Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1880-02-07
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent.

| The recent exposure, in the In
dian bureau have proven a pretty
hard blow to Mr.. Schurz'- reform
policy. 10 everybody except the
Secretary Of the Interior, Mr..
Hayt, the now disgraced Commits
sioner. has been known to be IN
worthy of his position The bu-
reau has been managed most dis
asterously, and present develop
ments show that the crowd in
charge Of it were quite AS bad as
any ever nested there. The strange
part of it Is that Mr.. Schurz has
been SO long finding them out.
And now these racsally discover.
les have started the cry again for
the removal of the Indian bureau
to the War Department. General
Sherman, who hates frauds and
shams, whatever may be his own
faults, is rather glad than otherwise
that the indian office has turned
out so badly. He has been fight
ing Hayt, or rather Schurz. ever
since this administration began.
Sherman treated the Indian ques-
ton practically, because he knew
all about 1T. Schurz treated it on
the civil service reform policy, the
Christianizing policy. He gave
the Indians prayer-books, and the
Indians returned scalping knives,
and in further expression of graft
tude committed nameless outrages
on the female captives. Sherman
does not personally want the In.
dian Bureau in the War Depart
ment. The transfer would entail
an immense increase of work and
responsibility of the army, which
the officers do not want. But
Sherman thinks the transfer is for
the public good.
All attempts to obtain a free ex-
preston of opinion from the re-
publican members of the House
as to their preference for a Presi-
Dental candidate have failed. The
average Congressman prefers to re-
tain his convictions until after the
election, when he is shrewd enough
to say'I told you so.' Another
plan, however, has partially sue
ceeded in getting an opinion from
large number of the republican
members. The names of Blaine,
Sherman and the ex President
were printed upon slips and dupli-
Gates sent to each republican men,
Der requesting the member to
check or write the name of his
choice on the slip or the probable
choice of his constituents and re-
turn the letter sent with the slips
to one of the New York dele
cation. Secrecy was insured and
a candid expression expected. Mr..
Hammond, of the Eighteenth
New York district, acted as teller
aud the whole number of answers
received was eighty-one out of one
hundred and thirty-four. Of the
members who indicated their
choice forty-two were for Blaine,
fourteen for eX-President, ten for
Sherman, four for Washburne and
eleven blank. The expression on
behalf of their constituencies show
ed but little variatiOn:-For Blaine,
forty-five; for the ex-Presdent,
fifteen for Sherman, seven; Wash
burne, three, and blank eleven.
An incident TRANSFERRED in the
Supreme Court on Monday, which
attracted the attention of judges,
lawyers and spectators. Mrs.
Lock wood the only female lawyer
ever admitted to practice before
the court, presented for admission
Samuel r. Lowrey, of Huntsville,
Ala an African of the deepest or
iginal color. Since the day dur
ing the war when Senator Sumner
appeared in the court and made
the motion for the admission of
Mr.. John S. Rock. the first color
ed member of the Bar ever admit
ted TO the roll OF attorneys prac-
Using before the Supreme Court,
there has not been such a sensa-
ton in that solemn chamber as
this when an aspirant for the hon.
or of the democratic nomination
for the Presidency joined hands
with his colored brother liz taking
the oath upon the holy evangle-
lists. The fact, too, that Mr.. Low
rey was vouchad for by woman
was also an event i'm the history of
the Court, it being the first mo-
ton of the kind that Mrs Lock
wood has made since Congress
passed the act requiring the Su-
nrana Court and Cnurt Of Claims