Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1885-04-25
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, April goth, 1885

w ASalN0ION, ApNii AVUA3 AooO.
The colored people have figured
conspicuously in recent events at
the Capital. Delegations of colored
politicians and colored bishops and
clergymen called at different times
at the White House. Each delegation
delivered an address to the president
in which some notable things were
said, and each listened to a reply
from him, which was marked BY
significant assurances. The colored
people of the District celebrated the
anniversary Of their emancipation
with a long procession, much music,
much enthusiasm, and many specta-
tors. The pageant was a very mot
ley, social aud characteristic one,
presenting many amusing scenes
and incidents. President Cleveland
stood on the portico of the White
House aad received the line as it
passed. The days festivities were
closed by speeches from Frederick
Douglass and other colored orators.
In the course of his remarks Mr..
Douglass said, "the power and vital
ity of the Democratic party had
been greatly underestimated. IL
still lived, although it had INDUCED
in crimes and vices enough to kill q
dozen parties" Speaking of Mr..
Cleveland, he asked if he would keep
his promises of March the fourth 7
He might, continued the orator,
adopt policy of indifference toward
the negross of the South, or he might
pursue temporizing one--a policy
of good Lord and good Devil; OF he
might accept the Mississippi and
South Carolina plan and keep by
fraud and blood 1913 electoral votes
fer a Democratic candidate in 1888;
or he might sustain course Of fidel-
ity to the Constitution, protecting
white man and black man alike.
He said, as certain as the Democrat
ic party fell into old ruts and forgot
that slavery was an anachronism, it
would be driven from power four
years hence, aud unless it applied a
corrective to the negro outrages of
the South, the Augusta speech of
James G.. Blaine would be the key
note of the next campaign.
Change is the order Of the times
in the Executive Departments here.
When the Secreatry of the Treasury
returned from New York the other
day, he informed the President that
number of important places in his
Departement should be filed with
Democrats as soon as possible, and
the President gave Mr.. Manning
carte blanche. A number of these
changes have since been made and
others are awaited with interest.
The President relies implicitly upon
Secretary Mannlng's recommended
tions in regard to them, although he
is reputed to be an Independent
Executive, with no partners in the
Presidential office. These removals
were made, not because of any inef
ficiency, but because the incumbents
were Republicans. And since par
tisanism had been defined to be Re
publicanism by the new Acministra.
ton, all Republican Office holders
who were ever presidents, secreta-
ries, treasurers of State organizations,
are trembling lest they may be Sc.
lected as additional examples of the
new meaning of the word.
Secretary Manning is very reticent
in regard to the alleged frauds in
the Treasury. The report gained
circulation the other day that gross
Irregularities had been unearthed in
the Internal Revenue, and that
severe investigation was in progress.
When questioned as to the import
of the rumor, Mr.. Manning replied
81 know nothing of reports. We
are always Investigating
The employs of the Post Office
are doing extra work in order to
bring the business of these offices up
to date. In consequences Of the efforts
being made in the Patent Office to
catch up, and the vigorous manner
in which the Examiners are working
day and night, the issue of patents
for the present month will be the
largest in the history of the office.
1t will embrace over five hundred
patents per week.
The President made number of
Diplomatic appointments during the
week including ministers to Bolivia,
Greece and Persia. Generals Nc
Clellan, Rosecrans and other distin.
guished aspirants are impatiently
expecting to get the mission to
China. The rivalry for the Belgium
mission is interesting. 1t can only
be filed by rich man, and the
Democratic millionares of New Eng
land and the West are in the con.
test. Secretary Bayard adheres to
his decree to send abroad men who
have seen diplomatic service under
a former Democratic administration
This restricts selections to men who
were mature in Buchannan's admin
istration, and discourages the youg
er democracy. Applications for
foreign appointments are about ten
times as numerous as the positions.
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