Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1869-01-06
From the National Capital.
WASHINGTON, D. c., DEC. 29, 1868

WASHINGTON, ID. T., DEC. 29, 1908.
DEAR JOURNAL Congress having ad-
journed over the Holidays, we once more ex-
perience the old time character of the Cap
ital-eyerythin is dull, stale and unproh
table" The concluding word of this re-
mark has no reference, as a matter of course,
to the operations of Robert J. Walker and
others in the Alaska acquisition. 1t will be
remembered that after Secretary Seward
had finished bargaining with the Russian
Ambassador, doubts were entertained wheth-
er Congress would appropriate the seven
millions of dollars which our National Land
Broker has agreed to pay for the territory.
In this emergency, Baron Stoeckl called in
MIR. Walker and got him to write up A.
laska, and so well did Robert do this, that
the Baron paid him the snug sum of $23, 900
in gold for his services as appears from Mr..
Walkers own testimony taken before the
Congressional Committee that is investiga
ting the matter; and it also appears that
So, ,00U were paid to the Chronicle men for
publishing these articles Whether the Com
mittee will succeed in duplicating any Mem
bers of Congress, remains to be seen; but
thus far the lobbyists only figure in the af-
fair
No man ever seated himself in the Pres
idential chair, of whom SO much was ex
pected as will be from General Grant.
Retrenchment, economy, honesty, and reform
generally, will be looked for, and anything
D 4 III Il
expectation. Ii correct estimate has been
| placed upon Grant by his friends, this hope
will be realized to the fullest extent, and the
outcroppings will probably make their ap
/ pearance in the formation of his Cabinet.
| Though he has thus far observed the strict
est Eeticence-because he does not regard
/ himself President until he shall be sworn in
- he Will doubtless select iUr his official
advisers, young, active. enierprising men,
that will keep pace with the spirit ut the age
indeed, it is high time that the superannu
ated Representatives,, who go into public al
fairs because they are driven cut OF private
business, should make way for more energetic
and progressive men for 1t Is one Of the
evils OF our nation that every old fogy thinks,
| because he is approaching the age of Me
thusaleh or has attained the weight of Daniel
Lambert, that he ought to be a Senator,
| Secretary, or Foreign \ mister.
Thus tar no one knows tch0 will be invited
to places in the Cabinet. All stories that
Mr.. +. b. WashOurne Is to be Secretary
this or that, or that Mr. Somebody aud
SO is to go into the War office or Navy De
partment are mere guess work. | noticed
several OF your Pennsylvania politicians here
recently, and it is sail their business was to
sound Grant on the SUBJECT OF Cabinet ap
pointment; but when they left they knew
nearly as much as when they arrived And
whilst this will probably be the fate of all
others who come on like mission, the i'm
preston prevails in private circles that Mr..
NJ Pherson, the clerk of the House OF Rep
! resentatives. will stand as good a chance as
any man in your State for a seat in the
official household of the new President
1t is really astonishing to learn that all the
offices of the Government are filed with
| original Grant men. | have the first one to
see who will admit that he was, before the
election, friend of the humble individu-
al who now occupies the White House,
but whose political sands of life'' are nearly
run. | see that the N Times, which had
stood by JohDson for nearly three years,
charges him with introducing decentralization
into every department of the Government,
and denounces the suhserviency of his Office
holders 1t says: : while seeking an ap-
pointment, the candidate promises the Pres
ident. But the moment the appointment
is made the tune changes Every Senator
is then assured that has wishes shall be ON
nipotent-that he shall have whatever he
wants. A vigorous and adroit >ystcm of
lying is thus essential to success This sys-
tenn has been in the ascendant during the
larger part of Mr.. johnson official term,
and accounts in very large degree for the
character Of his appointments. This is
decidedly frigid on the part of the Times
for 1t Is only a few weeks since it urged that
as few changes should be made as possible
But it no doubt sees that there will b. gem
eral cleaning out, and hence ats change of
tone in this particular.
After the Holidays you may possibly hear
again from Yours, SPECKs