News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1885-11-12
NATIONAL CAPITAL.
Especial Correspondent of the News and Citizen.l
WASHINGTON, d. c.,
Nov 1S25

land votes. Both he and part o
his Cabinet have dropped the duties
and trusts devolving upon them anC
have gone to their homes to exercise
their privileges as citizens.
In the closing hours of the contes
for political supremacy in the State O
New York, the frightened Democracy
appealed to the administration for aid
The President sent his check for one
thousand dollars, and said he intend
ed to go to Buffalo to vote. Secreta
ries Manning and Whitney and Col
Lamont did likewise. The propriety
and wisdom of their laying aside al
this time the pressing duties Of office
to 90 home and vote, is a question tc
which the thinking mind can only give
one answer.
Mr.. Smith, of New York, who has
just been appointed to succeed MI
Coon as assistant Secretary of the
Treasury, is a well known Democrat
ic politician of the Tilden school. The
appointment is admirably timed, SO
far as relates to influence in State
election. 1t would seem that the
State of New York has lien on the
important positions in the Treasury
Department. 1t now has the Secre-
tary and his two assistants, the Treas
urer, the Solicitor, and other proEni-
nent officials. Considering that the
Empire State has the Presidency and
the Secretaryship of the Navy De-
partment, it is not surprising that
other States are displeased with New
York's patronage.
Whatever else may be said of this
last appointment, civil service reform
ers cannot fail to note the time and
manner of Mr.. Coon's retirement, as
well as that of the filling of the va
cancy.
DIR. Curry, the recently appointed
Minister to Spain, is called here Min
lister pro tenn to Madrid. This is be-
cause it is believed that he cannot
remain there permanently as United
States Minister. The Madrid papers
of recent date credit Secretary Bay
ard with saying that the Cabinet of
the Spanish government is not Catho-
lie. They speak of the ignorance of
the Cleveland Cabinet, particularly
that of the State Department.
If you study the characters appoint
ed to diplomatic and consular posi-
tons by the present administration,
you will find them much the same in
one particular. They are disappoint-
ed or worn out politician. In nine
cases out of ten they have held pub
lie offices and their popularity with
their constituents has waned, or they
nave been unsuccessful office-seekers.
Most of them are disheartened fell
ows. A record of the private and
public career of every man in the SER
rice has been kept at the State De-
1artment, and the service might ap-
propriately be called the haven for
blasted hopes.
The President will now be COM
PEELED to appoint a new Marshal of
the District. Col. McMichael has
been anxious to get away for some
time, and only retains his duties at
the urgent request of Mr.. Cleveland,
who promised to let him off by the
first of November. 1t is not positive
ly known who will make the presenta-
tons at all of Mr.. Cleveland's recep-
tions, and the master of ceremonies
at the State dinners, but it is thought
Gen. Farnsworth, of New York, will
get the appointment. He was on MIR.
Cleveland's staff while he was Gov
ernor, and is close personal friend.
Washington is never without its So
cial life, at any season of the year.
Indeed due attention to the amenities
of polite society, with all its exactions,
is one of the most important indus
tries of the Capital. There will be
no formal entertaining at the White
House until after Congress meets, and
but little, really, until after New Year,
for not until then does the social sea-
son properly begin. Still there will
be much social intercourse before that
time in Diplomatic, Cabinet, and Sen
atorial circles. The japanese Minis
ter has issued invitations for two large
dinner parties next week at the EN-
bassy on n street. The first will be
be given to the Cabinet, and the fol-
lowing evening the Diplomatic corps
will be entertained.
The Presidents invitation to office
seekers to stay away from the White
House for the next month causes a
great deal of distress and profanity
from the "Kunnels," and "Majahs, /"
and "Jodges," and from the whole
class at which the order was aimed.
They will have to telestheir stories
now to the heads Of departments
while under the past arrangement they
had the liberty of boring first the Sec
retaries and then telling the President
what they wanted. Friday was the
last day the President was to allow
personal interviews with place hunt.
ers. So many took advantage o.
their fast fading chances that Mr.
Cleveland could only spare few min
utes to each one.
NOTES.