oath to persecute Democrats, there
is disposition to blot that piece of
Radical iDiquity from the statute books
1t was smuggled into the Revised
Statutes by Boutwell, who had charge
of the publication of them, after it had
once been repealed by both Houses of
Congress. The old villain claims that
it was an error, but there seems to
have been good deal of method in it.
Several Important reports are to be
made before the session closes. The
Potter Committee will present its ac-
count of the theft of the Presidency,
summarizing its conclusions from the
evidence taken. The result of the ci-
pher dispatch inquiry will ikewiseabe
submitted. The Naval Committee is
also to bring in its Indictment of Robe
son, which I think will make out q
case demanding some attention. The
committee 3, that has been nosing
around the Government Printing Of
flee, will have something to say about
that sink of iniquity. ]. am inclined
to think this Investigation has not
been sufficiently searching, yet some
of the corrupt methods and practices
of the institution have been unearthed.
An account of the way business is
done there might be interesting read
ing, and have a few notes laid aside
for future use. The Committee on
State Department which has been
looking into MinisterSeward's transac-
tions at Shanghai will, owing to Sew
ards refusal to iexhibits Ms books, be
unable to show him up as conclusively
as he deserves, though very bad case
has been made out by the parties who
preferred the charges, and this with
holding the books on the plea that it
would be self conviction to give them
up is strong, if not legal evidence of
guilt. Mr.. Seward is, I believe, a cous-
in Of the late VIM. H. Seward. The
principal charge against him is that he
has exacted large illegal fees and ap-
piled them to his own use. If the
session had two or three months to
run, probably d commitment for con.