The Evening critic., 1882-12-19
sLANpERrNo WASHINGTON.
What Ron Rrewster's Organ In
PhiInLeInhin HnYa of Our PeOple.

Tho star OF last week chucklos editorlally
over the slandcrous lies OF Attorney-Goneral
Brewster, and says; "The closing part OF his
paper Ia q most terrific arraignmont of tho
guilty crew and tho atdors and abettorF, and
one OF the moet eloquent and scathing denun-
Citations OF onlcial dcllnquoncios ever writ
ton."
II will be remembered that the closing part
OF tho letter OF the dissipatod law ofllcer Of
the Government, whose drunken orgies bofoul
the Bureau OF fJustlcc over which he presides,
was mean slandcr against tho people OF
washington; Tho philadelphia Public Ledger
chimes In with the EroniHg star and the de-
bauchoe brewster In Its abuse of our people
as follows:
"rhe population OF the Capital, not very
numerous all told, Is necessarily made up In
large proportion OF many thousands OF Federal
officers and employees OF all kinds, high and
low together, with their families and depen-
dents. The social atmosphere is, therefore,
porvadod by what may be called 'ofllcialism to
dogree unknown to any othor American city.
There was time when this contributed very
much to tho pleasure and good ropute, roal
advantage and enIoyability OF Washington 30
clety. This, OF course, could not foil TO be so
whore there were 80 many able, distinguished
and meritorious personages drawn from all
parts OF the United States as additions TO the
refined resident families quito humorous in
tho old District OF Columbia. A considerable
percentage OF all this remains; but 1t Is now,
and has beon for many yoare, contaminated
by an official dir Of another sort. This has
boon brought about by tho concentration there
ment service only as n vehiclo furnishing
facilities for gathering spolls. Some OF these
are In of1lcei others, and by far tho greater
number, arc not; but they both work together
-hand-in glove fashion, and thick rs thieves
are wont TO be. These have mado n social
atmosphere that suits them better, and their
influence Is powerful. They have much ILL
gotten and loose wealth among them, which
gives them the means for that vulgar display
which counts for a great deal In some
'circlc9' OF Washington society They
make themselves heard and seen in loud ways
that lure and crafty shallow-mindod people;
they entertain and draw In many who ought
TO be ashamed 10 60, seeing that these latter
must know that the lavishly spent money OF
their entertainers must come in question
able II not criminal ways; they are able to
found newspapers 10 do tho sort OF dirty work
they want for their purposes, or to buy at
choap.rate establishments OF the same low
grado already founded. Hero are tho ready
means by which designing knayes may reach
out 10 tho heart OF community and
corrupt II; for making n false show
Of public opinion; Tor unfolding
men and faithful ministers OF the law; and
for enlisting numberless adheronts, tools, In
strumenis, claquers and champions. And Just
such state of affairs has come about In
Washington, until there is n considerable
body ofthe population there that has no con.
science about thepuplic service, and that has
Ind It's own way and sway so long In some di.
rections, that it has grown bold, shameless
and defiant, believing that no hand could pre-.
vail ngainst It,
- Inul INC picture nero pTesentcu OF tne
consclenceless character of these people is not
overdrawn is vouched by single passage In
the powerful and trenchant letter OF Attorney
General Brewster to President Arthur, giving
the reasons that demanded the removal OF
the disgraceful oflicials. Some ho says,
'some portions OF this community who sur
round these defendants, and who have en-
loyed or do still enjoy minor official positions,
know no allegiance to any one but this band Of
robbers, and render no service TO any one but
these evil employers. From motives OF gain
or other corrupt considerations they are satu-
rated with af1lnitles for these bad men, and
they have contributed by every means in their
struct public Justice and defamo Its officers,
with the hopo OF securing the acquittal and
escape OF the worst band OF organized scoun-
drels that ever existed since tho beginning OF
the Government
"It was upon this 'soclety'-this oligarchy
OF faithless officials and corrupt jobbers, and
upon their confederates, allies, gangs, easy
going dupes and blatant spokesmen, ramify-
ing through many ranks In social and official
life that the stunning blow OF the President
fell on Saturday. No wonder 1t mado sensa.
tion and caused CONSERVATION. 1t Is an alarm
like the 1re-bell In the night, or the lightning
that strikes the powder-laden ship at sea.
eral Capital that have nothing but inilamma-
bles and explosives aboard and mono OF them
can forsee what fate is to follow. Nothing
has been done at Washington since the close
OF the war that gives SO much promise OF dis
injecting tho foul air that pervades so much
us should say we'll done to the prosecuting
counsel In the star-Route cases Messrs. Bliss,
Merrick and Ker, Of our own city-and to the
Attorney.General and the President. 1t Is this
kind of lightning that docs the effective work
in purifying corrupted official atmosphere"