Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 December 1884 — POLITICAL TOPICS. [ARTICLE]

POLITICAL TOPICS.

THE OHIO ELECTION. Investigation of Man hoi Wright. The special committee appointed by Congress to in vestige te tbe alleged misconduct of Marshal Lot Wright, in the Ohio election, has been taking testimony at Washington. Dr. R. B. Bradford, a resident of Cincinnati, but temporarily living at W tahington, testified that he was in Cincinnati the day of election; saw the riot going on in the Plnm street district, bat did not know who were tbe aggressors; beard persons say that respectable people would not go into that district to vote; had heard >hs» deputy marshals took part in the riot Then were a great many unemployed negroes standing around the streets, and be was told they were from Kentucky, Frank P. Morgan, newspaper reporter, of Washington, testified to being in Cincinnati election day; be saw several men from Washington there, acting as deputy marshals and wearing metal badges. They were Moses Wright, John Wright and James Donnelly. Witness paid them a social call in the evening, and they produced bull-dog pistols, which were part of their equipment. They got their iQstrnotiona irom Lot Wright first, and were afterward drilled by Pension Detective Rathbone. Rathbone, it was generally understood, had charge of the imported talent, gentlemen who had been summoned by the Republican National Committee, as they said, to see a tslr count. Witness visited a voting precinct in tbe Fourth Ward, and saw a good deal of fighting. The deputy msrshils appeared to be overbearing, Insolent, and insisting. They were hard-looking characters, and seemed to be selected from the worst classed. Colored men went aronnd swinging pi-tola as a policeman would swing his “billy/The efforts of the Deputy Marshals tended rather to break the peace than to keep It A week before election there had been a convention ot colored Odd Fellows in Cincinnati, and the witness met a irominsnt colored man named Pledger, wbo told him that, while he was In the city ostensibly to attend the convention, his real object was to oarry the election. Witness said he belived ninety-nine ont of one hundred of these Deputy Marshals were roughs. They looked dissipated and capable of Intimidating decent people. Hiram T. Doyle, who was in Cincinnati eleotlon day as correspondent ot tbs Washington Sunday Herald, testified to the bad appearance of tbe Deputy Marshals. He thought they kept a great many respectable men from the polls, and their presenoe gave rise to a feeling of Insecurity. O. P. 0. Clark, Commissioner of Pensions, was called and swOrn, but, as be had not bad time to comply with tbe order ot tbe ooremittee to bring certain papers with him, his examination was postponed. GKN. SHERMAN AND JEFF DAVIS. The Former Makes Pnblio a Letter Written by Aleck Stephens. Gen. Sherman has made public a letter signed by Alexander H. Stephens, Vioo President of tbe late Confederacy, addressed to H. V. Johnson, of Georgia, and dated Crawfordtvllle, Ga., April 8, 1864, Gen. Sherman says it was loaned to him by Dr. H. C. Robbins, of Creston, Hi, wbo obtained it on Mr. John on’s promisee tn Georgia, in 1864, while surgeon of the One Hundred and First Illinois Infantry. Mr. Stephens’ letter is in reply to • no in whloh Mr. Johnson remonstrated with him for his supposed antipathy to President Davis. Mr. Stevens denies such a foellns.and says that in criticising the aot suspending habeas corpus he had been actuated by general principles. He goes on to say that his feelings toward Mr. Davis are “more akin to suspicion and jealousy than of animosity or hate.’ “1 hare regarded bim/hesays, "as a man of good Intentions, weak and vacillating. I am now beginning to donbt bis good intentions. My reasons aro these: Blnoe his first elevation to power he has changed many of his former Stato-rlghts principles, as In the case of conscription. Hta whole polloy—the organization and discipline of tbs army -is perfectly consistent with the hypothesis that he is aiming at absolute power. Not a word has come from him showing disapproval of ths military usurpation in the orders for martial law by Bragg and Van Dorn. * • • Again, it is well known that the subjeot of a dictatorship has been mooted, talked of, and discussed in private and in tbe pnblio Journals, and that the most earnest advocates of suoh a course have b en editors near him, editors of journals recognized as or-, pans of the administration. * * • Those are bad signs. They should pnt the oonntry on Its i guard." Mr. Stephens goes on to say that his indignation is for the polloy, not for the man. He again speaks of Mr. Davis’ weakness and imbecility, and says be has ne more feeling of re>' sentment toward him for these deieots than toward his Door, old, blind and deaf dog. He says not. one-tenth of tbe people approve the acts pf,, the administration. Gen. Sherman says It was the Stephens letter he referred to when he said Darla was trying to establish a despotism Instead of aoonlederaey ' of States. He said the letter was captured m the latter part of November, 1864, br a party of foragers under his Immediate command. Tbe foragers found the letter in a box with a number of other things while prodding the ground# of Johnson’s resldenoe with their bayonets for burled objects. Gen. Sherman said ho had a dozen letters like Johnson’s letter, bat nowhere is proof presented in so substantial a form asm it The other letters are from great men in the South and oover a portion of the ground mentioned In the Stephens letter.

