Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-09-26
POLITICAL AND PERSONAL NOTES.

correspondence OF the Register.
The most impressive portion OF Presi.
dent Gar6eld's obsequies, 80 far as /
have witnessed them, have been the
simpler observances which obtained at
Elberon and the journey from that point
to the Capital. Invent over on Wednes-
day, getting there Just a. the funeral
corteRe was leaving. II Was pleasant
morning, with just enough chill in the
air to suggest the falling Of the year,
and there was something Of sadness in
the turning leaves and faded grass plats
that surrounded the Francklyn Cottage,
that heightened the effect Of the sorrow.
full procession. In the crowds that
stood along the eItemporiIed track to
the depot, and at the depot itself, a.
we'll as at other stations like Asbury
Park and Ocean Grove, which
lie close together, there was
not the slightest confusion. Peo-
pie stood with uncovered heads and
many OF them with fearful eyes, while
the train, draped in funeral sable and
burdened with sorrow, moved OH gently
and glided almost noislessly along the
way. There was q silence about the
train even when running rapidly, that
was awe inspiring. and as it went by
without using bell or whistle and with
out even the sound OF escaping steam,
it seemed to exert weird and curious
influence upon the multitudes who
gathered to see it pass and watched it
with a sort OF fascination. Tennyson's
picture OF the dead stesred by the
dumb" moving upward with the flood,
was not more effective.
Here everything was different. Fuss
and feathers we're substituted Tor quiet,
order and simplicity, and while the dis
play was attractive as q pageant, many
features OF it seemed out OF place.
The exhibit Of the remains during
the first and part Of the second day in
which the body lay in state at the Capi-
tol. was particularly revolving, and yet
but for the protest OF Mrs. Blaine. who
feeling how unjust to the living and the
dead, was the exposure OF the wasted
and discolored face that had lost all
semblance to the well.known features OF
President Garfield, had the womanly
feeling to insist on the closing OF the
casket, this exhibition would probably
have gone on until the hour OF the fu-
neral on Friday. After all, this public
showing OF the dead is a relic OF savagery
that ought to be abolished. No one
with ordinary feelings of a civiliz d hu.
man being would care to have the lima
ments from which all light and expires
sion had gone out, made the subject OF
general exhibition, and no one who
wishes to get or retain an impression OF
the living as rule can hope to
get it from the dead. When the frail
fabric OF decay reaches the condition in
which the bodies Of cur two presidents
who have died by the assassin's hand
were exhibited, its exposure becomes a
horrible travesty. / saw President Lin
coins remains lying open in the Public
Square at Cleveland when the features
had become almost black from defective
embalming and long continued carting
about the country. The mother who
bore him would have failed TO recognize
them. And those OF President Garfield
were in but little better state OF preser-
vation when they reached this city.
The funeral trains for Cleveland had
hardly gotten off on Friday before Cab.
met changing and the future OF the
Arthur administration became upper
most subjects of discussion here. The
calling of the extra session OF the Sen.
ate on the 10th proximo is construed as
an evidence OF impending changes not
withstanding the request that cabinet
destinations be withheld for the present.
One OF Secretary Blaine's intimates told
me to night that Blaine's determination
to retire shortly was irreyocable, and
that an announcement by him to Presi-
dent Arthur to that effect was the main
cause OF the proclamation issued yester-
day. | suggested TO him that II Mr..
Blaine, as was claimed for him, went in.
to the Cabinet to look after the interests
of his friends, and il as is now stated, he
is still able to retain his portfolio, he
would naturally feel like remaining 10
protect the people who made his fight at
Cincinnati and Chicago. He does not
feel that he would be able to hold his
friends up" said my informant, and
that is the belief on which his decision
TO retire is based. The Grant and Conk.
ling influence is bound to be pre-
dominant during Arthur's term and
Blaine is too proud . man TO stay and
be snubbed." 1t is possible, however,
that the present Premier may reconsid-
er his determination. There is no doubt
but that the new President is disposed
to hold on to every element oil strength
in the party to which he belongs, and
with the following and special gifts pos
sessed by the Secretary OF State be
might be able to hold his own in the
event OF bis remaining, against the op'
position be is sure to encounter. What.
ever debts OF gratitude the new Presi-
dent may have contracted with Mr.
Conklipg have been largely reduced by
work on account, at Albany last winter,
which work, it will be remembered, Mr..
Arthur stated TO President Garfield, was
inspired by sense OF personal obliga.
ton to Mr. Conkling, and was in no
sense cansed by any feeling of hostility to
the administration. That desperate ef.
fort will be made to compel the new
executive to choose between the factions
is not doubted here. Conkling has not
spoken to Blaine since their memorable
quarrel in Congress. He is still disposed
10 fight for the supremacy in his own
State as evidenced by bis recent election
as a delegate to the Republican State
Convention from the Oneida district,
but as any enduring success there Is
only to be reached by union of the
two wings, and such union is hardly
likely to occur except through dropping
the original contestants and taking up
new men, his chances there are not
considered promising. It is only by
such situation as the recent tragedy
has brought that he can hope TO profit,
and those who know him best, as we'll
as those who have only watched from a
distance, say he will push the oP'
portunity for al it s
worth. Certainly there is every
evidence OF an impending row
Gorham's paper, the Republican, OF this
city, which is supposed to be an aecred'
tied Stxlwart organ, foreshadoxs Q new
deal, and is outspoken in its denuncia.
ton OF those who advise q retention OF
the present order Of things. 1t Is eI-