The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1885-04-03
WASHINGTON LETTER,
from our Regular Correspondent }

warrington, March 2Uth, 1885.
The new broom does not sweep rapidly
enough for the throng of office seeking
patriots who raided Washington about three
weeks ago. Disappointed spoilmen shake
the dust of the city from their weary feet,
and sadly turn their detected noses towards
their distant homes. The discomforture of
the place hunters gives some relief to the
Cabinet officers who have been under hot
Postmaster General has had rerceptible
respite from callers during the past few
days. The applications for postmasterships,
however, do not fall off. They rather in
crease. In the office of the clerk to the
first Assistant Postmaster General, with an
extra detail of assistants, it is difficult to
keep up with the work of brieting and filing
applications.
President Cleveland evidently prefers for
Office the quiet men who have kept conf
paratively in the background. Those who
have advertised their merits with delega-
tions have been left out every time. The
last list of nominations sent to the Senate
created more surprise and more disappoint-
ment than any appointments yet made.
The names which had figured ION the states
| were all absent from the list. This fact has
operated very discouragingly upon those
who have been devoting every day and
hour to their claims.
Among the most important nominations
were Mr.. Hay, of Pittsburg, to be First
Assistant Postmaster. General, Mr.. Mont
gonery, of Michigan, to be Commissioner of
Patents. and Ex-Rspresentative Durham of
Kentucky, for First Comptroller of the
Currency. The defeat of Phil. Thompson
for Commissioner of Internal Revenue, by
Mr.. Miller of w. Va, was surprise to
many, and real shock to his friends, who
had strenuously urged him for the place.
They say they will not suggest his name for
any other place now since his ability and
claims not appreciated by the new
powers.
The acting Commissioner of Patents, Mr..
Dyrenforth, lid not hesitate to express sur
prise at the nomination Of his successor,
since he claimed that the Commissionership
had been offered to himself by both the
President and Secretary Lamar. Through
the ,lilatoriness of the Patent examiners the
work os the office is shamefully in arrears,
an Mr. Dyrenferth recently began reform
by requiring night work in the offices that
are behind with the business of the Depart
ment. This will now be kept up until the
work is brought up to date, which, from
the present energy displayed, will be in
about three months, This fact will be
gratifying to inventors whose patience has
been severely tried by the delays in the
issuance of their patents.
Wednesday was President Clevelands
forty eight birthday, and he varied his daily
programme by taking a two hours drive
with Col. Lamont, behind pair of ex.
President Arthur's horses. The retiring
President kept ten horses of his ow at the
Executive stables, all of which he left for
the use of Mr.. Cleveland until the latter
should make other provision. Mr.. Arthur
has called socially on President Cleveland
during the week and attended his official
reception. Since his retirement from office
he has been the guest of ex,Secretary Frey.
linghuysen, and recipient Of constant at
tention from society people without regard
to party. President Cleveland will give an
entertainment in his honor next week.
Secretary Whitney has begun an investiga-
tion of the accounts of the Navy Depart.
ment, and Secretary Endicott proposes to
turn things over in the War Department.
He has requested the Adjutant General of
Army to furnish him with a complete list of
all the officers ON duty in Washington. He
asks what duty each one is performing, if
such duty is authorized by law, and the
exact time each has been on duty here.
The Higgings appointn mt has proved to
be very embarrassing to the administration
Besides the odorous scandals that &C
companied his appointment, one charge is
that he stuffed the ballot box in the mayor
atty contest of 1875; another is that he im-
ported voters into Hamard county in 1879,
and another is that he is actively engaged
as lobbyist at Annapolis. certain
Southern Senator says that Higgings owes
it to his party to resign, but a Baltimorean,
who knows the Higsinsss remarked that
h'ugh they may lie they never resign
The Baltimore Civil Service Reform associ.
alton is expected to come here to-day and
petition Secretary Manning to remove Hig-
gins. II he does not c nsent, they will
probably appeal directly to President Cleve-
land. r.
Taper from Hop Vines