National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-03-12


visiting statesmen" and the returning board
complications, the idea was abandoned McNil-
| len then was appointed pension agent, and held
this Office for short time. Later, when King, the
first of the returning board had proven i'm
beclle, and G. l.. Smith, its second effort, had
proven failure, Colonel Badger was promoted by
the President to the collectorship, and McMillen
| was given the post-ofiee, which he holds up to
date McMillen is dignifed, handsome, and ac-
| complished gentleman, man of high social posi-
ton in Ohio. where he came from; figured as a
| surgeon in the Crimean war; took an
| active part in the late war on the Union
| SIDE, and at its close gravitated into LOusi-
| slana politics. Fortune smiled on his efforts,
and he was once regarded as one of the wealthy
men of the Republican party learn, however,
that, in consequence of the washing of the Missis
| sippi River and the caving in of its banks, his
| handsome estate in East Carroll has shrunken in
Its proportions to such an extent as to reduce its
value and his wealth very greatly. 1t has been
well known that ever since he has held his present
Office he has been dissatisfied with it, feeling that
| the place was not commensurate with either his
! pretenSiOns or his merits McMillen does not care
| to hold his Office under the new administra-
| ton, and will, am sure, demand promotion or
retire to private life so that that Office may be
| garded as practically vacant and as legitimate
food for the political 'ghouls to feed on. The
the place are waiting of course, for final &C.
ton in his case.
| NEXT COME TO GENERAL LOUIS soCER,
the appraiser General Souer have not the pleas
ure of knowing personally therefore must content
| myself by presenting him about as he appeared to
me. He is a man. should say, of thirty
| eight or forty years of age, of medium
| height, pronouncedly good looking, con-
spicuously neat in his appearance, and appar-
| emily easy, affable and courteous, and man
ages, L learn, to make friends with most people
who have official dealings with him. General
Souer represents in the public mind here the typi
cal carpet Dagger. This is not said, however,
| sheer. On the contrary. he came here soon after
the war, settled in Avoyelles parish, and entered
into active politics under Warmoth and Kellogg
He held his parish well in hand, controlled all of
its patronage, and is said TO have used it in the in
tereSt ofthe people, and served during these two
administrations in the lower house of the
State Legislature, where he was always
| recognized as one of its most active and shrewd
members. After the downfall of the Packard gov
eminent, Souer like all the rest, was as it WERE
"lose," and apparently his occupation was gone
Too full of vitality and ambition to remain idle
long, he soon attracted the attention of the auhori
ties, and, having the earnest support of Kellogg
got the recognition which he claimed, and was
made appraiser of the port, most important office
by the way, and understand has conducted his
Office in such manner as to have merited and
secured the approval of the business world here.
Ofcourse there will be troop of applicants for his
place, but his friends say and believe that they
cannot touch him as long as Kellogg stays in the
Senate, and that if he continues to discharge
his duties as faithfully he has done that he Will
be strong enough after that to Sustain himself
We next come to
BOB HEBERT,
the superintendent of warehouses. His Office is
regarded as practically vacant, and spoils for
the political yultures. Hebert is the son of eX-
Governor Hcbert but recently deceased, one of the
oldest and best creole families in this State Bob
Hebert ran for Congress in Darralls district two
years ago, but as both he and Merchant ran on the
Republican ticket, and Acklen of Washington
scandal notorety, ON the Democratic ticket, the
latter managed to have himself declared elected.
After the election Hebert went to Washington with
some eclat and obtained favor with the authorities
and got recognition. Hebert is dashing, gallant
fellow, and quite prepossessing in his personal ap
pearence; but as Darrall Congressman elect from
his district, and Kellogg the Senator are supposed
to look cOldly upon him, and as whatever local
strength he may have is scattering and not crystal
lied or condensed, and as the "Outs" are entitled
to something it is pretty well understood that his
will be one of the places accorded them. And he,
not from any fault Of his, but from force of crcum
stances and conditional affairs, will have to walk
the plank" Ofthe
GAUGERS AND WEIGHERS
know but little, but 1t is understood that in the
main, as they have baSked in the sunshine which
was enjoyed by the returning board" and as it is
believed that the returning board mortgage on the
Republican party expired on the 18th of March, it
is natural to suppose that these gentlemen will
drop out in company with their patron saint, the
pious and modest Mad. Wells into the shade of pr-
vate life. There are other places of more or less
"honor and trust ;" but as their fate will depend
on the fate of those higher in authority we will
pass over them without further remark. 1 will
make an exception, however, in the case of
CAPTAIN GEORGE NORTON,
steamboat inspector. Norton is a jolly roicking
tar and was for some years captain of one of the
elegant ships plying between this port and New
York. He is thoroughbred sailor, efficient Of
Ger, and it is conceded that he will retain his
place, as it is well known that kellogg is much at
tached to him personally. and will exhaust him
SELF lift be necessary, in Norton's behalf. Not
withstanding my promise that would probably
take i'll the Mint in this letter, find will have to
content myself with short visit to the third floor
and brief sketch of what see there Ofthe two
United States Commissioners,
LANE AND oUINTEERo,
saw but little-enough to know, however, that
they were both gentlemen and men of brains, and,
from the best information could get, have done
their duty we'll As these places are not political,
but appointed by the United States Judge, it is
natural to suppose they will remain undisturbed.
Judge W. /. Berwen and General Brewster at pres
ent hold the two land offices. The former is an old
Virginian, an elegant gentleman, and an accom-
plished scholar, and recognized by the newspaper
men and the business world as the best statistician
south of the Potomac River. While not active in
politics, he is an earnest and brave Republican,
and will no doubt hold his important but unre-
munerative Office without opposition longas the
Republican party, Federal Or State remains III
power.
GENERAL BREWSTER
is carpet Dagger, but not of high degree" He
became under circumstances rather peculiar, and
not, 1 learn, to his credit, speaker of the house
of representatives of Louisiana. With that eXcep-
ton, and the fact that he the recognized chap
erone of the notorious Eliza Pinkston when the
congressional committee was here, 1 cannot learn
of any other reputation or notoriety he has ever
earned or obtained. He is said TO have secured his
Office in the first place to keep him from telling
something ugly that he said he knew, or, in other
words, as "hush money" and, as now it is mat
ter OF no consequence what anybody has to tell,
imagine that he will neither be confirmed by this
Senate nor reappointed by Mr.. Garfield. believe
have nothing left to speak of The Mint will
reserve for another letter. H. L. B.
NEW PUBLICATIONS.