Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1881-11-26

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things that she now is .depepdent
for at the hands OF some other place,
no better suited for their manufac
tnre. ! say to our capitalists, 60
! West, see for themselves, mefack;
(which ! know most of you will, in
vest, go to work, and help to build
up the waste places Of our own coun-
Try, and particularly our town. F.
-. -
| WASHINGTON LETTER.
Official returns of the late census
have just been published, from which
it appears that the aggregate popu-
lation of the United States exceeds
fifty millions, and gain of thirty
three per cent. is shown over the
census of 1870. West Virginia APP
pears with a population of I61S, 457,
as against 442,013in 1S7O-a gain OF
176,443. The present basis Of repre-
sentatiOn in Congress is one member
TO each 159,OSO inhabitants, and if
the present ratio is maintained under
the new apportionment the State will
gain one member. There is mani
fest sentiment in favor of charging
the basis, in which event the States
representation will probably remain
unchanged.
The State debt question bids fair
to enter into West Virginia politics
in the near future, as the holders of
the deferred certificates recently met
in New York and decided to press
their demands at an early day. The
amount set. off as West Virginia's
portion is about ten millions Of dol
lars, to which is added six millions
for accumulated interest, makings six
teen millions in all. For this the
holders propose to accept; eight mil
lions Of dollars, in bonds, bearing 3
per cent. interest. This would add
to the present expenses of the State
an annual interest charge of nearly
a quarter Of a million OF dollars. 1t
is said that John; W. Garrett owns
about five millions Of dollars in these
deferred certificates. hs3 s'A
Guiteau's trial has progressed more
rapidly than might have been ex-
pected. The assassin is a conceited
yagabond, whose vanity and vulgar
I ity are disgusting in the extreme.
The patience shown by the court and
the public is an evidence that the
American people choose to regard
the law and to administer the law in
such manner that the vilest Grim
inal cannot justly complain Of their
impotence nor thair rigor. The eff
forts to prove insanity in this ease
may be UNSUITABLE, but they will
scarcely succeed. Guiteau may have
been something of a crank, but that
he was idle and vicious is not less
true than that he was conscious of
his own actions, when he murdered
the President, and aware that he
could not escape responsibility for
them.
A great deal Of interest is felt in
regard to the composition of the new
Cabinet, and while it is impossible to
give the names of the new members,
at this writing, it Is pretty well I'M
derstood that the list will be stalwart
throughout. Gen. Arthur bids fair
to make d sale ana conservative
President, and while he is owned by
nobody and is not anybody's man, it
is an open secret that Gen. Grant ex-
erts more influence with him than
any other man living. Thus, while
Gen. Grant may not aspire to the
Presidency in 1854, he yields enough
power to prevent the nomination Of
Blaine or any other prominent anti
Grant man. If Gen. Arthur makes
a good President, (and | dare say he
willy would he not be highly eligible
for the succession 7
The organization Of the House is
now fully conceded to the Republic
ans. The Readjusters, or Liberals,
of Virginia will vote with the Repub-
licans, and it is likely their example
will be followed by some Greenback
Republicans from Missouri. The
leading candidates are Hiscock, of
New York, Kasson, Of Iowa, and
Keifer, of Ohio. The former has at
present the largest following, and to
all present appearances has the best
chances of success, but combinations
are SO frequent that the man with
but a few votes to-day may lead in
the race tomorrow. The session is
likely to be quiet one, with tariff
revision, civil service reform and
Panama Canal the leading questions.
So far, the only question which prom
Uses to excite much political discus
sion, is the admission of Dakota
The division of Dakota and the in
corporation, as proposed, of the
Northern portion into the Union as
a State, would add two Senators and
one Representative to the Republic
can column in the next Congress and
three votes to the same column in
the next Presidential election. Thus,
while it is highly Improbable that we
shall ever have sosclose an election
as that in. 1876, the Democrats should
unite with the Republicans, as far as
possible, to provide against such a
contingency. Z OCCASIONAL.
Washington, Nov. "a, 1881.
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Episcopal Bishop Peterkin, of
West Virginia, has built fifteen