The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-01-07
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
from our Regular Correspondent,

IL transpires that the large latitude
given to the assassin Guiteau by
Judge Cox was in pursuance of an
understanding with the District At
torney. its object being to give the
experts in attendance chance to OBJ
serve the everyday conduct of the
scoundrel and contrast it with that
ne exhibited at their interviews with
him while in confinement. When
he became so bold and self-confident
as to declare himself entirely sane.
ana has proved his declaration true
By dexterous handling of facts and
testimony as brought out by the pros.
ecution, the counsel for the people
asked the Judge to put the prisoner
in the dock and treat him as other
murderers on trial had been treated.
Guiteau and his counsel then for the
first time realized fully that he had
been "given rope and hung himself"
In thelight of these facts it behooves
the New York Tribune, the Times,
and thu host of other harsh critics
that hive assailed Judge Cox to re-
tracsgsheir SANDERS and admit that
both the prosecution and Court
know better how to treat this extra
ordinary case than the wiseacres of
the sanctum.
There has been great deal of
Democratic claque and clamor over
the arrangement of the House Conn
mittees, and particularly over that
on Privileges and Elections, of which
Mr.. CalKins, of Indiana, is chair
man. These gentlemen are a little
"too previous in their remarks and
charges. Mr.. Calkins declares that
his committee IS fairly made up, in
accordance with the customs of the
House. Last session the Committee,
as made up by Speaker Randall, was
constituted of nine Democrats, five
Republicans, and one Greenbacker;
this year it consists of nine Repub-
licans, four Democrats, one Readjus-
ter. and one Greenbacker. thus Civ
ing the minority of this House the
same representation precisely that
the minority had in the last House.
Mr.. Calkins says, further, that he
does not regard the Elections Conn
mittee mere party machine. and so
far as he is concerned it shall not be
run as such-no man will be turned
out or put into seat simply because
he is Democrat or Republican.
The Committee is busily at work,
and the testimony in five cases has
been sent to the printer. A DISPOSE
ton is manifest to take up, examine
and act on cases at once instead of in
dulging in the usual interminable
delays. If this Congress gives US a
departure from the disgraceful meth
cd recently practiced of keeping con,
testants who were really elected out
in the cold until the very last day
and hour of the second session. it will
deserve no little praise. This thing
of permitting a man who was never
elected to draw the pay and perform
the duties through whole term and
then on the last day confessing that
it was wrong and vote pay also to the
other fellow, is crying evil. 1 put
drawing the pay Grst and foremost,
as with many Congressman that is
the most important part of it.
ExSecretary Blaine is preparing
the eulogy upon the late President
Garfield to be delivered in the hall
of the House of Represe ntatives
when the funeral services are observ-
ed by Congress. He but recently
sent the committee in charge of the
arrangements his acceptance of tho
invitation. The selection of Mr..
Blaine for this service was most hap
py and appropriate. Forever will
his name be linked with the brief
but honorable and satisfactory ADJ
ministration of that statesman who,
in the zenith of well-deserved
fame, was taken from his country
men by the dastardly act of a cow
ardly assassin. None other than
James g. Blaine could haye been APP
propriately chosen to impress upon
the minds ofthe people. and in words
that will live, those traits of charac-
ter. habits of life, and modes CT a.
ton which will always endear the
memory of James A. Garfield, not
only to his contemporaneous fellow
citizens, but their defendants vet to
move and live. The Grafton of Mr..
Blaine will be a labor of love, and in
its records of the life and Opprecia-
ton of the virtues of the dead Presi-
dent will reflect, in words scai cely
possible to another, the universal feel
ing OF citizens of the United States
upon the National bereavement.
Among the politicians and Con-