The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-10-08
CUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular CorrespoI dent

the personnel of the new Cabinet or
the general policy of the new Presi
dent. That there will be new
Cabinet is now pretty well under
stood. Three members ofthe present
Cabinet are fixed in their determine
ton to retire. These are Attorney
General McVeagh, Secretary Win
dom, and Postmaster. General James.
Two Others, Secretaries Blaine and
Kirkwook, are believed to entertain
a similar resolution. All that has
been said about the composition of
the new Cabinet, however. is sheer
guesswork, for President Arthur
keeps his own counsel, and it is even
doubtful whether he has any definite
plats yet arranged. The selection of
an official family of seven men who
are to be fit for high place, agreeable
to their chief and to each other, and
ready and willing to break off from
all other plans of pleasure and BUSH
ness, Is not a slight task.
AS yet there has been but little
time for maturing plans, but owing
to the peculiar circumstances Of the
case it is almost certain that what
ever changes are to be made will
occur about the time of the special
session of the Senate. Until then
nothing is likely to be known. The
idea has been advanced from pretty
high sources, too, of making Mr..
ConkIing Secretary of the Treasury
and keeping Blaine at the head of
the State Department.. with a view
to bringing about a reconciliation be-
tween them and their friends. NV
own opinion is that this will not be
attempted. But there is no doubt
that very friendly feeling has grown
up between Mr.. Blaine and Presi-
dent Arthur since the shooting of
Gen. Garfield, though there may be
difficulties in the way of keeping
him in his present position. On the
whole, the feeling on all sides is that
we are to have strong, wise admin
istration, shaped not only in the in
terests of the whole country but one
that shall harmonic and strengthen
the great party which it represents.
Even those who were at first dis
posed to distrust the new President
are now eloquent in his praises and
strong in their hopes that he is not to
fill the vacant frame in Puck'S car
toon of Vice Presidential failures.
Preparations for the extra session
of the Senate are going forward and
so far as the chamber is concerned it
is now in readiness. A little fixing
and painting and readjusting has
been done, and after all was finished
the portraits of George Washington
and John Adams, the first President
and Vice President, were placed on
either side of the chair of the presid-
ing officer. There has been an at
mosphere of paint and varnish about
the Capitol building for some time,
not at all confined to the Senate wing.
One popularity about the building is
that it never was finished and is
never likely to be. There is a per-
petuaI cutting away and remodeling
which would make Congressman
home-sick if they had to see it done,
but it is ordered one session and all
completed before the next, so that
only the summer tourist and the Oc-
casiOnal lOOker.in sees the noble old
building in the prOmiscuOus cOndi-
ton of fashionable woman before
breakfast. Ventilation has always
been serious difficulty, or Congress.
siOnal hobby, and thousands of dol
lars have been spent on that alone.
About year ago the whole sout he n
end of the building was knocked out
fire places constructed, whereupon
the subject of ventilation took rest /;
yet it is evident that entirely salts
factory results have not been reached.
This season the carpets have been
taken up and new ones laid down.
If any clever housewife could ha We
seen that carpet in the hall of the
House when the desks were removed
1 think she would have been taken
with sickness. 1t had been down
for single session. When 1t came
up it looked like carpet that had
been struck by lightning from cloud
that rained tobacco juice. OF course
it was worthless. A new carpet went
down not only IN the chamber but in
most of the committee rooms. In
the Senate the same conditions are
observable, while the desks have been
newly covered with blue cloth. The
carpets in the Senate are of more
tasty designs and apparently more
costly. Your Senator is more OAR.
ticular what he expectorates on. To
nO.,nrIafn tho Y,.Ax,on...A