The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-03-11
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspor dent.l

The enemies of ex-senator COnk-
ling have been talking good deal
about how the vote stood on his con-
firmation for Supreme Judge, but
accounts do not agree. OF course the
proceedings of executive sessions are
secret and the oath of Senator re-
quireS him to keep them so, hence
whatever is said about the vote is
speculation or guess work based upon
views expressed Ivy the various Sem
ators beforehand. The statement that
Senator Miller, of New York, was
one of the few Republican Senators
who voted against Mr.. C0nkling may
be pretty certainly put down as in
correct. This talk about obtaining
the secrets of executive session re-
minds me of a sort of practical joke
played upon Senators by the astute
Edmunds. 1t was at a time when
the secrets of the daily executive ses-
sions were leaking out freely. In
fact. the executive proceedings were
no secret, for the newspapers daily
published everything that was said
and done that was worth publishing.
Senator Edmund is a strict cOnstruc-
tionst of all rules and laws. He be-
lieves in making executive sessions
secret. No newspaper reporter ever
found a leak in him and it is doubtful
if a y one eyer tried. In one of the
executive sessions the subject of the
accuracy with which the PAPERS got
reports of proceedings supposed to be
secret by Mr.. Edmunds, who pro-
tested against it and insisted that it
should he stopped. At his instance
all the doors of the gallery were ex-
amined to see if they were locke
and all the receSSeS were looked into
to see if any eave>dropping reporter
had concealed himself within the
chamber. Senatorial dignity even
stopped to look under the seats in the
reporters gallery. OF course, no in
truding reporter was discovered, and
the Senate was convinced that none
save those legally entitled to be pres
ent heard the proceedings. NOtwith-
standing this precaution, the news
papers continued to publish full re-
ports of the secret sessions, including
the expedition to and search of the
galleries. After a day or tw0's talk
over the matter it daWned upon the
Senatorial mind that Mr.. Edmunds
had, in fact. discovered The method
of leaking, by the search he institu-
ted. He had compelled the Senators
to demonstrate that the only way in
which the secrets got out WAS by some
Senator telling. He was not willing
to stand up in the Senate and inti-
mate that the Senators gave away
executive secrets, but he compelled
the Senate to show itself that the
body contained the leaks.
Another recent nomination of the
Presidents that has created good
deal of stir in certain circles is that of
PichbacK for Surveyor of Customs
for the port of New Orleans. A cl IS
of neope here and in Louisiana have
been very much agitated oyer this
appointme, and kilograms have
poured in protesting against his con-
firmatiOn. 1t is an office which Pinch
back has been very anxious to secure,
and which would give him 9re-t
hold on the c0lored vote of that Sec
ton. Two years ago his name was
sent in for the same position under
an understanding said to have been
had with Secretary Sherman, but
President Hayes when his attention
had been called to the nomination he
had made, withdrew the name and
Pinchback went home in no small
dudge0n to Louisiana, and was
pronounced Stalwart from that time.
His present selection. it is under
stood. was at the suggestion of Sem
ator Kellogg and is the Inauguration
of an effort to sOlidify the cOlOred
vote ofthe State. Pichback is wealthy
and keen politician and his ap-
pointment in connection with that of
Kennedy, another colored man, to
the position Ct inspector of money
order post0ffices in Louisiana is re-
garded as very shr 'wd and impor.
tant one from a POLITICAL point of
view. A few white Republicans join
in the out.cry against it. but the fuss
mostly comes from Bourbons who
fear they will not hereafter be able
to carry Republican State by bull
DOING or capturing part of the
colored vote.
Since the apportionment bill passed
there has been a good deal figuring
on the probabilities of the next cleo
toral college as well IA the complex
ion of the next Congress. By the
....,oc 0f H. 5000, Las, kko