Year: 1877

WAsHNGTOE, January Z, 1877.


The war against the gamblers, who fnd
Washington profitable field for their illegal
operations during the sessions of Congress-,
has been invested with something more
than local Importance by the action of the
President, who, on Thursdsy, created al
most panic in gambling and police circles
by peremptory demand for the resigna-
tion of the entire board of police commits
sioners. The gamblers had become much
more confident of their ultimate triumph,
and the guilty, if any, members of the po-
lice department were laughing in their
sleeves at the failure to convict them OF
any positive act of collusion with the law
breakers, when the demand of the Preei-
dent spread confusion and dismay among
them. Everybody is trying to explain
the causes which brought about the
Presidents res luton to act in the
premises; but it is not necessary
TO go further than the public record of the
inficiency Ito put it mildly that has marked
the course of the late iucumbents in their
relation to this class of swindlers, who have
habitually violated the law for years under
their very noses, to amply justify his de-
cision; and the investigation, impOtent and
unsatisfactory as they allowed it to be,
only served to intensity the suspicion rest
ing against prominent members of the police
department, and conclusively proves the
inability or indisposition, or both, of the
board to purge the service of its unworthy
ha 41aN
not to say insulting, illusions to the Presi-
dent which some of the disreputable wit
nesses were allowed to make before the
board might have excited his resentment
and hastened his action. Whatever the
moving cause may have been, the retire
ment of the gentlemen in question does not
appear to excite very profound regret nor
serious apprehension of disaster to public
morals Some very startling revelations
are nc doubt in store for us, and it is alleged
that member of Congress intends the in
troductisn of resolution transferring the
investigation to Congress.


The snow storm of last Monday, which
covered our streets to the depth of foot or
more, very seriously interfering with the
conventional observances of the day, has
proved means of enjoyment to thousands
Of residents and visitors of this district
as rare as it is welcome. Every conceivable
style of sleigh has been moving about our
superb streets for the past four days, filed
with merry jewellers; and every boy in the
| district was supplied with hand sled until
the supply was exhausted two days ago.
Sleighs have been coming to ready mar
ket here all the week from as far north as
/ New York. To-day occurs the great sleigh.
ing carnival, for which extensive prepara-
tiOns have been made, teams having arrived
from all the adjacent country and from
Baltimore. Many of the participants are
to appear in masks and in costumes repre-
senting everything great and small, comic
and serious, in history. Prior to the storm
skating had been in order for two weeks.
| On the whole this winter will be as noted
in the calandsr for its eccentricities in its
arctic character as last summer was for its
/ equatorial heat.


| Cronin has had his say before Mr.. Nor.
toms inquisitors, and yesterday Governor
Grover took the stand; he was to appear to
day to complete his testimony.


Senator Wright's plan for deciding the
Presidential contest. as developed In his
speech, may be taken as rejecting the
views of extreme Republicans, and attracts
considerable attention. Grover, who lis
tened to it, does not consider it as person
ally very complimentary to himself.


OF course Mr.. Benefits cowhlding caused
sensation in society" The Mays are well
known here; and while the verdict appears
to be against Bennett, it is felt that MAJ
has still further humillated his sister by the
notoriety with which his belligerent de


monstration has invested the scandal.


L