The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1881-10-13
WASHINGTON T T
From our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, d. c.,
Oct. 7. 1881,

From u Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, d. c.,
! Oct. z, 1881.
More than usual interest will cen
tire in the National Capital for some
time, as several events of public con-
Germ are entering upon the scene.
The Indictment already found
against Guiteau is to be tried, and
the wretch probably hung; the star
route cases have already been called
into Court for 8 beginning; the Sen
ate is about to meet in extra session,
and the Supreme Court conyenes
on Monday next. All these things
in connection with the interest at
taching to a change of Administra-
ton, are likely to make Washington
as interesting as it is in mid-winter.
Our District criminal is q tribunal of
National and extraordinary interest
when it's history, or the history of it's
trials is reviewed. 1t has tried Sur
raft for the murder of President Lin
coin, tried the notorious safe burg
larry cases, the Ottman Treasury rob-
berry case, besides Congressman for
murder, forgery and bigamy and
sent ex Senators and other former
high officials to- the penitentiary.
Next to the Guiteau trial the peo-
pie of the country are probably most
i~nterested'in the star route prosecu
tions. These cases have been thor
oughly exposed through the press
and there is a conviction in the pub
lie mind that there was under the
direction of Mr.. Brady a criminal
waste of public money, to say the
least. The enormous expenditure
for that service, consuming the entire
appropriation for the fiscal year be-
fore the year was half gone, and crea-
ting a deficiency amounting to mill
ions; the excessive increase of the
pay of certain contractors to five or
ten times the amount of their origi-
nal contracts, are facts beyond con
troversy and circumstances calcula-
ted to raise a presumption of wrong.
When these things are taken in con
nection with certain other evidences,
and the accumulation of large for
tunes by the officials and contract
ors, they not only raise the presump7
ton but inspire a conviction in the
public mind which only a thorough
clearing up will ever remove. Even
if the accused escape conviction upon
te~chnicaities, or for lack of legal
proof of guilt, the circumstances are
so strong that q general doubt of
nocence will still exist.
Since the adjournment of the Sup
rene Court there has been a vacancy
created, caused by the death of JUS
tice Clifford, and Justice Hunt, it is
understood, is still incapacitated for
service. Justice Field is not expect
ed here for several weeks, and the
Court will therefore meet with three
members short. There is much anX-
iety among the bench and the bar on
the subject of the filling of the vacan-
cy caused by the death of Justice
Clifford. There is no reliable infor-
nation as to whether President Ar
thur proposes to send in a nomina.
ton for the vacancy at the special
session of the Senate, or whether he
will wait until the regular session in
December, and it is supposed that he
may come to some conclusion in the
matter during his present stay in
New York, after consultation with
his friends. The justices of tie Su'
preme Court would be glad if the
vacancy should be promptly filled, as
it would help very much to lighter
their labors; but there are difficulties
in the way which the President fully
appreciates, and which may possibly
induce him to delay making a nomi
nation until December. There viii
be a great pressure to take the new
appointee from the East, as only one
active member of the bench, Mr.,
Justice Bradley, is now from that
section, and Justice Clifford was the
only member from New England
But the claims of the South will also
be presented and urged with persis
tency, as it has had no representa-.
tive on the bench of the Supreme
Court since the days of the war
Justice Woods, who was lately APP
pointed, although nominally from q
southern circuit, had never given up
his residence in Ohio, which State
has to day no less than four members
of the bench of the Supreme Court
Owing to all the circumstances, in.
GLIDING the peculiar division Of par
ties in the Senate, the filling of this
vacancy by the President will neces-
sarily be surrounded with more OF
less embarrassment, and will requite
the exercise of sound judgment aud
discretion.
It is now said to be President Ar
thurs intention not to avail himself
of the extra session of the Senate for
the appointment of a new Cabinet,
but to wait until Congress meets in
December. He thinks, it is said,
that the Cabinet ministers now in of
fee should remain to make the an
ual reports on the operations of their
respective Departments, and that in
the meantime. he will have better
opportunities for a~scertaintng the
current of popular sentiment as to
what his Administration should be
If this report is correct the President
will of course have the benefit of The
present Cabinet ministers reports
on the public business in a retro
spective sense; and to that exten.
they may serve him in getting up hi
own message to Congress. But i
, shortly after the meeting of Congres
+ the present Cabinet is to go out, 1t
members can aid him but little il
shaping the prospective features O
his message. In laying down hi
policy for the future it would evi
!, IDENTIFY be of advantage to him to hay