Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1883-05-02
From our regular correspondent.
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington, D. c., April 2S, 'S3

the next house of representatives the
other day somebody asked why Frank
IIurd. OF Ohio, had not been brought
out. Undoubtedly he would make
IL good speaker, but he is not can
didate, and Notwithstanding his pop
ularity, there are reasons why his
candidacy would not be wise or
successful. But this reminds me of Il
circumstance connected with the cleo
t0ral count Of 1867. Mr.. Hurd was
was member of congress then, and
one Of the ninety democrats who stood
ont to the last against counting in
Hayes. lie had in his possession facts
which would have enabled him to de-
feat the count had not his high sense
of honor prevented him from using
them. His room at Wormlcy hotel
was next To the one in which the ia
nous conference of republican leaders
was held, and he overheard, by acct
dent. some Of the strategic schemes
for dcceiying the democrats and pro-
positions made to certain southern
members in order to gain their acqui-
essence to the work of the commission.
Yet IIurd never made any use Of
his knowledge. Neither has he since
ever givcn any account OF what he
heard. lie told me once, says n well
known western correspondent, about
the fac Of hi, being made an invoun-
tary eaycsdropper, and when | asked
him what he heard. he replied,
"Enongh to have defeated the count
ing in Of Hayes beyond peradven-
ture, but could better have afforded
to have him couuted in than to have
used illegitmate means to defeat that
end | could not afford to 90 down to
history as an eavcsdropper, and so l
held my tongue, not even telling any of
my associates until the fight was
over"
One Of our local journals aptly says
that the Mon Pacific railway COM
pany. accustomed to duns from the
government. will not be surprised to
receive the letter sent recently by Sec
Rotary Teller to Sidney Dillon, Esq,
president, making an earnest demand
Tor the immediate payment of the I'M
contested sum Of 81 ,O36. S24 SO. No
part OF this debt is disputed. not even
the IS cents; neither is any part Of it
paid or rendered for payment but it
is now hoped that President Sidney
Dillon Will either renew the old excuse
or put up 4 better one. A discouraged
claimant once said the plan of govern
ment was to assume that every bill it
is asked to pay is fraudulent, and then
wear ont the claimant in making him
prove it Il few times in the departments
and before congressional committees.
This statement, came of course, from
the intlamed imagination of an ell
ragged claimant, and it is on y Of use
in passing as suggesting that, if it were
true, it may be said that the govern
ment has match in this railway, so
long and so wide. 1t is the only cor
poratOn in the world with more as
surance than the Washington gaslight
company, and runs its trains as pla-
eddy while owing millions to the gov
eminent as though it held surplus in
vested in gas stock. Mr.. Secretary Tel
Ter reminds Mr.. President Dillon that
by the act of 1873 that he is enioined
from paying. making or voting any
dividends to stockholders of the COM
pany until the five per centum of net
earnings and other money due the gov
ernmcnt has been paid; and after call
ing attention to this law the Secretary
of the Interior says to the road in Ell
feet that it will do well to pay what is
incontestibly due, and 90 into the law
OF the disputed parts Of the debt after
ward, the payment Of the requirement
for the year ending December, 1882,
not 10 prejudice any snms in dispute.
II Mr.. President Dillon takes the free
aud easy stand in the matter maintain.
ed by him toward the government di-