South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1882-02-17
Letter from washinston.
From svr 8,gaIIr corr.,reaJ,at ]
WAsnrNGToY ID @ Eel ~

AhiOug Inc many new rr0I lOSltlo0
offered and discussed in Con gress one
OF tue newest and best is that coming
from AIR. Berry, the Democratic
member from California, making :
( Cabinet officer Ineligible to the Presi
/ dency for the term next succeeding
his term of Office. Cabinet officers
would then have time to attend To The
! legitimate dutiss Of their positions,
instead OF engaging in schemes and
: plots to attain the Presidency There
has never been period since the for.
nation Of the Government that mem
0srs OF the Cabinet were not employ
ed IN laying wires 10 succeed their
chieI and IN undermining each other.
Several OF the Presidents have euiov.
cd the felicity OF having Cabinets
nearly all of whose members were i'm
thls occupation, causing discords.
heartburuings and distrusts, Instead
OF the harmony which ought to pre-.
vail ia Cabinet councils. But down
to the time Of Nr. Sherman as Sec.
rotary of the Treasury no Cabinet otii.
Ger hNd ever SO openly used the VA.
tronage ofhis Department to advance
ms Presidential ambition, and down
to the time CT Mr. Blaine no Secre-
tary OF State had constructed for.
eign policy especially calculated to
crafty ms ambition I'm the same di.
rec;lOn. These two striking instances
are fresh before Congress and before
the country, and the example set by
these Presidential candidates may. If
no obstacle is iutcrposed. have holder
unitators in Cabinet officers OF the
future, entailing most serious and mo-
mentous consequences.
The Administration end its friends
are pretty sure 10 find chat footing
with OF attempting TO crush i man OF
Mr. Blaino's ability, popularity, and
fighting capacity Is rather Danger
ous business. Il is a good dead like
small boy playing with the business
end OF wasp. The Administration
organ here, which has just baen pur-
chased from Star Route Brady. is nn,
dertaking the special lob o; killing
oil Mr. Blaine because he is supposed
10 have had something to do with the
political demise Of Mr. ConkIiug.-
But 80 far the ex- Secretary does not
appear to have much the worst OF it
One important fact which the authors
of these attacks upon Mr.. G1riell's
premier seem to ignore is that people
throughout the country. not immeii-
ate!y absorbed in the result OF the
next NATIONAL Republican Convention.
may take Il notion 10 view the policy
outlined by Mr.. Blaine, when Secre,
tary OF State, from the purely public
or patriotic standpoint; and therefore
without reference TO the ambitions OF
persons, clIqnas, or factions. There
are good many people in this com.
try whe understand what a sickly for.
c;gn policy we have had during the
last two decades and il is not unlike ely
that majority would he glad to sup
port ~ return from the soft solder OF
Fish & Evarts 10 something like the
dignity of JAY. Webster. Monroe ana
Buchanan. Without discussing Mr..
Dlainc's methods or his aims further
than this or taking any interest what
ever in his personal fortunes, | feel
like applauding the principle OF his
foreign policy and vindlcating him
from the misrepresentation OF the
present Administration. When MIR.
Arthur dragged TO the front an old
swallow,tail aristocrat from New DER
sey whose political remains were
twenty feet below the surface and al.
lowed him to revoke all that the for
mer Secretary had done he made s.
great mistake.
Regularly once a year the items of
expenditure from the Congressional
contingent fund are published in the
New York Herald and few other
journals, accompanied by fierce edi-
torlal condemnation and ridicuie.-
Recently the Herald hes been making
itself merry over Clerk Adams &C.
count for the last Congress. assuming
to regard the purchase of opera glass
e., knives, and such articles Tor mem
bers of Congress out OF the contingent
fund az Il great National shame. But
really there is nothing very bad about
H. Every member is allowed 1925
per year for stationery and newspa.
pers. As n matter Of convenience q
3 stationary room, where members can
supply themselves with everything in
this line, Is kept for each House, and
every member has al account there.
but no one can exceed tie amount of
his allowance 1925. Instead OF sla-
tjonery and newspapers, opera glasses
aud fancy articles are often purchased
out Of this allowance, as they are sup.
| Piled at Wholesale rates by the clerk.
! but that SUM Of $125 is az much a
| part ofthe members pay az his salary.
and lis eau use it as lac chooses. II
at the end Of the year there ia q bal