The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1870-12-23

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10, 1870,


WASHINGTON, Dec. 10, 1870.
EDITOR or ruE UNION AND JOURNAL,
Rumors portentous and full Of momentum:
Importance TO the political world, but which
canno, be sifted down to an iota Of truthfulness
but which, notwithstanding this. have an air Of
eandor and correctness, substantiated as they
aie by strong eircumstantial evidence, have
filed the capitol and all the branches Of the
government. IL is useless for any one CONVEX
SAINT with the political aspect Of things in thi,
city, TO say that there is harmony and peace in
the administration at the present time, and
when speak Of the administration, prefer tC
use Il in It's most comprehensive sense. Techni.
eally speaking. the administration Is the Cabi-
net, but | mean cur rulers, those who admins
ter the government. and under this think the
three branches Of the government come in. But
even in the cabinet. there Is not that harmony
which Is needed to make an administration
thoroughly successful. and from this discord
comesthe vague rumorsof changes 10 take place
Immediately in the cabinet. The President well
said at the commencement Of his executive ca
paeity. that whenever il should appear to him
that changes in the cabinet were needed, he
should have no hesitancy 10 make them. Start
ing out with this theory, IL does not seem to me
that be has been 80 particular rs TO whom he
he appointed as he otherwise would have been,
but that the cabinet-making Of President Grant
has been q sort Of speculation, or an experiment
and that the exchanging Of cabinet officers al
the present day Is becoming one Of slight i'm
portance
The question Of the greatest import at the
present, and which viii fear lead TO grave ~
suits, is that Of San Domingo. upon the annex
alton Of which President Grant seems almost to
have staked his future political history or repu-
tation. Upon this question in the Cabinet there
Is diversity Of opinion, the result Of which may
be its total ACKNOWLEDGMENT or nearly an entire
change. In relation 10 the civil service, the
payment Of the public debt. and the collection
OF the revenue, the same diversity OF opinion
prevails. The enlargement OF the Internal Rev
enue to department Of the government,
strongly recommended by the President, Is very
obnoxious to Secretary Boutrell. Tor besides the
curtailing Of his patronage and power, he docs
not desire to see an establishment Of that bureau
to that pre-eminence. which gives the idea Of
permanency to the internal taxation and in this
idea think he is supported by the people.
Since my last, Gen. Plessantou has BEEN ap-
pointed AMI confirmed as Commissioner Of the
Internal Revenue, leaving the position Of col
lector Of revenue for the thirty.second district,
which Is in New York, much more profitable
position. II may be. that the prospect Of Id
mission to the Cabinet has had something to do
with his appointment to that position. As
said a short time since. acting Commission
err Douglass viii not be likely to receive the
appointment Of Commissioner. from the fact,
that he Is from Pennsylvania, and that as For
ney is from that State and is down for seat in
the Cabinet. Of course Mr.. Douglass would Be
precluded. since II is not deemed good policy to
give two Cabinet appointments to one State.
BY present appearances. there will be number
Of appointments made soon, (Secretary Robson
Of the Navy and Fish Of the State Department,
and Attorney General Akerman). These three
are put down rs certain to leave the Cabinet 81
IN early day. IL is stated quite auth0ritatively
that Senator Williams whose term soon expires,
win succeed Akerman rs Attorney General.
II Is fact which must be acknowledged, that
the salaries Of Cabinet officers are not sufficient
10 demand the best talent Of the country, and
within the past year there has been quite
number Of declinatons for this reason. Secre-
tary Boutwell, is the only Cabinet officer II Is
said, that lives within his income. and to do
this lives In very unpretending style, giving no
receptions, dinners, nor parties.
The most interesting feature ut the Capitol the
past week was the debate between Senators
Schurr ind Drake. Senator SchurI Was the
leader Of the boilers that seeded from the Con-
ycntion In Mis.uari, and which resulted In CIV
inc the State 10 the democracy, and as he de-
sired To justify the position that he took, he en-
deavored to aryue his case in the Senate, upon
n resolution that he offered asserting that the
time had come when all political disqualification
should be removed. The debate drew large
crowd to the S.nate, SchurI speaking upon
THURSDAY and Drake the following day. Carl
Schurr has established q national reputation a
an orator, and upon this occasion he did justice
TO HIMSELF but Il seems TO be the general opinion
that Drake got the best Of the argument, and
rather yanquishcd Mr.. Schurr.
The introduction, or rather the attempt "a
introduce resolution into the Senate looking to
the restoration Of the Arlington estate upon
which is national cemetery. will have ten
dency TO dampen the arlor Of those who have
been advocating the policy Of general amnesty.
Upon the conclusion Of Senator brakes speech,
which occupied some three hours. he took his
final leave IL the Senate. Today he was sworn
into his new office, Chief Justice CT the Court
Of Claims.
The receptions at the White House will be in
aururaiei January III. and the Presidents first
evening reception win be about the middle Of
January. Mrs. President Grant will commence
afternoon rcceptions Tuesday, January 10th.
We shall soon, therefore. enter upon the brilliant
season in this city. The different State assccia-
tons have already entered upon series OF 30
ciablc-, which In connection with the receptions
and private rarties, will have . tendency to
,,o,o,.,l;.. al the evenings of the week and 10