Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-04-25
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
A Field Day for Hon. A. H. stephens
The Savannah River ApprOpFfa-
tIOn-POst Office PoHEis-The sale
OF OglethOFpe Barracks.

WASHINGTON, April 2S.-RepreseRtatiye Ste
phens yesterday made a speech in the House.
There was, with increased extent. repetition
of the scenes which occur when Mr.. Stephens
addresses the House The matter under con-
sideration was the bill to allow claimants
whose claims grew out of the late war to take
their claims to the Court of Claims. Mr. Ste
phens did not speak in favor Of the pending
or any other bill. He only spoke in favor OF
these claims being sent to the Judiciary in one
form or the other. The Judiciary he regarded
as the bulwark of our country and our
institutions. Mr.. Stephens can never make
anything but good speech. His voice.
though somewhat broken, continues to
I'LL the hall. The scene on the door
while he was speaking was a remarkable one.
| The speaker sat in his rolling chair He pro-
PEELED himself around the open SPACE In front
of the Speakers desk. He was closely sur
/ rounded by attentive members who got as
| near TO him as they could in order to hear his
every word. 1t vas noticed that the Younger
| members of the House were especially anxious
to hear and watch Mr.. Stephens His every
word fell on attentive ears, Every now and
| then he would displace from the writing desk
attached to his chair some of the papers which
| he had placed thereon. An attentive member
picked them up and put them in place
as often as they were thrown of The
| whole scene was really remarkable one It
shows how great the respect Of the House Is
for Mr.. stephens past and present eminence.
When the broken and clear though feeble
| voice of the speaker ceased, there was a
round of genuine and hearty applause. Mr.
stephens is a well fixed and prominent land
mark OF history.
WHAT PAGE SAYS.
Representative Page. of California, is Char
man of the House Commerce Committee. 1
approached him to day in regard to what
would be the probab appropriation for the
improvement of the river and harbor of Savau-
nah agreed upon by the Commerce Committee.
AS the committee is sworn t. secrecy on all
matters of this kind, he would not tell me any
thing very definite told him that my infor-
nation was that Savannah would get two
hundred thousand dollars, and that the MORN.
ING NEWS had so printed it. Mr.. Page said:
Young man, you are not very far out In your
prediction"
SAVANNAH POST OFFICE
1t is too late now for an appropriation to be
attempted to be got through Congress for a
new post Office at Savannah The illness of
Representative Black has prevented the intro
duction of such bill at a stage where it
would have good chance of going through.
Mayor Wheaton and Colonel Warren have WIS.,
tied the Post Office Department, and find the
officials there fully alive to the Importance OF
new post office at Savannah There will,
however, be no appropriation for q
new office this session. There Is a contingency,
however. which may give Savannah a new
post office. Under recent decisions, the Post
ONCE Department can vacate the lease Of the
present building used as post office at Sa-
vannah, July first next and may do so pro-
vided better accommodations can be secured
elsewhere. This is, however, a matter yet to
be determined on. There is good possibility,
despite the absence of an appropriation, that
Savannah will get better post office .accommo-
dations.
oGLETHoRPE BARRACKS.
Mayor Wheaton and Col Warren will have
an interview next week with the Secretary Of
War in regard to the sale Of Oglethorpe Bar
racks, as authorized by an act of Congress-
which recently received the Presidents APP
proval 1t is thought that the barracks win be
sold to private parties and the ground cut up
into building lots Owing to the desirabilIty
OF the location of the barracks it is evident
that the government may realize a very good
sum from the sale. PoToMAc.