SAM RANDALL. A Southern Attack on tho Pennsylvania Congressman. The LonisvUle Courier-Journal recently printed a special dlspatoh from Washington -a double-leader, with editorial approval—bitterly attacking ex-Speaker Samuel J. Randall, who was booked tor speeohes in Louisville and several other Southern cities. It has created a genuine sensation In certain polltioal circles. Toe following is an extract from the Courier-Jour-nal dispatch: The proposed visit of Sam Randall to Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama Is well understood here to be a declaration of war by the protectionists upon the revenue reformers of the States In question. Joe Brown, of Georgia, la the Southern manager of this scheme. Mr. Randall’s hope la to secure something like a demonstration at Louisville, which the protection newspapers can claim as a rebuke of Beck, Blackburn. Carlisle, and Willis; and another at Nashville to rebuke Isbam G. Harris; and then a great uprising of iron workers at Birmingham, Ala., to tell the world that there 1* a revolution of opinion on the tariff In the South and a consuming lire for the Pennsylvania Idea. Mr. Randall is expected to start out with the black flag in both hands. His friends say he has nothing to lose, and may make something by his expedition, while they hope to make a sensation. The general impression among polltfdans here Is that Mr. Randall has lowered himself and shown his true oolors, in patting him, self In the hands of a few cranks and soreheads who want to use him as a stlok to beat his colleagues, whose only crimes are that they are honest revenue reformers who represent their people and would reduce war taxes. The idea of an ovation to a who six months ago was acting with the Republicans to defeat a Democratic measure la sconted. Mr. Randall is not on speaking terms with the leaders of his own par y, though on cordial terms with the Republicans. The story that he la a favorite with the new President u flatly contradicted by those who know. It is otfen stated that the mention of Randall's name In connection with the Cabinet Is offensive to Mr. Cleveland, who understands and believes that any suspicion of being Randall’s friend would wreck his administration on the threshold. POLITICS AND POLITICIANS. Gen. Geo. B. McClellan is only 58. Col. Ingersoll is said to have made $25,000 from fifty lectures daring the last two months. President Arthur is said to be enjoying more robust health And looking better than for years. The official vote of Dakota, just declared, is; Republican, 70,409; Democratic, 15,075; Republican majority, 55,334. Ben Butler has repurchased his famous mansion just south of the Capitol at Washington, which he sold to John Cassells the other day. Ben: Perlht Poore, the veteran correspondent. is credited with inaugurating the wheel-barrow bet for elections about thirty years ago. The majorities for the four amendments to the lowa Constitution voted for at the November election ranged as follows: First, changing day of election from October to November, 74,402; seoond, in relation to the number of District Judges, 39,792; third, reducing the number of grand jurors, 42,247; fourth, providing for a County instead of a District Attorney, 34,729. There is no complaint of over-produc-tion in the South.