The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-01-25
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON Ian 1R
w ASHINGTON, Jan. 10.
To the Editor Of the Statesman
Those who believed that Con Grant

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16.
To the Editor Of the Statesman:
Those who believed that Gen. Grant
only came to Washington on pleas
ure and society visit were greatly mis-
taken in their views of the character
istics of the veteran soldier and poll
tician. When he arrived in the city |
he went to the residence of Gen. |
Beale, his friend and brilliant light on
one of the local papers, announced |
that his visit to the federal capital |
could not be supposed to have any po-
htical significance whatever, that he 1
only came to renew former acquaint-
ances and enjoy the pleasures of win
ter life in Washington. But those |
who know Grant know that he is pre- |
emlnently a business man and never |
moves to any point simply for pleas |
ure, although he is at all times willing |
and eager to combine the two. Since |
coming here, the general has
BEEN UNUSUALLY ACTIVE.
He has been a daily visitor at the de- |
partments and had frequent inter- |
views with the cabinet, secretaries, |
chiefs of bureaus, and other digni- |
taries, and with senators and repre- |
sentatives. The great hobby of Grant |
is to promote
BETTER COMMERCIAL RELATIONS |
between this country and Mexico, but |
in spite of his assertions to the con-
trary, he still takes deep interest in
politics, and his influence in procuring
positions is considered superior to
| that of any man in public life in the
country. He is devoting his stay
in Washington to advance the politi-
cal interest of numerous officeseekers,
and has already procured several
postofliceS and consulSh.pS for his
| friends. 1t is well known he is the
cause of the hostility now existing
between
| MALONE AND ARTHUR,
having warmly advocated the ap-
pointment of Col. Mosby to govern
, ment position in Virginia, and in
spite of the opposition and in
tense hostility of the little
boss. The general has spent
a large part of several days be-
fore the senate committee on foreign
relations, the draft of a commercial
treaty between Mexico and the United
States being under consideration. The
terms of the proposed treaty were
fully discussed and explained by the
| commissioners from the standpoint OF
the reciprocal interests of both coun-
tries. The Mexican minister, Mr..
Romero, was several times before the
committee at the same time with
Grant, but after the former had retir-
ed the general frequently remained for
an hour secretly with the committee
| The treaty which has already been
formulated relates mainly to mutual
concessions in the nature of allowing
importations free of duty by each
country Of certain stated products of
the other. The formal signing of the
treaty by the commissioners will pro-
badly take place before many days.
Both Gen. Grant and his son, Freder-
lex, have great confidence in the
vast power soon to be
WELDED BY TEXAS
In the galaxy of states. In an inter
view with northern reporter short
while ago he gave a glowing descrip-
ton of the bOundleSS progress of the
state in the last ten years, and de-
clared her the most inviting field for
the youthful vigor of the north on
the continent. Proper commercial
relations with the hidden land of the
MonteZumaS cannot be otherwise
than of great Importance to Texas;
great impetus would be given to
railroad building, and soon her vii
lagos and small towns will be swelled
into buOyant cosmopolitan cities by
the countless thousands flocking to
the fertile and undeveloped plains of
the southwest. Texas will be the
great checking ground for the immi-
grant; she affords him the first
chance to handle MeXico'S trade, and
to cross the Rio Grande would be to
enter a disorganized territory and
to destroy citizenship with the
United States, which few would
be willing to do. 1t bewil-
ders the mind to contemplate
the colossal greatness of the Lone
Star state when her millions of pro-
ductive acres will be divided by as
many railroads proportionately as
Ohio or Indiana.
MR.. CARLISLE,
Of Kentucky, is being pushed for the
speakership in a manner that he does
not seem to like, while the plucky
Blackburn is answering all questions
and enjoying the forwardness of the
struggle. Mr. Willis, of Kentucky,
who is secretly warm friend of Car
isles, says that he has not failed to
communicate any terms proposed by
Blackburn to Carlisle. The PROPOSE
ton to canvass the reelected Demo-
Gratis of the house seems to have come
to nought.
REPRESENTATIVE DORSHIEMER,
OF New York, is now being spoken
of as a candidate for the speakerShip.
His star appears to BIS growing, and
he will probably soon divide the intlu-
ence of the empire state with
the eloquent and witty S. S. Cox. The
Texas delegation is about evenly di-
: Isle, it being doubtful if Randall or
states could look for their support as
long as the two Kentuckians were in
the field. In the event of dark horses
looming up Texas has several repre-
, sentatives of her own who could fill
the speakers chair with signal ability.
The following treasury statement
shows the amount of government
business transacted in the several
CUSTOMS DISTRICTS IN TEXAS
, during the past fiscal year: In Brazos
, (DrONuSNll1e) ~ lOTelSu anu 10 COdSI-
wise vessels entered, and % foreign
and 26 coastwise were cleared; 3247
: entries; vessels documented; duties
and tonnage tax SOL, 117.77, aggregate
receipts, $66,971.12; foreign exports,
1915, 1893; domestic exports, 81 ,235, 975;
expenses, SOL, 103.37; average number
: of persons employed, 80: percentage of
cost to collection, 0.76.
Corpus Christi-Foreign vessels en-
tered, 9; coastwise, 122; foreign YES
sells cleared, 8; coastwise, 80; entries
, of merchandise, sos; vessels docu-
mented, "a; duties and tonnage tax,
S33,164.82; aggregate receipts, S48,-
30661; value of exports. foreign, S423,-
313; domestic, S1,626,2 S3; expenses.
: $26,523.59; average number of persons
employed, IS: percentage of cost to
collection, 0085.
Galveston.-Vesselse entered, foreign,
219; coastwise, 4S0; vessels cleared.
! foreign, 1888; coastwise, 436; entries of
| marohaOdic H22. upcCa1c dO0umantad