Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1881-11-24
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From oar hegatar C0rrefpoHdeHLl
WASHINGTON, d. c., Nov Il. 1881.

From oar Regular CorraPOAdsAtl
WASHINGTON, D. c., Nov IA. 1881.
There are a great many more Govern
ment clerks and officials in Washington
now than were here a week ago.
The exodus of voters from the Depart
ment was almost as great this year as it
has ever been in Presidential campaign.
All employees from Virginia, New York
and Pennsylvania were especially enjoin.
ed to go home and vote, and were given
a ten days vacation for that purpose.
Nearly every room in most Of the De-
partments was short several clerks, and
the work, which at this season Of the
year is most pressin suffered in con-
sequence. But the country had to
be saved again. 1t may as well be
understood now and here, that the first
business of this Administration, at all
times, will be to attend to politics. This
reminds me that quite number of per-
sons holding lucrative Federal position in
the South are now here in state of
great uneasiness of mind. They were
prominent in opposition to Grant in the
election of delegates to Chicago last year
and now that the .sOld Guard" is running
things they are supicious that all will not
be well with them.
The absentees on account of politics
were not confined to clerks. Even the
President was away several days on the
pretext of private business" When
the New York Republican State Conven-
ton met in New York the unsettled law
business of President Arthur required
several davs of the most assiduous labor
to settle and close it up, and it is doubt
full whether he would have been able to
settle it at all had it not been for the
timely aid rendered him day and night
by Conkling, Logan, of Illinois, Came.
ron, of Pennsylvania, Blair, of New Hamp-
shire, Jones, of Nevada, and others who
knew just what attention the Presidents 8
private business affairs needed. Then
last week when his political friends were
again in need of advance, and he felt
great concern lest apathy should cause
"his own State" to 60 against his party,
the President discovered that a lot more
of his private business had to be settled,
Notwithstanding his efforts to close it up
a month ago. Meanwhile he had done
here all he could to help Malone settle
up his business over in Virginia. Great
interest was manifested here in the Vir-
ginia election, and all honest men not
engaged in politics regret the disgrace
which has fallen upon that Common
wealth by the triumph of the Republican
Reputation Coalitionists. But her
property-owning, tax-paying people,
those who have a real interest in her
future, are not responsible for it. The
real credit of the result belongs to presi-
dent Arthur and his under officials, who
pretending to be specially scrupulous
regarding the country's honor, have
taken into close communion party of
repudiators. The $4,000 ignorant, illit-
crate negroes voted the ticket in obedi-
ence to instructions from this city. and
Virginia must submit to the monglel
Administration which Arthur, Malone
and that vote has selected.
Judge Folger has taken rooms at the
Arlington for the winter, and assumed
charge of the Treasury Department. The
official guillotine will fall with consid-
cradle effect, it is understood, in short
time, much to the advantage of the
Department., which needs new blood,
while it gets rid of some Of its rings.
There is a good deal of talk, too, about a
change of pollcy-a reduction of some
internal revenue taxes and a less rapid
paying off of the public debt. Just at
present the annual reports absorb atten-
tion in this and other Departments. The
heads OF bureaus are already sending in
their reports to the Secretaries who will
embody them in their recommendations
to Congress, through the President. Some
OF these subordinate officials are quite
prone to elaborate theories and express
views of their own. When Mr.. Spinner
was Treasurer, he fell into the habit of
airing his financial views in his annual
reports and the practice grew on him
until he practically usurped the func-
tions of the Secretary in the matter of
making recommendations to Congress.
Finally Secretary Bristow resolved to
stop it and on one occasion took his pen
and drew black lines all through the
long spun theories in the presence of
Spinner, who had just handed in his
report. The old gentleman was indIg-
nant, but his report was thereafter
printed as it should be, containing SIM
ply record of the transactions of his
office. Mr.. Gilfllan has in his report for
this year taken up considerable space
with somewhat crude discussion of
abstract financial questions, and there is
much curiosity at the Treasury to see
what the new Secretary will do about it.
The election of Democratic member
of the House Of Representatives from the
Eleventh New York district destroys the
majority of the straight-out Republicans.
and they will only be able to muster 146
votes, one less than a majority. The
Republicans here are not very much con-
cerned over this, as they express no
doubt of being able to pick up the one
vote requisite to constitute a majority
without much trouble. They have nine
Greenbackers, two Virginia Readjusters
and one New York Independent Repub-
lican to recruit from, and their calcula-
tions are, therefore, based on good
foundation. Yet if these twelve mem
bers, who belong to neither of the regu.
lar organizations, were to combine they
could dictate their own terms.
ue s..a s9.. v ;a PHoNo.
fSlander. defamation. and detraction.