The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1881-10-13
Washington Letter.
From our Regular Correspondent.
W WASHINGTON, D. g.,

More than usual interest will centre
in the National Capital for some time,
as several events Of public concern are
entering upon the scene. The indlct-
ment already found against Gultesu 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 convepes on Monday next. All
these thugs, in connection with the i'll
terest attaching to change Of Admin
istration, are likely to make Washing
ten as interesting as it is in mid-win-
ter. Our District criminal court is
tribunal of National and extraordinary
interest when its history, or the his
tory of it's trials is reviewed. 1t has
tried Surratt for the murder of Presi-
dent Lincoln, tried the notorious safe
burglary cases, the Ottwan Treasury
robbery case, besides Congressman for
murder, forgery and bigamy, and sent
exSepators and other former high
officials to the peniteptiary.
Next to the Guiteau tria! the people
of the country are probably most in
terestcd in the star route prosecutions.
These cases have been thoroughly ex-
posed through the press and there is
conviction in the public mind that
there was under the direction of Mr..
Brady a 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 certain contrac-
tors to FIVE or ten times the amount of
their original contracts, are facts be-
yond controversy and circumstances
calculated to raise presumption Of
wrong When these things are taken
in connection with certain other evi,
dcnces, and the accumulation of large
fortunes by the officials aud contract
crs, they rot only raise the prcsuup-
tion but inspire 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 so
strong that general doubt of inno-
cence will still exist.
Since the adjournment of the Su-
prcmc Court there bas been vacancy
created, caused by the death of Justice
Clifford, and Justice Hunt, it is under
stood, is still incapacitated 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 and 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 whather
President Arthur proposes to send in
g nomination for the vacancy at the
special session Of the Senate, or
whether he will wait until the regular
session iu December, and it is supposed
that he may come to some conclusion
10 the mntter during his present stay
in New York, after consultation with
his friends. The justices of the Su-
prene Court would be glad if the va
cancy should be promptly filed, as it
would help very much to Tighten their
)abors; but there are difficulties in
the way which the President fully
appreciates, and which may possibly
Induce him to delay making a nomi-
uatiou until December There will
be great pressure to take the new
appointee from the Fast. as only Que
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 10 representative Oh the
bench of the Supreme Court since the
days of the war. Justice Woods, who
was lately appointed. although nomi-
nally from Southern Circuit, had
never given up his residence in Ohio,
which State has to-day no less than
four members Of the beech of the Su-
preme Court. Owing to all the cir
cumstances, 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 the exercise of sound judg-
ment and discretion.
1t is Dow said to be PRESIDENT
Arthur's intention rot to avail him
self of the extra session of the Sen
ate 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 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 ascertaining
the current Of popular sentiment as
to what his Administration should hc
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 lis own mes
sage to Congress. But if shortly
after the meeting of Congress the