Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-10-15
wasHrNGroN lErrrrs.
rs.e E2ssa senate session.
IFronl our regular correspondents


tEron our regular eorrespondent.)
WASHINGTON, D. G., Oct. 8, 1881.
In pursuance of the call for an ex-
ira session, Senators have nearly all
arrived, and each party is in caucus
to-day TO agree or disagreeon a pro-
gramme of organization. I will
not attempt 10 predict what will be
the outcome Of the special election
for which the extra session was call
ed, for fear the wires may prove me
a false phrophet before this is put in
type. But, beneath the enforced
calmness which both parties feel is
betting this sad crisis, shoulders
much excitement.
In electing a President Of the Sen
ate, it is realized that possible
President of the United States will
be made. 1t is idle to say that such
a thing is not probable. The tragic
occurrences of the last three months
have educated people to anticipate
the improbable. If there shall be a
long and bitter fight over this usu-
ally unhonored Office, it will be be-
cause Senators realize that but one
life stands between it and such pow
er as few soyereigns sway. If a
Democrat shall be elected, then it is
possible that, without the din and
turmoil OF Il Presidential election.
but by the extinction OF a frail hu-
man life, the political adfninistra-
ton of the county may be changed.
The situation is generally and
particularly Interesting in Wash
ington. The President has returned
to the Jones Mansion, but it is mac
cessible to the ordinary politician
and office seeker, especially those of
the vulgar Guiteau type. He has
given out that cabinet officers must
make appointments in their several
departments, and that he will not
listen to aspirants for petty places.
This is certainlya move in the right
direction. 1t will relieve the Presi-
dent Of the chief annoyance of his
high position, such annoyance as
the heads Of other nations will not
and ought not to tolerate.
OF course there will be much COM
plant and criticism, to the effect
that an American President is as
Stunning undemocratic airs, and seek
ing the naughty seclusion of Euro
pean potentates. But, looked at
rightly, President Arthur can serve
the interests of fifty millions of peo-
pie in a much broader and more
democratic way if ne will snub the
ten thousand beats who come beg
ging for Office, thus refusing to self
ish individuals that time that he
owes, not to man, not even to a
party, but to the whole country. 1t
will doubtless require. some time to
teach the thick skinned offiee-seek-
ing world that the President Of the
United States has something else to
do than to appoint them to lucra-
tive sinecures.
But President Arthur must, at the
outset, be credited with strategetical
skill. Instead of going to the White
House, which has always been a re-
sort for Office seekers, he is staying
at the private residence of Senator
Jones. This is calculated to throw
the office seeker off the scent, to
confuse him, and make him des-
pondent. But this is not the worst.
In a few days the President will re-
move to SOLDIERS Home, a beauti-
full park three miles from the city.
The mob of office seekers, who come
here every winter about the begin
ming of the Congressional session,
cannot reach him there, because not
one in a hundred can hire carri-
age, and they will not walk three
miles in the mud.
The President will remain at Sol
diers' Home until the White House
is fully repaired, which viii proba-
bly, be not before mid-winter, and
his absence from the usual abode of
the head of nation will have
influence on social life in