Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-11-25
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
From our regular Correspondent.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., Nov. 23, 1880.
The Secretary of the War is ahead of
all other members of the cabinet with
his annual report. This report has
already been made public. 1t gives
general review of the various subor
dinate reports, calls attention to their
several recommendation and details at
some length the operations of the de.
partment. 1t treats fully of the ex.
penditures of the past year and gives
the usual estimates for appropriations
for the coming year. Contrary to ex.
pectation the secretary does not take
sides against Gen. Scofeld in the mat.
ter of the colored cadet, Whitaker, as
radical politicians and sentimentalists
have so confidently predicted he would.
He treats the case with as few words as
possible, merely saying that he has "re.
Trained from commenting upon the un.
fortunate agitation which flowed from
an alleged assault upon colored cadet
at the academy in April last for the
reason that in some of its legal aspects
the subject is still under consideration"
KELLOGG AGAIN IN DANGER.
1t has been for some time understood
that Gov. Wilt, of Louisiana, would
make an appointment of claimant for
Kellogg's seat in the Senate in place of
Mr.. Spofford who died some time ago.
The appointment has now been made,
but no particular significance is attach.
ed to the fact in political circles here.
1t certainly will be temptation to the
Senate democrats to seize Kelloggs
seat, in view of the undoubted close
complexion of that body after March
next. But no one believes that the
temptation will be sufficient to induce
clared Mr.. Kellogg could not be law
fully disturbed to "go back on their
deliberately expressed opinions.
UNNECESSARY SUGGESTIONS.
In South Carolina and in several Of
the other Southern States suggestions
have been made that the Presidential
electors should vote for Garfield, and in
one or two instances it has been suggest.
ed that they should vote for Grant. The
idea which lies at the bottom of such
suggestions is that it will be accepted as
tender on the part of the South Of its
desire that sectionalism and sectional
solidity shall be done away with. The
idea may be good enough in the alb
stract, but it Is not likely to be carried
into execution, and if 1t could be, it
would fail in its purpose. The electors
are nominated and chosen with the un.
derstanding that they are to vote for
particular person, and so strong and
binding is the obligation considered
that, as is we'll known, several electors
in 1872 insisted on voting for Horace
Greeley, although he was dead.
SILVER COINAGE.
1t has been stated in several quarters
that the Secretary OF the Treasury will
recommend the repeal of the require
ment that $2,000,00 of silver shall be
coined monthly. Mr.. Sherman may do
this, or in lieu he may recommend that
the number of grains in the silver dol.
lar be increased so as TO make it equal
in intrinsic value to the gold dollar. II
any attempt is made during the coming
session to interfere vita the silver coin
age, Director Burchard will object, being
confident that we can go on coming
without inconvenience at the same rate
as at the present time until we have
reached the same amount that France
has, or $366,000,000.
THE MINT BUREAU.
report has gained circulation to the
effect that treasury officials would give
countenance to bill for abolishing the
mint bureau and giving management oil
the coinage to the treasury, and sta
tistical matters to the bureau of stats
tics. At the Office of the Secretary oI
the Treasury it is denied that they favor
any such scheme. The present organ
ization of the mint bureau works admi
rably, and there is no desire for chaRge
On the other hand there is grave obiec
ton to placing coinage in the hands o
the treasurer. The secretary would moi
consent to any plan that allowed tht
treasurer to coin the money of which he
is the keeper. In this way no check
would be kept upon the treasurer, and
the whole scheme is pronounced i'm
practicable.