Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1882-04-06
WASHINGTON LETTER.
lFrom our Regular COrrep0adsHf.l
WASHINGTON, ID. c., Mch. "a, 1882,


WASHINGTON, ID. c., Mch. "a, 1882.
Since the report OF the Senate investi-
eating committee there are few even
among the party associates of Senator
sherman who longer accept his denials
! and protestations of innocence in connec-
fion with the Treasury contingent fund
while he was head of that Department.
On the contrary, all the assertions which
were made through the newspapers in
connection with the investigation, and
which were calculated at least 10 dim
the brightness of his official reputation,
turn out TO be undisputed facts. The
stationery for the Sherman bureau was
supplied by contractors for the Treasury
and was by means of false and fraudu.
lent bills and vouchers, paid out of the
public money. The rooms occupied by
the bureau were fitted out with gas-fix
lures in the same way. Draughtsmen,
tradesmen and laborers in the employ
ment of the Government were engaged
for part of their time in the private SER
vice Of Mr.. Sherman in and about his
dwelling-house, stables, and other con-
structions in which he was personally
interested. and these men were paid, not
by himself, but by the Government. 1t
is rather lame excuse for Mr.. Sherman
to allege in his defense that he was not
aware of these irregularities. Such ex-
plantations are entirely unsatisfactory.
And the inevitable impression left by a
perusal of the report of the committee is,
first, that there is no proper system of
checks by which fraud in the expendi-
ture of the contingent funds of the De-
partments can be prevented or discov-
cred and second, that, as rule. the
high officials of this Government are not
influenced by that delicate sense of honor
and honesty which would keep their rep
utation untarnished, so that even the
breathi of calumny could not dim it.
John Sherman entered the service of the
Government several years ago poor
man. During a greater part of the
time his salary has been but $1,000 per
wear, and he has lived in style that
costing fully that mnch, yet to-day he is
worth probably two millions. Comment
is unnecessary.
Everything is still in state of uncer
tainty concerning the outcome of the
star.route prosecutions but good many
observant people begin to think they
smell mice. There is every now and
then fresh assertion on the part OF the
prosecutors that the cases are to be pushed
vigorously, but this has ceased to deceive
anybody. There is not much faith in
"Col" George Bliss. the Presidents
friend, now in charge of the cases,an not
withstanding the fact that a few indict-
ments were found, sometime ago, it is q
pretty safe calculation that no harm will
ever come to Brady and Dorsey at the
hands of the present Administration.
Of course there must be show of doing
something, and the cases may actually
be brough to trial, but that will be the
end of it. Nobody will be hurt unless it
is some of the small fry who were mere
ly the tools and who didn't get much of
the swag. Gibson. Cook, and all the
original instruments under McVeagh who
were thoroughly in earnest, have been
frozen out. Col. Cook was regarded as
the strongest practical attorney in the
case because of his ability and thorough
familiarity with the criminal law prac-
tice here, the average Washington jury,
and the local court procedure. But he
has been forced to retire, and the ring
are iubilant. How cheerfully they now
\ Sarry themselves may be judged from