Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1876-03-04
ouR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON. D. c.,
February 18th, 1876.

having declared the % l Inst. a hatlon-
Al holiday. and the act being approved
nv the President, because the spirit
and sentiment embodied within the
resolution met with his most cordial
and "Old Prob" having
seen proper to send favorable wealth
er. contrary to expectations, many
hearts we're made glad with the pros
meet of Witnessing the celebration
of the national day of him who was
First in war. first in peace, ana
frat in the hearts Of his country
men, The celebrations here were
simply local, confined mostly to q
parade aud banquet of the fire depart
ment, and meetings Of some of the
social associations; no public demon
~stration of general character occur
red. Early in the morning, a great
many people departed for Alexan-
dria, Va, only eight miles from this
city. where the day was duly celebra-
ted. The city was amply decorated
with patriotic bunting; even b
masts OF the vessels in the harbor
few the "star .spangled banner" and
were otherwise decorated with ma
tiomai %colers; while from the house
tops were flung to the breeze the
stars and atripes.' The streets were
crowded with people, and no doubt
the natives wondered where 30 many
visitors came from. The "blue
room, of Washington Lodge OF
masons, was open to visitors, and
was througed by a number of the
curious. A number Of relics were
on exhibition, some Of which belong
ed to Washington, and were duly ap-
preciated; other relics were there,
which, from their appearance, could
only be explained by those who are
in the habit Of f%requenting the hall,
as they were jewels c%uriously
wrought, their use not being gener-
ally known to the public,
The committee on expenditures OF
the department of justice will rec
om,neud considerable reductions III
that department. Several of the or.
namental bureaus will be consolida.
ted and the pardon clerk will be dis
pensed With, and where it is feasible
several districts will be consolidated
into one, thereby dispensing with 8
number of marshals, and %curtailina
as much as. possible the enormous
expenditures in this branch of thai
department. %.
1t is proposed to transfer the pen
T sion bureau to the war department
abolish the Office Of pension agents
transfer all unexpended money to thu
U. S. treasury, and to have all dutie
heretofore performed by the pension
agents transferred to the paymaster
of the army. Should this plan b,
: carried out, the saving to the govern
mept would be enormous; the coun
, try would be minus al army of Office
holders. who hang on as long as an.
: blood can be drawn, and the corps o
+ paymasters Of the army not actively
3 engaged would have all opportunit,
of being employed and keeping thei
! hands in at bookkeeping.
, The government has been in tn
) habit of renting additional building
1 for dep ,rtment accommodation at
j, yearly expense of about $3OO,OO(
The proper committee has taken tt
matter under consideration and pre-
pose terminating such expenditure
as far as practicable.
h Quite Il currency famine is said t
u. exist by the cessation of work in tn
y printing aud engraving department
Of the treasury. for which the appre
o priations hive been exhausted.
1 A great many clerks. male and fl
j, male, have been dismissed from til
:. treasury because there was nothiu
for Them to do until congress sha
have made additional appropriation
In the shape Of deficiency bills.
The secretary Of the Interior Ii.
been Frustrated by q recent and SUI
den attack of retremchment, al
y while the disease was at its heigl
with him he dispensed with the Sc
= vices of about thirty clerks from tt
pension Office.
= The friends Of Alexander I
=, Stephens, OF Georgia, say that h
~ present condition excitea their mo
y, serious apprehensions. He is not e:
le pected to appear in congress durin
"a this session, and they are fearful tn
:, his condition IL such that he can ne
~ err again rally strength enoughto leal
D. his room.
It The proposed army reorganizatit
r bill provides for the gradual redu
;. ton of the army, and proposes as Il
~ minimum of cavalry eight regiment
d. and twenty-three of infantry. tt
at artillery service is to be hereaft
E. known as the corps Of artillery, CO
;, sistlng of five batteries of light art
~ lery and sixty battsi'ira of a~rtiller
the whole to be Differed by one chit
It, four colonies, six lieutenant-colonel
&C.. The bill is very lengthy, a,
proposes a general reorganization
b every branch of the military servit
W The senate finance committee h
te reported a bill amending tho law
90 refund the national debt, which
~creases the moun of bonds beari'
d. Al per cent. interest to five hundr
CHI miilion,and provides for their REDEEM
tie ton after thirty years from the ds
II. of issue, at the pleasure Of the Ul
ted States.
"a The senate committee on electio
T. has agreed to thoroughly ventils
no the charges against Senator Spenc
IN. Subpo.pas have been made out TO
number Of witnesses to appear a
les testify. The investigation will
gin at all early date, and will
is public.
;tv AT recent caucus OF republic
- senators it was decided to oppose
- provision in the House pension b
lk- allowing arrearages of pensions
lrl those dropped from the rolls on
uri count of disloyalty.
co. The secretary of the Comm,
wealth of Virginia has received a
ties ter from a Mr.. Rolfe, of Engla
who is said to be q descendant
y, Rolfe. who wooed and won the lie
=. inc, POeahontas. who saved the
I'LL - IN.,k H. Syl ,Ntsfnr l