The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1885-02-20
WASHINGTON LETTER.



], WASHINGTON, Feb. 7, 1885.
Mr.. Cleveland's New York headquarters
have been the Mecca of Democratic pill,
grimage from Washington. Many members
of Congress and Senators have utilized the
occasion to impress themselves upon the
President-elect, and many yet will visit him
during the next week. Some of the State
delegations, that of Virginia, for the Post
go in a body to present
the claims of Cabinet aspirants. Mr.. Cleve-
land has probably heard more small gossip,
and petty backbiting since he opened his
Office in N. Y, than during any equal period
in his life, and any reputation that passes
this ordeal without being torn to tatters
may be depended upon to wear. Politicians
reserve most of their eulogies for the dead
Mr.. Cleveland will have to refer to the Con
gressional Record for any good opinion of
public men. According to the obituary
oratory of that book they will all be angels
after they die, in spite of the defamatory
scandals whispered about them, while liv-
| ing by their associates and rivals. 1t Is
well known that number of party leaders
were insulted by the failure of MIR. Cleve-
land to invite them specially to a confer
ence, and that they declined to join in the
promiscuous procession to New York. 1t
is said that when Mr.. Cleveland was ap-
prised of this dissatisfaction he sent private
Invitations to the eminent but nettled
statesmen.
| The notable debate of the week in the
House of Representatives has been on the
River and Harbor bill. Several Louisiana
and Texas members, who want James B.
Eads entrusted with the management of the
Mississippi river, and Galveston harbor i'm
provement championed his cause with great
earnestness Mr.. Ochiltree felt compelled
to speak as the accredited agent of the little
city. He denounced the army Engineers
as Incompetent, said they had for series of
ten years, conducted experiments with the
aid of money appropriated ~ Congress, and
| that the bar was still there but the jetty
was not. He claimed to be no hero wor-
| shipper, but wanted justice done to Eads.
called attention to the world wide fame Of
his engineering feats. and thought his sue
cess had been as brilliant as the failure of
the Army Engineers at Galveston had been
complete. Mr.. O'Neil, of St. Louis, made
an amusing speech in favor of more liberal
appropriations. He wanted enough money
to get the benefit of deep water at once.
We are ali supposed, said he, to be legisla-
| ting for this generation, and not for poster
| ity-at least in the matter of river improve
ments. Mr.. McAdoo, of New Jersey, then
made the startling, if not original announce
ment that posterity had never done any
thing for us.
| Senator Sherman presented petition to
Congress FROM thirty seven persons, asking
that the electoral votes of certain states
may not be counted. They ask on this
ground that in some of the states, among
them South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi,
Louisiana, Tennessee and Ohio persons were
kept away from the polls by threats and
acts of violence aud bloodshed during the
last election, and Congress is asked to ex-
anime these charges of criminal interference
with free suffrage.
| President Arthur is an admirer of Henry
Irving. He went to see the famous actor
| in the Merchant Of Venice" ON last Tues
day evening. The President, with his sis
ter, daughter and guests occupied. the or
chestra chairs, the party seeming to enjoy
the play thoroughly. On the following
evening". the President gave his annual din
ner in honor of the Justices of the Supreme
Court. Owing to the absence of Chief JUS
| tice Waite, who is now in Florida with
Mrs. Waite, seeking recuperation from his
late severe illness, and the absence of JUS
tice Mathews in consequence of the recent
death of his wife, the affair differed from
| the banquet of last year when all the mem.
bers of the Supreme Court were seated at
the White House board The Attorney
General, the Chairman of the Senate and
House Judiciary Committee, and number of
| President Arthur's friends in private life
| increased the number of guests to forty.
Seven wine glasses, a goblet, and carafe
were set at each plate, AMI the ladies
| boqusts were clusters of large roses tied
with pink or blue satin ribbon
The funny member from Colorado, Mr..
Belford, who has not been Congress this
session, made his appearance on the floor of
the House on Wednesday, and held an i'm
promptu reception. When he arose to
speak he was applauded by both sides of
the chamber. He began at the outer row
of seats on the Republican side, but before
he closed he had been all over the floor,
and finally ended with the Democrats He
shouted, as of old, for the unlocking of the
Treasury and the disbursement of the sur.
plus, wanted reservoirs with which to irri.
gate Colorado, and made some high flown
reference about the sun 'tjust stopping in
East to drink the dew, and sinking in the
West to cool his axle" R.