The Louisiana Democrat

WASHINGTON
CORRESPONDENCE.

WASHINGTON,
Jan. 13, 1877.

EDITOR Democrat—
This Congress will go into history
as an investigating Congress, whatever
other characteristics it may also
be distinguished for. There have
been many important and many un-
important investigations in the two
years which will end next March.
That of Mr. Murtagh, President of
the Police Board, though at first ap-
pearing to be of local interest, shows
that Congressmen and gentlemen
visiting the city, if their politics did
not suit the ideas of the administra-
tion, or any part of it, or any of its
hangers on, have been subjected, in
their daily life, to mean surveillance
by disguised policemen and street
roughs. The committee carrying on
this investigation should publish the
results broadcast over the country so
that thoughtful men may realize to
what a condition the country has
been brought. It is useless to say
that Murtagh alone is responsible
for this degradation of institutions,
for Murtagh is appointed to office by
the President, and is kept in office af-
ter both Houses of Congress have
unanimously voted to abolish the of-
fice to get rid of its incumbent.—
President Grant pleaded his own lim-
ited civil experience as an excuse for
errors in carrying on the Govern-
ment. His last year is worse than
his first and the people may well
thank God that he came to his first
civil office fresh from fields of
slaughter rather than from political
employment.
The Senate investigation into Ore-
gon affairs has not produced any
damaging result. The money sent to
Oregon from the funds of the Demo-
cratic committee was paid to Repub-
lican and Democratic lawyers for le-
gitimate legal services. The investi-
gation, however, brought out an
opinion that Governor Grover acted
in accordance with law in commis-
sioning Cronin an elector from Wm.
Leach Lawrence, a lawyer respected
wherever the language is spoken.
The President has given a qualified
recognition to Packard claiming to
be Governor of Louisiana, but will
not use force to sustain him until the
Congressional Committee report
from that State. Packard is known
as a man of considerable ability and
dast, and stands better with Grant
than Kellogg does. In Louisiana he
is officially called a shameless and
wicked impostor. The debate in the
House yesterday on the question of
arresting the members of the Louisi-
ana Returning Board for contempt in
refusing to produce before a Commit-
tee of the House the official papers of
the Board, was exciting and impor-
tant. Messrs. Frye, Garfield and
Kasson spoke against the right to ar-
rest, but none of them with their ac-
customed force. The question went
over and will be decided to-day.
The Senate Committee proposing
to leave nine Congressmen and four
Justices of the Supreme Court, the
decision of all disputes as to count-
ing the Electoral vote does not meet
with support in the House. The
grounds of opposition are two-fold:
first, that the Constitution and laws
afford ample means of setting such
disputes; and second, that the pro-
posed body of arbitrators is to be
chosen by lot.
The House and Senate Committees
meet together to-day, and if they can
not agree upon a plan, will so re-
port to their respective Houses. The
only case I now remember in which
the Government recognizes the "trial
by lot" is in that of General Officers
in the Army. If two are appointed
upon the same day, the two decide
by lot which shall be held to have
the older rank. In some of the
States, United States Senators have
received the "long" and "short" term
in the same way.
Yesterday a long memorial from
Chamberlain, claiming to be Governor
of South Carolina, was received in
the Senate. It gives his version of
affairs there.
Further inquiries into the Chand-
ler dispatches will be made to-day.
One trouble with Chandler was that
he could not separate his duties as
Secretary of the Interior from his
business as Chairman of the Repub-
lican National Committee, nor could
those who received his dispatches.
So, when he telegraphed the day af-
ter the election, to the Returning
Board of Louisiana, that it was nec-
essary for Hayes to have that State,
and that money, and that and troops
would be furnished. The Board
couldn't tell whether the dispatch
came from a political Committee
whose services were over or from a
trusted member of Grant's Adminis-
tration. The House Committee will
to-day ask Mr. Chandler questions on
that particular point, and insist on
an answer.
The snow which fell on New Year's
day is just disappearing, having re-
mained longer than in any other case
in many years. The weather is mild
and the charming and healthful cli-
mate of Washington will no doubt
delight us and our visitors for the re-
mainder of the winter.
NEMO.