Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1885-11-28
o q, 1876
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, Nov. %, 1885.

OF people VIII De law making Oh
Capitol Hill. The city is being rap
idly filed with its winter population.
Signs of the coming season are yisi-
BILE OH the streets, at hotels, and at
all public resorts.
Senators and Representatives
may be seen on the Avenue stand
ing and walking in pairs or larger
groups, discussing the probable is
sues of the session, the Tariff, Sill
yer, Civil Service questions, the at
titude of the Senate to the Presi-
dent, and the forthcoming Presi-
Dental message.
Preparations continue to be car
ried on at the Capitol, and quite a
number of workmen + engaged
there. 1t is no trivial undertaking
to overhaul, clean, scrub, polish, and
paint, inside and outside, from dome
to basement, a building of such pro-
portions as the United States Cap
itol. In the House of Representa-
tiyes, the desks and seats of mem
bers-333 are being arranged for
the biennial lottery. Members draw
their seats in the Hall of the House
by lot, at the beginning of each new
Congress, and the scene is always
watched with amusement.
Some repairs are always being
made in the spectators gallery, and
the telephone lines are being ar
ranged. In the Senate wing there
is not so much to do. The old car
pet is being relaid, although it shows
by its frayed edges and fading col
ors that it has seer its best days.
The committee rooms all over the
Capitol are receiving attention in
the way of new carpets, and furni--
ture.
The week has been a very quiet
one for the President. His order
excluding office seekers from the
White House has been effective.
The number of callers requesting
private interviews is reduced to
the minimum, and the President has
had time to write his message. Pub
lie men who call on the days allow
lowed, understand that they must
restrict their conversation to bust
ness matters. Some have been dis
courteous enough to violate their
privileges, however. Democratic
Senators and Representatives have
failed on some occasions when they
called to respect the Presidents
wishes. They have preached the
subject of offices by diplomatic
hints, speaking more freely as they
felt that the President would allow
it.
President Cleveland feels very
uncomfortable in regard to some APP
pointments he has made during the
vacation of the Senate. A large
number are those of officers whose
predecessors we're suspended be-
fore the expiration of.their term. As
to this class, there will, of course, be
discussion as to the legal rights of
the Executive. Mr.. Cleveland has
just assumed an attitude which he
hopes will entirely disarm those
Senators who have been threatening
var on these and other Of his nomi-
nations. He had issued an informal
invitation to Republican Senators to
call at the White House and explain
their reasons for Directing to his APP
appointees. before he sends the nom
nation to the Senate. This kind
of invitation, which is something
unprecedented, was suggested to
Mr.. Cleveland by an interview he
had recently with a Republican Sen
ator. The Senator called at the
White House to say to Nh. Cleve-
land that he would be compelled to
oppose the confirmation of a man
who had been appointed to a promi-
nent office in his State. Tho Sena-
tor told the President that the man
was utterly unfit for the place, and
that he would be compelled to de-
feat his confirmation if possible.
The President has as much to
fear really from the Senators of his
own party, as from the Republican
Senators. Certain Democratic Sen.
ators who have not had all the pat
ronage they wanted, have determin-
ed to force Mr. Cleveland to terms.
Senator Voorhees, is one of those
who expect to devote their energies
during the coming session to the
repeal ofthe Civil Service law. He
declares there is not a man in the
United States who can stand up
fifteen minutes with him IN a dis
cussion of the constitutionality of
that law.
A canon is a person who possess
es a prebend, or revenue, allotted
for the performance of service in a
cathedral. Originally canons were
merely priests. The word is from
the Greek "kanon,n a straight rod
or pole, and it signifies three things
"a rule. a pension of fixed revenue
to live on and a catalogue or matri.
cula.
AT Antietam the Union loss was
about 2100; the rebel loss about
$500. At Gettysburg Lee lost in
killed $500; Meade, 1884. More
men yer killed between May l and
May IL, 1864, than in any other Pc
Rod of similar length during the
war, but the battles fought by Grant
and Lee, though almost continuous
at that time, are divided. At the
Wilderness Grant lost in killed 2261;
Lee, about 1000; at Spotsylvania
Grant lost 2270; Lee, about 1000.