Morning journal and courier., 1883-04-07
CORRESPONDENCE.

Our Washington Letter-OmcfaI Mourn ing-The New Postmaster GeneraI-Sec- retary FOlger's Condft1on-The aOod Fortune of 'sIndiana Men''-The Tenth Census.
 WASHINGTON, April 5.
 To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER The custom that obtains here of marking the public buildings with the symbols of mourning whenever the head of depart. ment dies in office, or when an ex-head pays the debt of nature. is one that, in many in- stances, might better be honored in the breach than in the observance, for the drap- ing is oftentimes of such nature as to ex- cite one's risibles rather than any other feel ing. At the present moment the general postoffice is draped out of respect to the memory of the late Postmaster General, but the draping consists of a few yards of black cloth wound around the columns at the main entrance and small tuft of the same mate rial at each corner, while the annex on the corner of B and Eighth streets is even more meagrelY marked. The whole effect tends to throw ridicule on the established custom, but as it is an established custom there needs must be fearful upheaval of nature to in duce the officials to abandon it. How little heart there usually is in these public demon strations is most forcibly shown here in the manner of the various employees who openly express their joy that another death gives them another holiday.
 Indiana comes in for another slice of pat ronage and secures 8 representation in the Cabinet by the appointment of General Gre sham to fill the vacant Postmaster General ship. It seems that General Gresham was personal and particular friend of President Garield and had the latter lived, would very probably nave been in the Cabinet ere this. It is an open secret that General Grant was the moving power that secured this appoint. ment, and the fact revives the wonder as to his control of political patronage. It is per fectly well known that General Grant has but to urge an appointment and it's expedi- ency becomes SO manifest that it is at once made, no matter what existing circumstances may seem to be in the way. I suppose it is principally attributable to his personal magnetism" ," of which the General undoubt notorious adherence to his friends through thick and thin, which they reciprocate most cordially.
 After all President Arthur feels that he must succumb, and has decided to go to Florida for short time to see if he can't throw off the catarrhal trouble that has fixed on him with such tenacious grip. He WOuIu nave pooA away Oy tA1S bAnAo A10 Ao not been urged to remain and decide who should be Postmaster General. That ques- tion decided, he will at once take his derar- ture
 There have been & number of the most conflicting rumors floating about concerning Secretary Folger's health, and equally con ficting causes assigned for those rumors. Generally he is considered as having been treated as "scapegoat'' by the Stalwarts in the election last fall, and his political friends appear 10th to share the responsibility of that defeat with him. Lately I have heard it intimated that his mind is affected, but this is not the case. He has been suffering from 8 complication of disorders, which, coupled with his exhausted physical condS. ton incident upon the strain upon his ardu- ous labors, have completely run him down. His actual sickness commenced with 8 rather severe malarial attack, and he had 8 number of chills, followed, of course, by the attend ant fever; then he succumbed to light at- tack of pneumonia and from that he has not yet recovered. It is improving very fast now and it is confidently expected that he will be back at his desk within a month at the farthest.
 How persistently the Star route trial hangs on, and how little real progress is be- ing made in it It would be an economical measure, one would think, to follow the sug- gestions of a member of Congress and cut
 
 attorneys to five dollars day, ''all they are worth" Gas the Congressman said The re- suit might perhaps be that the thieves would get of "scot free ;'' but what real benefit will the government derive from 8 verdict of guilty? The money which the gang stole has been carefully f'put where it will do most good, and where the government can't get hold of much of it.
 Returning to the subject of the appoint ment of General Gresham, what frantic bid for Indiana's vote in the next Presiden- tial election the Administration is making Foster, minister to Spain, Wallace, minister to Constantinople, New, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, and now Gresham as Cab met officer. Besides these number of mi nor officers, all of whom have more or less influence. The fact that Indiana has large population that can be approached in one of several different ways, either by direct pur- chase, by political patronage, or glory, makes 1t important that the Administration should be carefully looking after it's interests in the State that ranks sixth in population and, while the time has not yet come for resort ing to the first measure, it is advisable that the patronage should be so distributed as to prepare the way for more strenuous methods when the time comes.
 The Department of Justice has published l he entire Guiteau trial In thick octave | volume. The book is being eagerly sought | after by many persons who cannot be ac. ,used of any morbid feelings. I fancy it | must be that these people wish to determine l for themselves just what ground there was | for the stories current two years ago or the and sham insanity of that poor | .ool. If spirits do revisit this earth, we may eel certain that Guiteau's takes fendish | delight in knowing that his trial has been so | ,onored and that his blatant utterances are | o be given such publicity.
 The report of the tenth census is nearly |
 
 eady for distribution in about three years ime Wouldn't it be just as well to wait Intil 1890 and let the two merge into one The material accumulated for this report ouid be boiled down carefully, and of the esiduum perhaps ene-hRlf would be found # r0rao vof,,o ,,o& r,,araf RFY