judge Robert Roberts Bishop To Actwin of Congress this claim was forrequired. reimbursement and many an
5
body. so continuing The political while a questions member of of that the
“198 to Washington were taken and
period from 1874 to 1880 were fore
several years spent before it could be secured. almost would adjourn. beSometimes gainedTime and theafter then pointCongress time would he
shadowed by the elections of 1874. Con elected fifty trarythousand to Samuel Blaine’s majority, J.predictions, Tildenand Governor New Massachu York by
returned home discouraged.
Finally he
succeeded and came back with a treas ury check for $260,000 in his pocket.‘8 During these first few years his profes sional career consisted of a steady uphill fight for a livelihood and a reputation, but increasing knowledge of the law and tact in the conduct of cases, united with
Sterling honesty and boundless energy, turned the tide in his favor. He now had well passed the stage of inexperi ence, and from 1874 on appears as an
attorney of recognized ability, with a constantly increasing practice, who also was recognized by the Common wealth as well fitted for public service. In 1877 he with two other gentlemen constituted the Water Board of Newton, which reported the completion of the system of water works that has for
thirty years supplied the city with water of the purest quality. The Commission, appointed for three, finished its work in two and a half years, and returned to the city $83,842.78 unexpended from an appropriation of $850,000.00, after hav ing provided an equipment with a pumping capacity one~fifth, and a stor age reservoir one-half larger than that originally contemplated.u
In 1874 he was elected to the Massa chusetts House of Representatives but declined a tie-election that he might serve on the Water Commission. He elected became for a state four senator succeeding in 1878, years,was being re— in 1879 President of the Senate, and "Later he recovered the additional sum of ‘111,025, a total of $371,025. This was the exact amount of the defalcation. 1' Boston Advertiser. Dec. 5, 1877.
setts chose William Gaston by seven thousand. The Democratic party ob
tained a majority in the national House of Representatives against a two-thirds
Republican majority in 1872. General Butler was elected a Representative from Massachusetts, as was Julius Seelye on an independent ticket; Carl Schurz was defeated for Senator in Missouri; while W. W. Phelps lost his election in New Jersey by the revolt of six hundred negro voters.“ These political disasters arose in part from the bitter contest within the ranks of the dominant party
itself, between the “stalwart” supporters of President Grant and his “progressive” opponents. Discontent was felt over the failure of the Republican recon
struction policy in the South and blame fell upon the administration for the Credit Mobilier, the Sanborn Contracts,
the Belknap scandals, and many justly blamed Congress for its lack of support of President Grant's Civil Service policy. In Ohio the "Greenback” and “Rag Baby” craze swept the state, Hayes and Garfield being the only leaders who
stood firm for hard money, and for a time this popular delusion seemed to
control Congress."
Corruption and ex
travagance appeared not to be confined alone to the national government, but
states and cities upon investigation ex hibited symptoms of reckless and extravagant management. One of Til ‘‘ Six hundred negroes became incensed at Phelps’ vote on the Civil Rights Bill, bolted the ticket and the Democratic candidate won by a ma‘on'ty of seven votes. Rhodes’ History of Unite States. vol. 7, p. 68. _ 1' Act of Feb. 4. 1868, forbidding reduction of enbacks below $350,000,000 repealed a year atcr.
