The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-12-18

rrrom Our Regular Correspondence

The House evidently means business
in demanding that John Sherman
must show how many millions have
been paid in Southern war claims, and
further to show the number and
amount Of fraudulent claims paid by
the Treasury, as well as the steps taken
by the government to recover these
moneys. Mr.. Sherman is either q
fraud or a fact, and will now have full
opportunity for rdemonstratingt tOwhich
category he belongs. He has yelled
fraud against the Sou tn, in connection
with her claims, and as the Fort Sugg,
Wetoski, and other unblushing swim
dies occurred under Republican Ad-
ministrations, and were, in every sin-
gle instance, engineered through by so
called loyalists of the South, it is
fitting, indeed, that Mr.. Sherman
should be compelled to make his words
good in an exhibit of just what the
South has filched. He, as Senator,
did as much towards making fraud,
perjury and theft synonymous with
Republican law as did the hero Of the
Fort Sugg fraud as Congressman. He
enacted laws offering moneys to every
scoundrel who would trump up false
claim and suborn witnesses to swear to
loyalty, ETC., and the House did noble
work in resolving that he report just
how many millions he has been the
active agent in filching from the
Treasury. He has given US the talk,
now we want the cider. He will find
himself buried as deeply under the
blot of "Southern claims" as Jim
Blaine was in '76 under his railroad
transactions, and we predict his presi-
Dental aspirations will prove quite as
baseless as were those of the "Truthful
Jeems.n
Death has already begun his role by
marking Mr.. Lay, Of Missouri. Who
next? Last congress had peculiarly
fatal record for Congressman, and the
10Th bids fair to equal it. Mr.. Lays
remains were sent home in charge of
the usual Congressional committee, &C
companied by his widow, who remain
ed with him to The last moment.
Men coming here from the active
pursuits of home life, to sit in close,
overheated rooms, to drop all exercise
and outdoor habits, and to eat the high
ly seasoned food of our hotels, necessa-
rily must suffer physical prostration in
some form, and it is no wonder that
many constitutions succumb. Even
with the infamous tide swamps which
the causeway of the Long Bridge has
spread out in hundreds of acres extent
right before US, and which fill the city
with malarial influences, yet such is
the perfection Of our sewerage and our
streets, that the general health Of
Washington among people Of fair hy-
genie habits, is as good as any other
city.
The exodus Of negroes from North
Carolina to Indiana continues to pour
into our midst, penniless, half-naked,
hungry people, who are huddled pro-
dogs, into an old building, and kept
there as so many animals, until ship
ment can be effected through contribu-
tions of funds. If there be anything
superlatively devilish it is the action of
those who seduce the negro. by lies,
from his comfortable home In his ma
tive country into this exodus. A stop
should be pnt to it. A negro has full
right to change his locality when Pc
cuniarily able to do SO, but no set of
scoundrels has legal right to send
women and children out into vagrancy
as is being done by these villains in
North Carolina.
Among the many superb statues
which adorn the public parks and
squares of the National Capitol, there
have none yet been reared to any of
the great and accomplished jurists of
America, whose names and learning
stand out in our legal literature and on
the pages Of history as great as those of
Easkin, Eldon, or Coke, It is crafty
ing, therefore, to see that q bill has just
been introduced in the Senate appro-
priating $4,000 for the erection of a
statue of ex-Chief Justice Marshall, Of
the United States Supreme Court, in
Judiciary Square. Washington City.
Whether it will pass, depends on the
Congressional appreciation Of Ameri-
cas- most eminent jurist and greatest
Chief Justice.
Apropos Of the War Department, In
tearing down the old War Department
building this fall, it was discovered
that the foundation was not of stone.
The bricks were laid on the ground in
bed of mortar. and the place of the
corner-stone was taken by q mortar
imbedded brick. This cursous piece OF
masonry, in a somewhat dilapidated
condition, has been fixed in a glass
case, and is kept in the Office of the
Chief Clerk of the Department.
Writing of the mutations of time re-
minds us that one of Washington's
old farms, a part of the Mt. Vernon
estate, is advertised to be sold at auction
in that sleepy old town Of Alexandria,
on the 18th inst. Washington had five
farms, all lying adjacent to each other
on the Potomac. The Union Farm"
containing 92s acres Progue Run
Farm" containing $40 acres :" Muddy
hole Farm" containing 476 acres;
River Farm" containing ], 1,2O7 acres
and the small Mansion House Farm"
where his beautiful home and silent
tomb look down from a lovely slope on
the broad river below it. What por-
ton of this large estate again changes
title, the lucid description of the auc-
tiOneer does not indicate.
The joint committee of the library
have under consideration proposition
to purchase the sword worn by Gener-
al Washington when he resigned his
commission at Annapolis. The sword
is offered for sale to the Government
hrx Mr. II II Iouio Of AIa xulaud xul,o