The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1884-01-26
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
Mr.. Hewitt's Political Troubles-Conf1s
cation Of Public Lands-What Con-
gress Is Doing, ETC., Etc.
WASHINGTON. D. c.. Jan. 22d, 1888


Messrs. Editors TO look critically over this
correspondence in your paper last week one would
think that the 'devil' in your office had been play
ing pranks with the copy or that the proof-reader
was out after it was set up. Tho following mis-
spellings occur in it: "Singed" for signed COLI
for OIL "torturous" for tortuous, companies" for
company's You also substituted convention"
for committee in speaking of the position held by
Mr.. Hewitt in the Democratic organization in
1880. Your correspondent was wrong also in say
ing that Mr.. Hewitt was chairman of the National
Democratic Committee which position was held
by Mr.. Barnum, of Connecticut, instead of the
Democratic Congressional Committee of which he
was chairman. Of course it is better to attribute
these to that scape-goat of every printing
Objects "devil"-than to lack of carefulness
on the part of the editor, the one having super
vision over the correction of the type, or the in
ability of q correspondent to spell plainly and
right. Therefore place the fault where it be-
longs-on your 'devi."
There is no doubt, intimated in this CORES
pondence last week, to the nature of the attack
of strd5ismus which made Mr.. Hewitt, in 1880, see
that the signature of James A. Garfield to the
Morey letter genuine, which proved to be a
forgery, viz the defeat of the Republican party
and the election of Hancock to the Presidency !;
but the result of his late attack, when he went to
see the British Minister and explained" to him
his "reasons for introducing the O'Donnell reso-
lution"-"to curry favor with his Irish constitu-
ents in New York. as it is generally described
here-can be easily seen his chances grown
beautifully less" ever to be elevated to the White
House. and his possible political ruin accomplish
ed. Different persons will view this in different
lights, but certainly it is not too much for the
members of the Republican party, or for the whole
country, in fact, which it was intended to injure,
to construe it just retribution for the part he
took in connection with that unparalleled nfamy.
His Irish constituents, it is said, will for
give him, the thought of his treachery having OBJ
tanned Judgment in their minds. Mr. Hewitt
has doubt in this instance realized how useless
it is to try to please every body. He endeavored
to curry favor with his aforesaid Irish constitu-
ents, and yet desired not to offend the British
Minister and Government, and FASTENED to ex-
plain his action to the latter, which did offend the
former, mortally to himself and his future politi
cal aspirations and welfare, as is alleged.
The question of the confscation of the public
lands granted to certain railroad companies in the
South for the non performance of the conditions
of their grants by the construction of the roads
within the time limited in said grants, has been
under consideration in the Committee on Public
Lands and the forfeiture in some instances have
been recommended, and in Others it is said, will
be, and Senator Edmunds introduced a bill week
or so ago for their forfeiture This legislation
would seem to be fair, it is popular, the failure
to construct the roads according to the terms of
=
by the breaking out of the Southern Rebellion,
which arrested all enterprise in the matter of rail
road building in that section, and which period of
war was succeeded by that of reconstruction, dur
ing which but little interest in them was mani
tested. By that time the terms within which
some of the roads were to be built had nearly eX-
pired, the uncertainty of getting the land which
was the chief inducement for constructing the
roads, was such that it repealed capital. Yet now
it is said that the prospects for building some of
the roads are improved, notably the Gulf and
Ship Island railroad, and others are said to be
like it, so that it would seem to be generous in
Congress to renew the grants and to allow their
completion. The object of such internal improve
ments, which are now more needed in the South
to develop her great resources is said to be as i'm
portant now when the system was first intro
duced to enable the Illinois Central to be built in
1854, which opened up vast tracts of wild terrific
ry to settlement and cultivation. Yet it is hardly
possible that the grants will be renewed, but that
the lands will be confscated to the Government.
The coniscaton of the lands granted to the Texas
Pacific Railroad Company rests upon different
basis. The road was built and fully equipped
and notification of its completion sent to the Pres
ident on the day the terms of the grant expired
But it was not built by the company to which the
grant was made, but by its assignee, the Southern
Pacific railroad, and therefore, it is claimed, that
as grant made by the Government to one rail-
lands are forfeited
A bill was introduced in Congress last week
providing for the issuance of per cent. Govern
ment bond, to run for 100 years, until Jan. 1st
1884. Hon. John Sherman also introduced bill
in the Senate to secure the circulation of the
National banks, which provides that the said
hanks shall be allowed to issue notes to the extent
of go per cent. of the market value of the and Al
per cent bonds wh,h they have ON deposit with
the United States Treasurer fer that purpose
The last measure, it is thought, will be sufficient
to arrest the contraction, at least until the and
Al bonds mature, of the currency that is now rap
idly taking place and will do in larger degree
as the outstanding per cent. bonds continue to
be called in for redemption.
The Senate was engaged nearly the whole of
last week in the discussion of the proposed Next
can treaty, the determination of which will posi-
bly, haye bearing and influence on sugar produc-
ton in Louisiana and other Southern States, and
may seriously affect the relations of some of those
Southern constituencies with the two National
political parties of the country, as regards free
trade and protection.
Senator Edmunds introduced bill in the SEN
ate to further improve the efficiency of the public
service, but several Democratic Congressman in
troduced bills in the House to totally abrogate the
Civil Service Reform law now in existence. Such
are their Civil Service Reform proclvties.
The Republican members of the House and Sen
ate held caucus last week to organize Repub-
lican Congressional committee. Senator Ed
munds, OF Vermont, presided, and in taking the
chair said that the prospects of the Republican
party winning q Presidential election had not
been better in fifteen years than this year. Mr.
Holton and Mr.. McComas, of Maryland, had quite
time in deciding who should represent the State
on the committee, but eventually Mr.. Holton
''broke the dead lock" and elected Mr. McComas
to serve. The unity of the Republican party is
demonstrated by the fact that every State and
Territory having Republican representation in
Congress is represented the committee. The
first meeting Of the committee was held last night,
and Gen. Joseph R. HawIey, of Connecticut, was
elected chairman, and Edward Mcpherson, of
Pennsylvania, secretary, ANON.