Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-03-28
Our Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, D. c., March 26.

hour Of great excitement in politi
cal circles he e. The Democrat
are full of rage, as it were, am
seem bent on tapping the maiI
artery of the Republican party
stength-an honest ballot. They
are clamoring for the repeal of the
existing election laws, and wilder
political tempest seldom blows thar
they threaten to make of it. The
Republican party is PowerleSs IN
both Houses of Congress. The
President stands solitary and
alone in the funnel of the storm.
His expressions are watched
by anxious partisans, and he stands
as a light house on storm~ridden
and rocky coast to the Republicans.
If that CLEAN of light should be-
come dimmed by the storm, the
last hopes of our party would be
gone. Wild rumors constantly arise
that the Executive will yield to the
| Democracy. But it is generally
thought among Republicans that the
Democrats will be firmly met and
whipped in the end. The Access
sion of that party to power in both
Houses of Congress has been
marked by strong party symptoms.
They have turned every Republican
employe out of doors and put IN
Democrats. 1t must be remembered |
that at present the Government
departments here are largely filled |
by Democrats; that many ex-rebelS
fill government positions throughout
the country; that a member OF the
Cabinet is an ex-Confederate; but
when the opposite side gets in there
will be no mixing. No Republican
will be retained if their late action
in the organization of Congress can
be taken as an index to their future
action. They even placed an ex-
Confederate General in the Chair
manship of the Committee on Pen
siOns. sThey are also quite AFRO
CANT. In recent Senate debate it
was said by leading Demo
Gratis to Republicans that they
(the Republicans) might as
will remain silent in the future, as
none of their advice would be asked
or entertained in shaping the legis>
lation of the country. As Shakes
speare would say:
II am Sir Oracle; when I open my
mouth let no dog bark"
The struggle begins in earnest
to-day over the Army Appropriation
bill. The Confederate Democrats
make no bones of their intention to q
stop the wheels of Government rath- c
er than fail in their designs. That J
class of Democrats known as Z
g maskers s" are more reasonable,
and, for policy's sake, are disposed I
to give in a little. But the party 2
IS fuller of plans and theories than
| spring toad is of music, and no g
nan can tell which plan they will s
ally to. The Greenback party, the .
gallant thirteen, are hanging around +
ooseI g
Applicants for positions in the :
Departments here are numerous.
Four hundred will be examined this 4
week to fill about twenty five vacan- q
les in the Interior Department. 1t CT
nay be Of interest to your readers s.
0 know something of the secrets q
f office seeking here. Vacancies Fl
ccur frequently and also an in Il
rease of force is provided every %
ear on account of the increase Of
usiness. Many thousand applica- &.
ions are made every year for places
1 should judge about thousand .
or every vacancy that occurs. 1t n
like filling hopper with wheat
there only one grain can
I'm out at time. If -.
man seeks a place, with +
ut the support and influence of a 5:
lember of Congress or other prom +
lent man, he Will scarcely ever
Icceed. Then think of member
eceiying four or five hundred APP Il
locations, when he can only procure -
dozen appointments during his g
9rm. He, of course, can't work in Ga
arrest for them all, and conse- Go
lently he must work for the most g
eserving, the most capable, and, FL
) is generally the case, his best 8
lends among the long list. From Zig i
lis, it will be seen that seeking d
lace is quite uncertain Of success s.
Mess one has strnnr claims ON the La