The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-10-11
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

WASHINGTON, October 7, 1881.
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 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 beginning; the Senate
is about to meet in extra session, and the su-
preme Court convenes ON Monday next. All
these things, in connection with the interest
attaching to a change of Administration, are
likely to make Washington as interesting as 1t is
in mld-winter. Our District criminal court is O
tribunal of National and extraordinary interest
when its history, or the history of its trials is
reviewed 1t has tried Surratt for the murder
of President Lincoln, tried the notorious safe
burglary cases, the Ottman 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 interested in the
star route prosecutions. These cases have
been thoroughly exposed through the press and
there is conviction in the public mind that
criminal waste of public money, to say the
least. The enormous expenditure for that SER
vice, consuming the entire Appropriation of the
fiscal year before the year was half gone, and
creating a deficiency amounting to millions
the excessive increase of the pay of certain
contractors to five to ten times the amount of
their original contracts, are facts beyond con-
troversy and circumstances calculated to raise
presumption of wrong. When these things
are taken in connection with certain other
evidences, and the accumulation of large for
tunes by the officials and contractors, they not
only raise the presumption but inspire convic-
tion in the public mind which only thorough
clearing up will ever remove. Even if the
accused escape upon technicalities, or for lack
of legal proof of guilt, the circumstances are so
strong that general doubt of innocence will
still exist.
Since the adjournment of the Supreme Court
there has been vacancy created caused by
the death of Justice Clifford, and Justice Hunt,
II is understood, is still incapacitated for SER
vice. 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 no
reliable information as to whether President
Arthur proposes to send in nomination for
the vacancy at the special session of the Sem
ate, or whether he will wait until the regular
session in December, as 1t 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 Supreme Court would be glad If the vacan-
cy should be promptly filled, as 1t would help
very much to tighten their labers but there
are difficulties in the way which the President
fully appreciates, and which may possibly
induce him to delay making a nomination un-
til December. There will be great pressure
to take the new appolutee 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 aud urged with persist
ency, as II has had no representative on the
bench of the Supreme Court since the days of
the war. Justice Woods, who was lately
appointed, although nomlnally from a south
ern 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, 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 Judgment and discretion.
II is now said to be President Arthur's uten-
tion not to avail himself Of the extra session of
the Senate for the appointment of new Cab
met, but to walt until Congress meets in