The Hartford herald., 1880-02-18
Our Washington Letter.


Our Washington letter.
These are bad times for this reform
administration. Between the exposures
i'm the Indian bureau, and the unveiling
of John Sherman's disgraceful Use of
the Treasury for his own ends, there is
not much left of the high toned pre-
tensions we have heard so much about.
The Indian bureau turns out to be as
rotten as ever it was under Grant and
Delano. Under the latter sharp prac-
tices were carried on by those who did
not profess to be better than other men.
Under Hayes and Schurz, the robberies
have been just the same, but done un-
der the guise of religion and reform.
They have been done by the goody-
goody sort of men, who canted about
the immortal souls of the Indians while
Others were looking after the immortal
contracts. One set were looking after
the food for the poor Indians mind,
while their wicked business partners
looked after provisions for their body
the beef contracts, blankets and sich.
1t would seem that We have seen quite
enough of the "Christian statesmen" in
politics and political station in this
country.
Long months ago Hayt was known
to be compromised in exceedingly ugly
looking business transactions outside of
his position here, while the matters
which this investigation have brought
out have been an open secret, among
those who were posted, for cOnsidera-
BILE time. The wonder of it all is that
Mr.. Schurz should have been so slow to
act. Among the other things proven
is the fact that Hayt sent his son to act
as agent in buying a mine, and instruct
ed him to appear as Edward Knapp.
The mine in question had been placed
outside of the Indian reservation by a
re-survey under Hayt's direction. Yet
he was here i'm Washington talking
about reform, and pretending to despise
the ordinary, wicked politicians.
The New York Times and other Re-
publican journals opposed to John Sher-
mans presidential aspirations, are
some serious charges against
him and the Use of the Treasury pa
tronage. Sherman is certainly making
desperate efforts to capture southern
and there are indications that
he has almost succeeded in one State at
least. At the recent meeting of the |
North Carolina State Committee it was
found, very unexpectedly, that Sherman
had obtained control of the committee,
and Col. KeOugh, the chairman, who is
for Grant, at once resigned. KeOugh is
now here, being Secretary of the Nation
al Committee. He boldly declares that !
agents of John Sherman are travelling
over the Southern States drawing s. |
and So per day as special agents of the |
Treasury department., while their sole |!
business is to secure Sherman delegates. |
to all accounts there must be
Il large number of them. This is a
pretty serious charge against the lead !
ing member of reform administration,
and it does not emanate from Demo- I
cratic sources either. But Secretary
Sherman never has acted enough like |
simon pure reformer TO fool anybody. |
And he stands about as much chance |
being President as Hayes does of a |
second term. Blaine, too, is threatened |
with an attack of sunstroke since the |
convention. Cameron |
proves himself master of the Common
wealth, as yet, though things appear |
less lovely than heretofore. The DEM |
Ocrats here manifest considerable de- |
light over the outlook.
A strong movement is being made to |
have the Democratic National Conven-
ton held here. The Post is very ener-
getic in advocating it, and good many |
favor the idea. WASH
ingtOn certainly has many advantages,
and when the National Committee |
meets here ON the 22d inst. they will be |
duly presented for consideration. This !
is the pleasantest city i'm the country i'm |
spring, is easy of access, lies midway be- |
tween the North and South, and has !
better telegraph facilities and hotel ac-
than any other city. |
The new government museum building, |
already under roof, would makea splen- |
did hall for the Use of the convention,
while the capital is free from all section |
al prejudices, thus making it neutral
ground for candidates. In one other re- |
spect this city would stand preeminent.
The convention would be more fully |
and fairly reported to the country. !
Every newspaper in the Union, nearly, !
great or small, hasa representative here,
and there would not be such garbled |
and outrageous reports as might be ex-
pected from the partiZan press of Chi
cago, and other points talked of.
Some of the Republican ex-office
naunterS Oh capltOl committee |
rooms and old political hacks, like ex-
government printer Clapp, ct al, are
pushing an organized movement for
suffrage in the District of Columbia.
The principal object sought by the lead
ers is greater influence in national af-
fairs, while the smaller fry hunger for
the crumbs of local offices. Citizens of
this district are not citizens of the
United States in one sense, as they have
no vote or voice in controlling the affairs
of government. And considering the
of society existing here, the
the better class do not want the ballot.
The experiences of a few years ago,
when the worst class of ignorant, shift
less negroes and bummers controlled
the local government, led to the estab-
lishment of our present system, and all
order-loving citizens have
no wish to go back. We have in this
city the largest element of degraded
population to be found in any
city of its size. The most revoltingand
brutal grades of crime are more pre-
valent here than in any other city.