The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-12-03
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspor dent.l

WASHINGTON. d. c.. Nov. %, 1881. |
Members of Congress are coming
in rapidly now. and while, with
everybody else. the leading object of
interest is the Guiteau trial. the all
absorbing topic among the politicians
is the organization of Congress and
the Speakership of the House. The
candidates for this important office,
that is, the Republican candidates,
since it is conceded that the Repub.
licans have a clear majority, are
Hiscock, of New York Keifer, of
Ohio; Reed, of Maine; Orth, of In
diana Burrows, of Michigan Davis
and Henderson, of Illinois ; Kasson,
of Iowa ; Haskell, of Kansas, and
Dunnell, of Minnesota. If | have
failed to give them all, il is because
memory is at fault and not from any
desire to favor one above another.
But the plain truth is that most of
those who get their names on the list
do so in order to stand well in the
makeup of the committees, and not
because CT real hopes of reaching the
Speakership.
The leading names in the race are
Hiscock, Kasson, Keller, and Reed.
Some changes have taken place in
the last few days touching the status
of the contest. At the present time
it seems as though some magnifying
had been done by Hiscock and his
friends. for search for his support
reveals the fact that he will fail in
many of his claims, He has been
spoken Of as the only Eastern candi-
date; but Mr.. Robson, of New
Jersey, has come out for Reed, which
means that the latter will swing that
delegation, and it is stated that Reed
will have all but two or three of the
New England members. But the
worst feature in HiscOck'S case is the
failure to unite his own delegation.
He was a Greedy man in 1872, and
this has left some sore places. He has
also, it is said, deceived Conkling's
friends, and the Grant men are gen.
orally "dOwn" on him, which will
also hurt him in Pennsylvania ;
while, On the other hand. he has not
retained the united support of the
other wing.
Mr.. Keller has been making an ac-
tive canvass but he is handicapped
by the anti-Ohio prejudice just now
and can't spread much because the
lesser lights around Ohio want to be
, considered. Mr.. Kasson is making
lively canvass, and has much
strength, but he has been out of the
country some time and has not the
personal acquaintance with members
that Mr.. Reed and others have.
j When he left Congress four years ago
Kasson was one of the best parlia-
mentarians on the Republican side,
|
by the Forty fifth Congress. places
him at some disadvantage in this
respect now. Besides his views on
the tariff are not such as to give him
assistance at this time. And SO there
is a state of glorious uncertainty
about the contest with the chances in
, favor of nobody in particular.
! The Guiteau trial is dragging it's
length along attracting a little smaller
crowd now than it did the first of the
second week but there is a perfect
jam still. Mr.. Seville says it will
last three months. but it is difficult
to see what will tranSplre to occupy
all that time. Doubtless the exami-
nation and cross-eXaminatiOn OF eX-
perts on insanity will consume many
days-perhaps weeks-yet from the
present outlook, the case ought to
be concluded within two weeks.
Much speculation Is INDUCED IN now
az to the result, the conduct of the
prison ar and the evidence adduced
having led many to believe that he
is really insane, or, at least, that there
is doubt enough about it to cause a
disagreement of the jury. From the
miserable creatures whole car er it
does appear that he is and always
has been crack-brained and unbal-
anced in mind but that he is ire
sponsibly insane is another matter.
There is something singular about
this matter of expert testimony.
There are experts for the defense and
experts for the Government, and
they testify on whichever side en-
ploys them. This sort of thing ought
to cheaper the value of expert"
evidence. The only result of ii must
be to befog the whole case and the
jury. AS for Guiteau himself, the
authorities treat him altogether too
well. He ought to be squelched.
JUNIUs.