Lexington weekly intelligencer., 1876-03-25
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER

OUR WASHINGTON LETTER
| WARRINGTON, D. c., March IS, 1876.
| EDITOR lNrELLlGENcER: An article in
the Jefferson Cify Tribune of February 2Bd,
entitled ga Beautiful Proposition" In
which Gen. Clark, chairman Of the COM
mitteee on postofices and post roads IS held
up to public view as being partial in dealing
with certain postmasters in Missouri, while
the salaries of others are unjustly curtailed,
has come to my notice. The writer of that
notice does Gen. Clark injus tice. and al
though q bill to that effect has been intro
duced by Gen. CLARK, yet he was not the
| author of the same. That bill was drafted
BY the attorney of the Postofice Depart
ment, at the suggestion of the proper officer
thereof. and by him sent to Gen. Clark for
| introduction in the house, who complied
with the reques: as mere matter of courte-
sy. The bill has been referred to the COM
mittee, of which Gen. Clark was chairman,
and is being held under consideration, and
will be reported to the house shortly, and
think the postmaster at jefferson City will
be fit subject for congratulation. should
the salary Of that officer prove, after the
passage Of the bill, as reported, to be worth
the sum of 81, 900, which the Tribune thinks
IL 10 unjust, The bill that will be reported
by the committee, deals fairly and evenly IN
its distribution with all postmasters in the
reduction of their salaries, and you will be
satisfied that their salaries are to be reduced
when the bill saves, from this source alone.
from $500. 900 TO 100000. SO the editor Of
the Tribune may rest assured that nothing
unjust was proposed in the original biil-s
COPY Of which he saw-and that the di1er.
ence in the reduction of salaries, as COM
pared between the offices at Sedalia and
Jefferson City. may be explained by state
Eent that it occurs in the box rent alone,
which he would have discovered had he read
far enough or seen proper to understand its
provisions.
The house has refused to extend the pa
tent to the Wilson Sewing Machine Compa-
ny, which has been able heretofore to keep
up the price of their machines to three times
the sum required to manufacture them.
Hereafter they will probably be reduced to
such figure that even the humbIest house.
keeper in the land will be able to possess one
OF these domestic necessities.
On Friday last st. Patrick's day dawRed
bright and clear; pretty soon, however,
dark and lowering clouds presented them
selves, sending forth biting winds and show
ers of cold rain. Nevertheless the Irish
citizens of Washington are to be eongratu-
lated for the fine turn out they made. The
procession was large and imposing, the BAN
ners and uniforms handsome, the bands of
music numerous, the marching good, and
the display in every way creditable to the
dourfshing societies represented.
The committee on expenditures in the
Treasury Department has decided to go into
an extensive examination in reference to the
management Of the bureau of engraving and
printing. Numerous witnesses have been
ordered to appear, including the Secretary
Of the Treasury. The examination will be
conducted in secret, and the testimony not
given to the public until it is all in.
The Republicans in congress have had q
caucus in the senate in regard to Rsndsll's
appropriation bill, and have concluded to
oppoIe the bill generally, on the ground that
1t is neither..safe nor polite to make such
sweeping reductions in offices and salaries
just at this time.
A an investigating congress. this one has
never been surpassed. The number and ex-
tent of the Investigations that are being
carried on by the committees of the house
are without precedent. The judiciary Gom-
mittee is taking testimony in the matter Of
the Belknap impeachment, of the Beardsley
cadetship purchase, snd of the Texas and
Pacific railroad legislation, The committee
on foreign affairs. beside the question of
Cuban complications in connection with the
State Department, is grappling with the
Emma Mine scandal, which will be reported
uext week. The ways aud means committee
is bothered with the propriety Of interfering
with the tariff bill /; bankers trouble this
committee In regard to the funding law and
other important finance matters. The COM
mittee on naval affairs is looking after sup
posed frauds in the different navy yards,
from Maine to Florida, not forgetting the
one at San Francisco. Rumor says they are
after one high in authority, and expect to
receive able assistance in detnroning the
party by the testimony of a certain woman,
whom sergeant at arms Thomps on, OF the
house. is supposed to keep his eye upon all
the time. The dark spots connected with
the soldiers tomb stone contracts, give the
committee on military affairs hardly time to
eat and sleep. They have discovered. how
ever, that rivalry as to who should have
the contract existed between New York and
Keokuk, In which the latter city came out
ahead, with 100000 in pocket. The com.
mittees, Of which Gen. Clark and Mr.. Stone
of Missouri are tho chairmen, are hard at
work at the PostOfice Department, concern
Ing testimony about pail contracts, special
agents. &c. The straw bid Ipvestigatio of
this department promises to he almost as
rich as that Of the War Department. 1t has
already been developed that large sums of
money were paid to parties in, or Influential
with the contract Office, by the ring con-
tractors, and that diamond pins. horses and
carriages had been presented. Missouri is
well represented on the committees of in
vestigation. Clark looks after the general
management of the Postoffice Department.
Glover wants to know about the District
real estate pool menagerie, and has Kill
bourne already In duranee vile for not pro-
ducing records, DC. Buckner is looking
after the bonded ebt OF the District, &C.,
and Stone is the watch dog of the expendi-
lures OF the Postoftice Department. The
above named gentlemen are chairmen OF
their respective committees while the
balance of the Missouri delegation are di-
vtded OF on other committees and find plen-
ty of work to do.
1t is now reported upon pretty good
grounds that q sincere effort Is being made
by the administration to cause the return of
Marsh from Cana da, in fact 1t is reported
that he offers to return, provided he meets
with complete amnesty for himself aud wife,
The judiciary committee of the house have
been pretty active in the impeachment mat
ter, and it is believed they have obtained
sufficient evidence to proceed without
Marsh, and between twenty and thirty wit
nesses have been summoned to appear.
The various masonic bodies of the Dis
trlrt are making an effort to aid In the erec-
tiop Of the Washington monument. and have
already raised about 81 900 towards its final
completion. They have also appealed to the
masons throughout the country to aid them,
or assist in its completion.
Lafayette was made a mason in an army
lodge at Valley Forge during tine winter OF
TITS.
Theodore Thomas gives two concerts here
Thn