The Portland daily press., 1877-06-15
Current Comment.

EX Gov. Fenton doesn't like this arrange
ment of sending Kasson to Vienna. He was
willing to be Austrian minister himself.
James Matlack Scovel-that is the way he
signs it now-has nominated himself in his
own paper as the Democratic candidate for
Governor of New Jersey. James Matlack is
an "amoozin cuss." He is somewhat like
the seVenteen-year locust, except that he
comes every year and never dies. He has
only one obstacle to his success, and that is
the cheerful fact that his entire following is
concentrated under his own coat-tails.
The Spanish mission has always been fay-
orite with the ''literary fellers." 1t was in
Spain as the American minister that Irving
made The studies which resulted in the "Life
OF Columbus" the Conquest of Grenada"
and his delightful papers on the Alhambra
and other Spanish subjects; and there John
Hay enjoyed Castilian days as secretary of
legation.
The Nashville Banner notes that one bond
of Louisiana will buy two OF Tennessee's Of
the same denomination. The Democrats
have had exclusive control of Tennessee for
eight years.-B0Ston Advertiser.
The practice Of appointing literary men to
diplomatic positions began with President
Madison in 1911, who sent Mr.. Joel Barlow,
something of a poet in his time, and who
wrote the 'Vision of Columbus" as Minister
to France.
Last Sunday group of wel-dressed, good
looking, ordinarily intelligent young men
stood talking on the post office steps. Not
man could tell the name of George Washing
toms father, nor how old George was when
he was elected President, nor when he died;
but every one of them could tell you the
name of the Hambletonian stallion "Abdal-
lab Chief" the names of his father and
mother, his grandfather and grandmother,
his great-grandfather and great-grandmcther,
all the races he ever ran, in which he was
beaten, which he won, the time he made in
each, his best time on record, his owners
name, the names and weights OF the several
jockeys who have driven him, and the places
at which he will trot the coming season.
And not one OF them could tell you how the
President of the United States is elected
burlington Ha,vkeye.
This is the way ''My Dear Pitkln' was
asked to "step down and out" by Attorney
General Devens, under.date OF May 4: '.Dear
Sir-In view of some rearrangement of feder-
al officers in Louisiana, it will be agreeable to
tnO uCPdlbuiVuI IL yOQ WOulu ue6Iu IL dQVlSa-
BILE to offer your resignation of the position of
U. S. marshal of that district. mean this
as a suggestion for your consideration, as it
would, perhaps, be more agreeable to you
than to have any change take place without
your concurrence"
What fruit Mr.. Hendricks would be for
New York interviewers, did not his accom-
plshed wife accompany him! Mr.. Hen
bricks likes to express himself, and many
times correspondents have visited his home,
bearded him in close corner, and began ex-
tracing, with reportorial persistency, sweets
for public print. But, at the wrong time for
the interviewer, the right time, perhaps, for
the interviewed, this lady adroitly and with
rare skill breaks off the thread, and leaves
the pencil-driVer no wiser than when he en-
tered. She is a born diplomatic, accomplished,
intelligent, skillful, witty conversationalist,
and she guards Mr.. Hendricks with deyo-
tional care of wifely interest. Much OF his
success owes its creation to her, and no lady
could be more studiously careful of her hus-
bands Observation-Disclosures Correspond
ence Of the Cincinnati Enquirer.