The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-12-29
w.sHlgaros. D. G. Dc. ., lsii.

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WASHINGTON, D. C., Dec. ., ISL
This ,nerniue. at the breakfast table, had
long conversation with an appointment
clark of the Posin.fce Department, prInei-
g-<liv Ia relation to Post Master General hey,
sith whom the CLERK, from the duties Of ms
once. Is thrown in intimate Official relation.
zili sag that the clerk, Who IS = southern
Republican. and was once q candidate for
Congress in his district, had no expectation
that wouid make the conversation subject
tos letter He began b. telling me thai the
matter Of a long contested POst-nasier-ship,
[ in one Of the soaihern States, had been al last
settled. that the two rival contestants bad
been equally we'll endorsed, and that Jadge
Z Key bad finally 70 wade through the meshes
Of voluulin0us recommendation, and soliciia-
tion Of members Of Congress, And decide 10
Z favor Of the candidate whose letter Of appliea.
Z ton exhibited the less ilhterAcy. | asked
[ him vha, there vas in the general talk that
{ Iadse Key vas only figure head, while First
I Assistant T. ". q. Tyner had practical charge
/ Of the Department He replied that there
could be 40 more mistaken Impressions that
I Key was the real head, and, in his opinion, /.
7 the musi thoroughly able, practical, honesi, .
| aud non.par,izan man that had been at the I
I head Of the Department, in his experience, I
which embraced the administrations Of Cress' 4
well. Jewell and Tyner. lie described jewell .
a. a diplomats; and a eoartier, man who I
studied Efabiiiiy A. an art and Praeticed It .
for an end lie spoke Of Mr.. Tynsr as a man q
whose air and manner, in al his official rela 4
tons, expressed an unrepubhcau omniprescnt
consciousness Of the great gulf between
cabinet minister and an ordinary mortal,
while hey seemed utterly unconscious Of any
distinction derived from Office, OF that Il
brought him any prerogatives save those i'm.
posed BY official duty; tina, as far as the De-
partment at Washington was concerned, Key
could be elected over Tyuer by two-thirds
majority, notwithstanding the fact that he is
a Democrat, while the employees Of the De
parimeui are With scarcely an exception Re
pgh.icsns. lie spoke Of the prOdigi0us mem
Dry OF the Post Master General and Of his
grasp Of minute details; said he II have on
Ole 10 my room documents relating to the
appointment Of post masters IN three different
States, and you may know, that in the great
Number oipeity post offices, cannot depend .
on my memory for relative facts, but must 4
keep on file information in relation to each. .
The Post Master General sent for inc last 4
seek and said be thought !, was time To settle I
the matter Of the appointment at. To /
save my life | could remember nothing about .
Is, so ! told him | would examine the Gle, I.
which, when ! bad done, ! remembered THAI
about month before be had called on me
for information, when he had The matter under
consideration, and ! vas surprised 10 see that
be remembered every thing that had been
brJugh, up then. This will appear more re.
n@rkab!e when 1t is remembered that it was
very Insignificant post Office. and that he
has to survey the field Of appointments, not
only in my division, but in all the States.
There have been sweeping changes in the
[ fostotices throughout the South since the
advent OF the present Administration, and the
( Offices have, in many instances been filled by
. Democrats, bat this has not been done for
/ partisan ends 10 many instances there have
I been 40 eligible Republicans for the places
. The idea that has controlled appointments has
I been the good Of the postal service, and not
I the good Of any political party. There were
many other things said, and incidents cited
/ which have not time TO relate, and | give
( the above as matter Of interest about a prom.
iuent man whose position is unique, from the
facts that be has never risen to prominence
through the usual gradations, and hold, his
I present position from his political enemies.
"h'e be may not have figured as prominent
3
/ The political history Of the last ten wears. he
/ Is by no means minus quantity in the port,
lcal equation, and while some other members
I may be credited with more genius and greater
I brtihancy as speech makers. and with finer
I theories professions and ideals of reiorm-he
has perhaps attained more than any other
member 10 that only practical REFORM the
improvement which each one commences and
/ periects in his special province.
Z am almost afraid to mention il, for do
I not wan, the better and iairer half Of the cen
sGs 10 lose all interest in national affairs. but
/ the truth will be found out sooner or later.
and may as well tell il, that We are 10 have
/ no social season al Washington this winter.
VI coarse there will be all that natural sexual
evolution OF dancing, wOoing, wedding, and
Z diyorclng, as usual; but the social season sucb
as existed under those great marshals Mr..
/ flsh, Mrs. Belkuap. Mrs. Robson and Iadv
I Thornton, Is thing Of the past or future. II
/ Is not Of the present. Sir Edward Thornton
treads alone the spacious halls ufthe residence
OF the British minister Lady Thornton is in
{ London, this season, where she will remain
[ 70 introduce her two in dressed, healthy,
. homely, pedestrian, daughters Mrs Fish
/ swell where is Mrs. Fish? Mrs. Robeson
IS 'b.l IN her elegant residence on X. Street,
bui the home OF the EXSecretary is a port
TO which the super select naval officer steer,
no longer, for it no longer depends on the
Ex-Secretary, or his wife, or other female in.
tinenee, to say whether Lieutenant - shall
be dispatched on the coveted European cruise
oanlshed off the coast Of South America. or
allowed to furl himself in the haven Of Wash.
lngton. In fact the old social regime has
passed away, and the new has not been intro.
dueed; the conditions are not favorable for
It's Introduction this winter, and will perhaps
not be during the prefent administration.
e., A s