The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1885-03-12
NATIONAL AFFAIRS.
An Interesting Batch OF News
from Washington.
The Cabinet Discusses Methods OF Making
Federal Appolntmrnts-Telier Ex-
plains Ills Position In the "Baek-
bone" Land Grant Case.
CABINET MEETING.

WAsHNGToN, March l0,.-The Cabinet
met promptly Nt noon, all tho members be-
ing present. II IL understood the session
was devoted almost exclusively to the con
sldemtlor Of Federal appointments, II Is
asserted on good authority that each mem
Der Of the Cabinet submitted q list
OF apponlm nts In his Department
held 10 bo essential 10 the admin
btmton OF public business under
the present regime. The list, II Is under
stood. Included only such offices In which q
change WAS desirable at once In order that
the new Secretaries might discharge the
duties Of their offices without the least frc-
tIon or embarrassment The deliberations
OF the Cabinet will probably result n long
list Of nominations being sent 10 the Senate
by the President to-day or Tomorrow
At the close Of the Cabluet meeting the
President hc,l public reception, which
lasted over On hour
Tie President hns recognized Robert
Smith M british Consular Agent Of and for
Eureka, Arcala and llOolIton, Cal, 10 re-
side ut Eureka.
Wild AFTER TiiE Posr-oFFIcEs,
WASHINGTON, March l0.--1he number
OF applications for misunderstanding received
yesterday at the P0stOllce Department has
never been equaled In any previous day,
and tho First Assistant P0stmastcr'Gcnoral
found IL necessary TO detail special force
OF employees 10 llle them,
sENATE.
T WAsnlNGToN, March l0,-M the request
Of Mr., Van Wyck tho Chan yesterday
laid before the Senate the resolution olie cd
by him on Friday last calling upon th,
.Bocretary OF tho Interior for Information
Respecting the issuance OF land patents 70
. tho New Orleans Baton Rouge AZ Vicksburg
(Backbon0) Railroad, and inquiring whether
unusual means had boon used 10 hasten
such patent. Mr., Van Wyck, after the
resolution was read, proceeded TO address
tho Senate, reviewing the course OF pro-
coduro by the railroads TO secure theso
lands. He dwelt at length upon what he
termed tho fraudulent acts OF the
Gould-Hunton crowd. "It has been an
nounced," said tho Senator, "that q
special meeting OF tho Cabinet was held TO
legalizo the fraud. Why such hosteS Why
should the clerical force bo compelled 10
work night and Sundays TO get tho patents
through before the 4th OF MNrchY Was II
supposed that tho Republic would die " th
March 6thW Aftor further remarks tho
Senator gavo notice that the legality Of
those patents would bo protested.
! Senator Teller was surprised at the r0so-
luton offered by the Senator from Me-
braska. IL was not his first appearance
before tho publlc. Ho wished 10 bo known
as the special champion OF tho laboring
classes A number OF similar resolutions
had reached the Executive Of tho Ad-
ministratlon which has just retired, from
the same source as this one. Ho
would not permit similar resolutions
10 annoy tho present Administration
without his earnest protest "Why, Mr.,
President" said tho Senator, from tho
reading OF this resolution you would sup
pose that In Issuing these land patents
something had bOen done which had never
boon done before, but as n matter OF fact
every Secretary of the Interior for the last
oight years has done exactly what was
done In this case by tho retiring Sccro-
tary. During tho course OF his remarks
Senator Teller was interrupted with
questions by tho Senator from Nebraska,
which were met with sharp responses TO
the effect that tho very questions put 10y
the Senator showed that no was entirely
ignorant Of the facts In the case. Mr.. Tel
Ter explained nt length the course by which
tho department had proceeded In the
premises, llo did not wish 10 shield
Tho department. Tho records would
show that tho lands woro granted
by authority Of law, and tho House
committee had declared that thoy w0ro as-
signablc. The question of assignment had
boon submitted TO tho Attorney General,
who, aftor months Of attention., decided
that tho assignment was valid and that tho
company was cnttlod TO tho lands Tho
Attorney General cited tho difference DO.
3 tween this coso and that OF tho Texas Pa
cinc and Southern Pncillc grants.
Tho Senator sont TO tho Clerks desk 10
bo Incorporated In tho Record tho opinion
OF tho Attorney General, and various
othor documents bearing on tho cnse,
and said that wcro II necessary ho could
fortify tho position OF tho DEPART
mont with innumernblo court decisions
lIo also referred TO, tho bill reported
10 tho Senate December ~, 1874, by tho
Committee on Public Lands, which iogal-
igod 10 tho road precisely tho same lands
which wcro granted by tho department. He
citod instances showing that twelve or
fourteen railroad companies had boon
granted lands long after tho tlmo for the
completion Of their roads had nrrlvod-in
one Instance thirteen years afterwards.
Referring 10 tho cry OF tho Senator
in regard 10 tho settlers, Mr.. Teller
maintained that ho had In his do
DUIIlINUIUl ubuN UlVTV Nnt
settlers than tho Senator had dono for
them IN all his llfo, HO had hoard somo
'rolcronco 10 tho action OF tho Cabinet, Ho
would not shield himself behind tho Prosl-
dent or tho docinlons of his Cabinet. BY
law aud by Justice tho railroad company
on this oaso wore entitled 10 these lands
two years before they received thom, Tho
Senator than summarized the action OF
tho Legislative and executive branches
OF tho Government with relation 10
this road. In closing his romnrks
Senator Teller instanced q NUM-
ber OF casos whore resolutions Of Inquiry
had been adopted much 10 the cmbarrass-
mont OF tho different heads OF tho exocu-
tive departments, and In this connection
pictured tho Importance Of giving the Cab
Inot officers sont1 IN tho Legislative
branches OF tho Governr.ent. He
took tho ground that these. rosolu-
tIons were frequently introduced merely
for tho purpose OF oowardly attack
Ing tho heads Of departments and Civ
Ing the mover an opportunity OF posing. ag
q watch dog OF tho Treasury. Ho defended
Tho Department Of tho Interior against the
recent imputntion that certain reports
bavebeen delayed 10 avoid their printing
during tho present session, maintaining
that AZ was utterly impossible 10 prepare
tho documenta called for In shorter
timo, and concluded his speech by say
Ing that he was perfectly willing 70 leave
tho work OF his department. 10 answer for
itself, and that no would DO ready at any
time 10 reply 10 intorrogatories respecting
his administration over the Department. Of
tho Interior. After briei rejondSr by
Bonoto' Van Wyok on motion OF Mr.. Frye
further dobnto was deferred, and AZ 12i2r
D. m. the Senate adjourned until to-day a'
twalvA