The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-04-10
Washington Letter.
From our regular Correspondent
Washinpton ID q April I'll

waiting for something to do. Mr..
Garfield's speech on the legislation
proposed by the Democrats, prohibit
ing the use of troops at the polls on
election days, is the leading effort on
the Republican side, and his friends
have admired it rather profusely.
Taken all i'm all, however, the effect
was simply that of piece of vigorous
defamation Whatever basis of truth
it may have contained was exagger-
ated beyond the usual license of de-
clamatory rhetoric, while some ef its
statements are not borne out by the
facts. Bnt the worst of it all is that,
even had all his statements been true
history, they would have come with a
better grace from any other mouth
than Garfield's, inasmuch rs his own
previous declarations and votes come
within the scope of his denunciations.
Not much more than q month ago
Mr.. Garfield stated, on the floor Of the
House, that the Republicans were
ready to concede that the conditions
requiring troops at the polls, and the
test oath, no longer existed; and now
he is engaged in an effort to make the
proposition to repeal them appear re-
volutionary. 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 parties. A prominent Re-
publican, in private conversation with
the correspondent of leading inde-
pendent journal, day or two since,
said: We are all President making.
1t is not a question whether these
laws should or should not be repealed,
but contest for position in the
presidential race. OF course, we don't
think there is any revolution about it,
but we want to consolidate and unite
the party. This is the thing in a nut
shell. The country is not affected one
way or the other, but the Democrats
are bound to repeal these Republican
laws, and the Republicans are bound
they shall not. The Democrats have
both houses of Congress and can pass
the acts, but the Republicans hope to
sufficiently stiffen the spine of the
White House to insure veto. And
it is all for party-all president maxi
ing"
The Cameron-O Oliver trial came to an
end with about the result that had
been anticipated-a verdict for defen-
dant. The case occupied two weeks,
filtering an unusual amount of nasti-
ness through its proceedings, and the
verdict is pretty generally Endorsed by
the public sentiment. Simon had
already been bled by this bold, bad
women enough-and while he now
escapes judgment for damages, it has
cost him a heavy expenditure Of funds,
and smirching of character that few
men of position would bear for any
amount of money. The wonder is
that man Of Simon Cameron IS
knowledge of the world, man Of his
varied experience and extensive obser-
walton, should have become involved
in such an affair. 1t is strange that
crafty, cool, long-headed man like
him should have permitted o bad,
weak minded, unlettered, unattractive
woman to draw him into such posi-
ton that he had to refer her to his
lawyer. And there is a moral to adorn
this tale. 1t is, perhaps, too much to
expect that public men will not keep
mistresses, and so long as they do
Washington will be, as it now is,
more or less infested with this class OF
brazen adventuresses, but there cer-
tainly should be some way to prevent
these influential men from quartering
their bawdy strumpets upon the
government. They should not be al
lowed to place them upon the pay.rolls
of the various departments, where
they draw the salaries that ought to go
to respectable women with families to
support. There are in the employ of
the Treasury and other departments
hundreds of worthy women and
honest, charming girls, but they are
constantly humiliated and contamin-
ated by contact with the creatures
whom Congressman, Senators and
Others cause to be associated with
them. 1t is y disgrace and 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 is
a law against assessing government
employees, but it seems pretty large
fund was raised in this way. 1t is
amusing to note the different bent Of
this Teller committee, as it was
since its complexion changed, The
other OK is being gored now. But
such is politics. Dom PEDRO.
An exchange says: Mechanics
and material men should be careful