The Washington critic., 1885-11-20
TOPICS OF THE DAY.
A Man Who Keeps His Friends and
0utliyGs His Enemies.
Bx-SECRBTARY BBLKNAP.
The Prevailing Mania for House Servants
and CJachmen.
A SCHOOL OF POLITICS.
A story About the New Member from
Colorado.
MISC AC,EG THAT NNTnpEt Crlr MI
A story About the New Member from
Colorado.
MESSAGES THAT WERE STOLEN

Joaquin Miller, i'm n letter to the
Chicago Times, says: a little heavier
than he was dozen years ago, dash
of snow about the temples, his heavy
beard turning color but General Bcll<-
nap is still not only very handsome
man, but real manly appearing one.
He has never left this city, believe
since General Grant let him resign
from the Cabinet, except for short in
tervals. ] remember meeting him at
General Grants funeral last summer
but ! have found him here nearly al
ways, very quiet, very polite and APP
parently very industrious. lie usually
walks the streets at a brisk pace always
perfectly dressed, and is noted for
always having his right hand full of
hate the sight of newspaper. / am
going to say something that might have
pleased him some years ago. But il
will not please him now; nor will it
displease him. | know how it is with
the human heart. IL does not bear
abuse well. The scorn of the world
makes the human heart refuge for
owls and ghosts and ghouls in shorter
time than most of you suspect. But |
am going to say this because it is the
truth-rcason enough for saying any
thing, / reckon Well, people speak
kindly of Gen. Belknap now, and you
can hear il said by those who ought to
know, almost any day here at our great
capital, that General Belknap, Secre-
tary of War; was about the best man
in the lot at that time. But il is to be
admitted that this is not unqualified
praise. For certainly the Administra
ton, under which he held office, was
most corrupt one. / do not trace the
sins of that time to the head of the
Government; but there prevails no two
opinions as to their existence. 1t was Il
sort of Wall street affair." / suppose.
such as we have been hearing evidence
about in the courts of New York,
where men made money and position
by running and abusing man entirely
untitled for business-and that Is the
best that can be said. ! would like to
make DEPRESSION here long enough to
say that the acquisition of San Do
mingo, as Grant contemplated, was the
stands out well in General Grants
record. Something better than battles
here. Something higher here than the
selfish pursuit of fame at the risk and
cost of others. For say that we who
have set up this banner of liberty and
light are responsible for those who are
dazzled by its splendor and who fall
into confusion in their piteous attempts
to reach us and initiate us. San Do
mingo should come; Cuba also. But
TO return to Bellinap. Never,
reckon, was any man so utterly
cut to pieces by the press as
this man. His political friends were
his worst enemies. How cowardly is
the political press know of no cow
ardicc quite so contemplate rs that of
the political press of America 1t all
goes in flock like sheep, and with a
sleeps valor. Corruption prevailed
on every side here at the Capital at
the time. A trivial thing leaked out
on Belknap. The Democratic press
came on, of course, as in duty bound.
And then the other side, and the other
set, being in want of "scapegoat, !"
washed their hands and howled and
howled louder than the loudest. And
Bclknap sat right here and with his
hands full of papers bravely bore it
all. OF course | do not know how in
nocent he was or how guilty. only
am able to set down this fact; He is
respected and spoken of kindly by all
now. For my own part am thankful
to say that l never turned a single
drop of ink against Belknap. And
how could / with the whole world
howling at him? No; when l hit a
man he must be on his feet and able to
hit back. But Belllnap in the great
roundup will stand with the best of
his time,
w
Says New York correspondent OF
the Indianapolis NeCs: The scheme of
a Colonel Sellers, whom l know, is tc
establish School of Politics. He
soberly believes that instruction in the
practical workings of office getting and