South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1881-11-11
Letter from Washington.
tFS0n our Regular cOrrspoadsnt.)
WAsurvcrov N n


arrive to settle themselves for the win
ter, and the candidates will have their
headquarters open for business. There
Is scarcely doubt that the Republi-
cans will control the organization
They have majority of one over all,
according TO the latest figures, count
ing the vacancies filled by the election
just held. Yet there are contingent
cles which may render the situation
doubtful enough to be interesting. If
the Greenback Members find that by
| shrewd management they can control
the balaLce ofpower, it is not improb.
bic that they Will act unitedly; though
four OF the nine are OF pretty strong
Republican antecedents. Judge KEEL
ley, OF Pennsylvania, was elected as
straight Republican; but he is
thorough Greenbacker, and it has
been suggested that if he were nomi.
mated by that party for Speaker no
would Withhold his vote, as did Judge
Davis in the Senate, and thus deprive
the Republicans of their majority
OF course this could not help the De.
mocrats, and it would accomplish
nothing beyond opening the way to
possible combination against the Re.
publicans. But the chances are ten
to one that the latter will come out q.
head against all contingencies.
1t is expected here that the appoint.
ment of New Yorker as Secretary
of the Treasury will have considerable
influence upon the Speakership con-
test. Mr.. Hiscock, Of New York, has
been regarded as having the inside
track, but now it is thought the West
will come to the front, with positive
demand that New York shall not
have all the big things, and it will do
no good to recall Ohio. They say, by
the way, that all office seekers who
come here now register from New
York just as they quite recently all
came from Ohio. This may DO for a
joke, but New York, in spite of her
size and Importance, is not likely to
carry Oft as much as Ohio did when
she had the swing, MIR. Hiscock has
eeen here working up his canvass,
catching such Members as have strag,
gled In. Mr.. Burrows, of Michigan.
Is also here, hard at work. Not ma.
ny Members have been here yet, but
the candidates are carrying on a
lively correspondence Mr. Kiefer,
OF Ohio, has been here and will soon
return again. He still has faith in
| Ohio sstar,& hopes to capture the prize.
| Mr.. kasson, OF Iowa. has not yet put
IN an appearance. His chances and
qualifications are equal to any candi-
date mentioned, but there are some
objections to his pronounced tariff
views. Mr.. Davis, of Illinois, second
Chicago district, is also mentioned for
the position, though he is not seeking
1t. This latter fact is a strong recon-.
mendation, and the selection would
be thoroughly good one. The
friends of Mr.. Randall are anxious
that he should receive the compliment
OF the Democratic caucus nomination,
and it may be that he will ge, it
But there are many of the Democratic
Members, particularly from the South.
who are determined that MIR. Randall
shall receive no more honors at the
hands OF the Democratic party of the
House, either OF substantial or of a
complimentary character.
The new Secretary of the Treasury
has taken rooms at the Arlington.
where he will reside this winter. lie
has assumed charge of his office and
is credited with purpose to stir things
up considerably in that Department.
Besides calling halt in the present
rapid paying off of the National debt
the idea being that this generation
Is bearing too much of the burden and
that internal revenue taxes may be re
duced-it is said We are TO have
number OF important changes i'm the
personnel of the Department. Assis.
tant Secretaries Upton and French
and all the old ring will, if the reports
are correct, be called upon to make
room for new men. There are chan
ges in the atmosphere all round, and
we shall hear of them when Congress
meets. The contrast between the ac
ton of Attorney General McVeagh.
who is determined TO get out of the
Cabinet, and Secretary of the NAVY
Hunt, who seems equally determined
to stay in, excites much comment
here. The President is more anxious
to get rid of Hunt than of any other
member ofthe old Cabinet, but the lat
ter sticks to him like a leech & follows
him wherever he goes in fact does
everything but get down OH his knees
and beg to be retained
President Arthur will occupy the
Whine House in few days Before
his recent visit TO New York he went
up to the mansion and spent several
hours inspecting and directing. The
house has undergone quite change
i'm its interior appcarauec Tho now