Arkansas weekly mansion., 1884-01-12
WASHINGTON LETTER.
(from our Regular Correspoudent.l
WASHINGTON, -. c., Jan. %, 1884

WASHINGTON, -. c., Jan. %, 1884.
First Assistant Postmaster General Hat
ton, who is presumably navigating the
Western end OF Mr.. Arthur's boom, has
gone thither to he absent two or three
weeks. What he proposes to accomplish
or " neither he proposes to accomplish any.
thing, ir mere matter of conjecture, but
putting this and that together, we have the
right TO guess that Mr.. Arthur is exceed
iuEly desirous of getting some of the West
ern Presidential candidates out of the way
Having already ridden himself of Senator
Ben Harrison BY putting Judge Gresham
into the Cabinet, his next step is across the
line into Illinois to smother whatever en-
thusiasm there may be gathering there for
Mr.. Logan. Meantime Judge Newton Pet
tbs, of ofPennsylvania, whose sagacity brought
about the nomination of Abraham Lincoln
In 1860, Is also out West talking UP the
availability OF Robert Lincoln rs the Re-
publican standard bearer for 1854. 1t is
just possible that Mr.. Arthur's preference,
next to himself, would he for the nOmina-
ton of Mr.. Lincoln, rs that would be hailed
as An unqualified endorsement of the ad-
ministrstion; but the Preside mt is not the
man to be committing any overt acts In this
direction yet awhile.
In view OF the increasing popularity of
the New Year receptions at the capital.
there promises 20 be something OF a social
revolution in prospect, caused by putting &
the Senators far down in the programme
in the order of reception. Time was, and
that not long ago, when the members of
tho upper House Of Congress were consid-
jalI Ia 70 i'm iS-
ters or the members of the Diplomatic
Corps or anybody else inferior to the Presi-
dent himself. 1t was not until the time OF
Martin Van Buren, that Senators began to
be compelled to take = back seat, and Cabi-
net ministers, whom Mr.. Van Buren, con-
ceived to be much nearer the admInistra-
tion, were called to the front, This sena-
torial ostracism was the origin of MANI a
quarrel which not unfrequently eliminated
in pistols and coffee upon the field of honor.
And the Senate yet so far feels its import
ance in these matters of official etiquette,
that 1t is beginning to work itself up by
degrees to the social standing 1t had ia the
days of Madison and Monroe.
OF course Congress will this session take
note of the developments made by the
Huntington letters, and order a thorough
Investigate Of the methods by which the
Southern Pacific Railroad legislation was
secured, and doubtless it will result As all
other Investigations have resulted-n moth
Ing. The response of Secretary Teller TO
the Senate resolution asking for dScumc mt
ary evidence relating to the transfer of
certain land grants from one railroad com
papy to another. covers great deal more
of correspondence and other senatorial lit
erature than tue Senate called fer. s,Ic tn
tiniteiy more than some of the senators de-
sired to bring out. IL would appear from
this correspondence that the influences to
effect the passage OF the Southern Psc!t ::
land grant bill, were essentially the same
that had wrought successfully tor the
Northern Pacific, and 1t consisted of !, lobby
that had for Its membership some OF the
most prominent Senators and Representa-
tives in the Congress that passed the meas
ure! The fact that the Supreme Court htd
decided that the iapsed land grants cdlid
he reverted to the Government 10y uppro-
pirate legislation by Congress. and the
other fact that the General Land Offce
un,!er opinion of Attorney General
Devens, had acted in direct conflict with
that decs on, shows that the railroad in!iE-
ence did not cease with its manipuiatiols
of Congressman, but extended INTO tie
Cabinet and other official quarters Eec+S-
who have been guilty OF corrupt practice.
in this land grant Il 2islation shall be found
ont, the public will be astounded at the ar
ray of names that may be developed. oId
when 1t comes to a measurement o; the
magnitude OF this fraud upon the Goyern-
msnt, with that of the star-rOuteS, or any
other of the modern swindles, the latter
will fall into utter insignidcance.
JUNft ).