Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1882-02-23
WASHINGTON LETTER.
rFcsn esr R.aslar corrs.bo.a.nt.l

WASHINGTON. ID. C., Eel. II. 1882.
Among the many new propositions Of
fered aud discussed in Congress one OF
the newest and best is that coming from
Mr.. Barry. the Democratic member
from California, making Cabinet Of
ficer ineligible to the Presidency for the
term next succeeding his term OF office.
Cabinet officers would then have time TO
attend 10 the legitimate duties OF their
positiun, instead of engaging IN schemes
and plots to attain the Presidency.
Chere has never been period since the
formation of the Government that mem
hers of the Cabinet were not employed
ia LAYING wires to succeed their chelt
aud IA undermining each other. Several
e lin. Presidents have enjoyed the felic-
ity of having Cabinets nearly all OF
whose members were IN the occupation,
causing discords, heartburnings aud dts
r,,sls. Instead of the. harmony which
ought to prevail in Cabinet councils.
But down to the time of Mr.. Sherman 8
,.crrIary of the Treasury no Cabinet OIL
i,..r had even so openly used the pat
image of his Department to advance his
PRESIDENTIAL ambition, and down To the
ime of Mr.. Blame 40 Sec'y of State had
constructe q foieisn policy especialn
,,lcuiated to crafty his ambition in The
anne direction. These two striking III
stances are fresh before Congress and be
ore the country, and the example set by
hese Presidential candidates NAV. II no
obstacle is interpOsed, have bolder imita'
Cors in Cabinet officers of the future, en-
failing most serious and momentOuS con
: u i..r ~
The Administration and his friends arr
pretty sure to lind that fooling with Or
,trempting to crush man of Mr. Blaine
ability, popularity, and fighting capacity
- a father dangerous business. II is
rood deal like small boy playing with
he business end of a wasp. The Ad
ninistration organ here. Which has Jus'
oeen purchased from Star Route Brady,
IS undertaking the special job OF Killing
IF Mr.. Blaine because ne Is supposed to
have had something to do with the polit
zeal demise of Mr.. Conklin. But so far
the ex Secretary does not appear to have
much the worst of it. One important
act which the authors of these attacks
upon Mr.. Garfields premier seem to iS-
more is that people throughout the coun-
try, not Immediately absorbed in the re
suit of the next National Republican
Convention, may take a notion to view
, the policy outlined by Mr.. Blaine, when
! Secretary of State, flom the purely pub
lie or patriotic standpoint; and therefore
without reference to the ambitions ol
persons, clioues, or factions. There are
good many people in this country who
understand what sickly foreign policy
we have had during the last two decades S
and it is not unlikely that majority
would be glad to support return from
the soft solder of Fish and E"arts 10
something like the dignity of jay: Web
ster, Monroe and Buchanan. Without
| discussing Mr.. Blaine's methods or his
aims further than this or taking anv ILL.,
terest whatever in his personal fortunes,
feel like applauding the principle OF
his foreign policy and yindicating him
from the representation OF the pre-
sent Administration. When Mr.. Arthur
dragged to the front an old swa'low.tal
aristocrat from New Jersey wi ose p'l t
ical lemains were twenty feet below the
surface and allowed him to revoke al
that the former Secretary had done h
made great mistake.
Regularly once year the items of ex
penditure from the Congressional CON
tIngent fund are published in the New
York Herald and a few other journals
accompanied by fierce editorial condem
nation and redicnle. Recently the Her
aid has been making itself merry owe
Clerk Adams account for the last Con
gress, assuming to regard the purchas'
If opera glasses, knives, and such article
for membels of Congress out of the con
tingent fund as great National shame
But really there is moth NJ very bat
about it. Every member is allowed $l2'
per year for stationery and newspapers
AS a matter of convenience a statloner,
room, where members can supply them
selves with everything in this line. il
kept for each House. and every membe
has an accent there. but no one can eX
ceed the amount of his allowance-$125
Instead of stationery and newspapers, oD
era glasses and fancy articles are Otter
purchased out of this allowance, as they
ire supplied at wholesale rates by the
clerk, but that sum of $125 is as much
a part of the members pay as his salary
and he can use it as he chooses. If al
the end of the year there is balance III
his favor with the stationery keeper. the
member is entitled to draw it in cash.
But the account of the members with
the stationery keeper does not represent,
by any means. his expenditures for sta
tionery and newspapers. There are
very few members Of either House who
do not expeud more than their allowance
every year for newspapers and stationary.
Some of the testimony lately taken be
fore the Senate committee investigating
the Treasury contigent fund is said to be
unusually interesting. The committee
sits with closed doors and there is diff
guilty in getting the exact facts, but il
reports are correct ex-Costodian Pitney
has been giving testimony right to the
point. 1t is said that he presented let
ters signed by Senator Sherman and Mrs.
Sherman, ordering him to send the car
penters and upholsterers there. who have
testified that they, though carried on the
Treasury rolls, worked at the private
residence of Senator Sherman. 1t will
be remembered that when Mr.. Sherman
| testified before the committee he said
the work alleged was not done on his pri'
! vate residence. IL is also stated that Mr..
Pitney gave thorough history of the
formation of what is known as the Treas
ury ring. and of its operations. bringing
in names that have never before been
used in connection with the transactions.
1t is understood that this testimony has
tened the conclusion at which Secretary