The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1881-10-13
Washington Letter.
From onr Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, d. g.,
Oct. 6. 1881.


in the National Capital for some time,
as several events Of public concern are
entering npon the scene. The indict-
mens already found against Guteau is
to be tried. and the wretch probably
hung; the star route cases have al
ready been called into Court for be-
ginning: the Senate is about to meet
in extra session, and the Supreme
Court convenes on Monday next. All
these things. in connection with the IN
tcrest attaching to d change of Admin
istration, arc likely to make Washing
ton as interesting as it is in mid win
ter. Our District criminal court is a
tribunal of National and extraordinary
interest when its history, or the his
tory of irs trials is reviewed. 1t has
tried Surrat6 for the murder of Presi-
deut Lincoln, tried the notorious safe
burglsry cases, the Ottuan Treasury
robbery 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 people
of the country are probably most lu-
terested in the star route prosecutions.
These cases have been thoroughly cx-
posed through the press and there is
conviction iD the public mind that
there was under the direction of Mr..
Brady q criminal waste Of public
money, to say the least. The enor-
NOUS expenditure for that service,
consuming the entire appropriation
for the fiscal gear before the year was
half gone, and creating deficiency
amounting to millions; the excessive
increase Of the pay of certsin contrac-
tors to FIVE or ten times the amount of
their original contracts, are facts be-
yond controversy and circumstances
calculated to raise a presumption Of
wrong. When these things are taken
in connection with certain other evi-
dences, and the accumulation Of large
fortunes by the officials and contract
ors, they rot only raise the presump-
tion but inspire a conviction in the
public mind which only thorough
clearing up will ever remove. Even
if the accused escape conviction upon
technicalities, or for lack Of legal proof
of guilt, the circumstances are 50
strong that general doubt of inno-
ceuce will still exist.
Since the adjournment of the Su-
preme Court there has been vacancy
created, caused by the death of Justice
Clifford, and Justice Hunt, it is under
stood, is still incapactated for service
Justice Field is not expected here for
several weeks, and the Court will
therefore meet with three members
short. There is much anxiety among
the bench aud the bar on the subject
of the filling of the vacancy caused by
the death of Justice Clifford. There
is 10 reliable information as to whether
President Arthur proposes to send in
nomination 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 the Su-
preme Court would be glad if the va
cancy should be promptly filled, as it
would help very much to Tighten 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 will
be a great pressure to take the new
appointed from the East, as only one
active member of the bench, Mr.. Jus
tice 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 pre-
sented and urged with persistency, as
it has had no representative on the
bench of the Supreme Court since the |
days of the war Justice Woods, who
was lately appointed, although nomi-
nally from u Southern Circuit, had
never given up his residence in Ohio,
which State has tc-day 90 less than
four members of the bench of the Su-
preme Court. Owing to all the cir
curnstanccs, including the peculiar
division Of parties in the Senate, the
filing of this vacancy by the President
will necessarily be surrounded with |
more or less embarrassment, and will
require tie exercise of sound judy
ment and discretion.
It is now said to be President |
Arthur's intention not to avail him
self of the extra session of the Sen
ate for the appointment of new
Cabinet, but to wait until Congress
meets in December. He thinks, it is
said, that the Cabinet ministers now
in Office should remain to make the
annual reports on the operations of
their respective Departments, and
that in the meantime he will have
better opportunities for ascertainiug
the current of popular sentiment as
to what his Administration shuuld 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 retrospective
sense; and to that extent they may
serve him in getting up his own mes
sage to Congress. But if shortly
after the meeting Of Congress the
present Cabinet is to 90 out, its meu-
hor, non ,i} hin, hrt littla IN oh, pino |