New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-05
GOSSIP AT THE CAPITAL.
SAYINGS AND DoINGs OF PUBLIC MEN.

| WAsuINGIoN, April Judge Lawrence lato
First Controller of the Treasury. was IN many re-
| spects a remarkable man. Honest independent anu
| fearless. he was the terror of all jobbers and was
more cordially hated, perhaps than any other
| Treasury official by that scheming class OF men
who constantly hang about the Hobbies OF inc zap
itol and the departments pressing and pushing their
dishonest claims and fraudulent demands NO
wonder that his head was among the first to fall
| into the basket when the new Administration came
IN. His successor may be a moro popular, but ne
can hardly be a more faithful or conscientious pup
| lie servant than was Judge Lawrence
With all bis good qualities the late Controller was
| oftentimes singuary provincial and narrow
| minded The exercise of an almost dictatoriai
| mower and the Difference paid TO him by the en-
poyes IN his Bureau mad apparently encouraged Tue
development of bump of self-conceit In the Judge
which in its manifestations, frequently became
ridiculous. He and Mr. Holman were in Congress
together and il was their habit often to compliment
zach other upon the successful efforts they had made
| in nreyentiug wasteful extravaganza and unlawful
| raids upon tho public treasury. On one OF these
! OCCASIONS Mr. Lawrence, III generous outDHIst vi
| feeling fcalled Mr. Holman n veritabe watchdog
| of the treasury" He took good care. however, To
hint at the same time that he, Too. was not ait0-
gethcr without some claim TO tlat cnarac,er, i
man of course assented lie went iurthcT, even, ana
| protested that his friend Lawrence was lhe man
| who deserved to be called the " watchdog OF tho
| "
| snsnect prompted little by professional jealousy,
Judge. you have all the qualities of good watch
dog; yon know good watchdog never Darks VIII In
| his friends are around" don't know whether the
| relations between Mr.. Holman and Mr. Lawrence
| have been very cordial since then. but that OF
| course is neither here nor there.
| What 1 wished to illustrate was Judge Lawrences
| conccit An unfortunate claimant l0rgct MS
name. had successfully pushed hrs claim tnI9ugn -,
opinion favorable 10 il. aud the warrant ior us pay
ment had already passed through the hands OF three
different Treasury accountants when IL was pulIed
nm short by Controller Lawrence. lie iatly refused
| 10 nav the money. lie contended that tue claim
| Ina. no legal standing In vain u was tnat t'lp
| claimant begged, protested, argued threateheo'
Mr.. Controller" he said. the Attorney General
| has passed upon it. How can you
| "Young man." cOIdly and almost c0ntenptuousiy
replied Judge Lawrence the Attorney General
gives opinions, render decisions; Ana Win TINS
| the claimant had to content himself
| By the wav those dec isons by Judge Lawrence
in h hoSoy else s Ta aSs yshS
decisions Of the Controller were allowed To be put
on Tile III the Department IN ordinary mannscrlp.'
| This did not meet the ideas OF Judge Lawrence.
| His must b. printed. and bound too, and that not
! in common vulgar sheep. but fine and tasteful hali
cali or morocco The fifth volume OF these decisions
| las inst come out To give some idea OF what they
| are like Gull almost at random the louowmg;
The learned Judgc Is discussing the VANITY %
assignments of claims against the government
| After nnotinQ n long array of English and other
| authorities to the extent of four or hvc printed
| pages he finally says:
The real question which il now presented IA whether
an assignment absolutely nothing amounts TO some
thing Er "ho NM H. ihc SSbeGsahGy rcss ~
lutbls 1t is not subject matter OF power Of sltorncyi
az such stnii as dreams are made Of" ras In Tho
Tempest" in which after the end has been reacheu tue
parties observe legal turn Of mind and ekpression
'oA.V Our reyels are ended these actors,
| As faretod you were all spirits ana
| Are melted into air. into thin ayr. ,,
And Ike the baseless fabric OF this vision
The cloud capped towers, the gorgeous palaces,
| The solemn temples, the great goDo ltseh'
| Ard like this nsubstantal pageant faded
Leave not rack behind. We are such stun
As dreams lde Of. aud our little liio
Is rounded with "a sleep
Then the Judge adds: The speculation in such
airy possibilities must inevitably he attended WIN
sacrifice by the vender or loss by the purchaser
| ETC., etc.
| But enough of Judge Lawrence mnst tell you
of something else also in the legal line Ii kc the fore
| going but a trllo less dry. perhaps. IL Is Don mot
OF SolictorGcneral Phillips who by the way mas
| a reputation of saying clever things ana saying
them at the right moment. too party OF Bchtic-
men, among them Mr. Phillips, were seated around
table ut the club here when ex-senator Conklng
entered and dra ing up chair ordered the attend
ant to bring him some "polly water anu brandy.
While waiting. Mr.. Conkling remarked that 40 was
yer, tired, having just concluded TWO hours afgu
| ment before the Supreme Court lou cannot DO
more tired than am" responded Sollcltor-General
raP 9y M yEonEns joined @n' heartily SI IN the
laughter which tho rallyevoked. and didn't lose ms
presence of mind either. but promptly ordered
|
speak,
After an interval Of twenty years Presidential
to the Presby denomination III
| the First PRESBYTERIAN Church OH FOnr-and a-half-
| at The restoration takes the Presidential church.
going 70 quite another and less fashionable part OF
the city from that where Abraham Lincoln the last
Sbnrcb is
not without interest and rs will be seen. not with
out sentiment 1t is tho planest church OF any size
| at the National Capital, but probably has the
| loro inO III before
the War that DR.. Sunderland stood up IN tins
church. and preached his stirring sermons against
slavery and for tho Union, In the face oil the
secessionists among his people. many OF whom leit
HIM and never returned. His radical abolitonlst
sentiments depleted the conservation put he never
With:all the changes which twenty years or moro
have brought TO loyal and dsloyal domnies OF that
day. Dr. Sunderland is the only one inlthe city who
has Kept his church edifce. without interruptions
lie now stands in the same spot to preach his
sermons IN which he stood thirtytwo years ago
Time has been kind to him His small. 1.-THE figure
has the activity of youth. HIS smoothly shaver
face. and dark hair scarcely touched with gray.
the President sent down to the First Presbyterian
Church for diagram from which 10 choose the
family pew nobody was so surprised as the Pastor
his denunciations of Mr. Cleveland. lie had talked
against and written against him. But hero was tho
man who be had said was not fit for the White
House about to heap Goals of fire 4" OH his head
and knocking at his church door. as worshipper:,
aOf course | was astonished,o said the little
dominic lie knew and they all knew wnat had
said Everybody knows | will speak my mind
right ont. My congregation has fallen of to mere
handful. Some have gone uptown to more fashion
able churches. Many have gone away from the city
for good. Those who are left are mostly clerks. and
I expected, when the Democrats came in, their
heads would come of. aud then my-congregation
would be smaller than ever. But | can't refuse to
receive the President Or any one else who wants 10
come to my church. And you know how fashions
20. The Presidents presence viii bring others and
no doubt II will build up my church very much
| But after all, was surprised"
1t may he diplomatic in the President TO win the
good will OF the minister who pronounced IN
his iii will. but the real s this: The Rev.
DIR. Sunderland was the pastor of the Presidents