Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-05-15
CREAM OF CURRENT COMMENT At THE
NATIONAL CAPITAL.
Compiled for the HERALD

WASHINGTON, DC. Ma, Is, 80.
The mere Office seekers have
been frightened of and an entirely
different class of politicians have
been coming in within the last few
days. They have not come to ask
anything, but their purpose IS 10
take the administration up in their
arms and take care of it. They
have an idea that it is entirely too
innocent to be left without a gnlT'
dian, and they have come 10 act In
that capacity. They want to tell
the President just whatthe exigen-
cies of the case are, and to say that
the politicians who speas Practically
or IN praise OF the new policy OF
exaggerated civil service reform
are not sincere in their expressions
and are merely fawningafter favor.
They claim to represent the real
feeling OF the rank and file OF the
party, and pronounce it as positive
| that the voters will not submit to
the retention of men in power I'M
der the democratic administration,
who, ander the republicans, were
denounced asdishOnest. These advi-
sers claim to occupya position above
personal interest, and say their on
| ly wish is that the President shall
not ignore his party's interests alto
| gether. They are politicians hold
| ing themselves above the office
seeking class, and claim that tbelI
purpose is solely to "work out the
salvation of the party To them
the denunciation OF the administra-
ton by Senator Eustis was nee
essary blow, and, though from a
personal point of view impolitic, a
blow that will have its effect in
opening the eyes Of the "powers
that be- to the real condition OF
affairs.
The discovery of the box in the
vaults of the treasury the other day
is not so big fiud as was at first
Thought. For the last half a cen.
tury the box has been uncarth ed
and hailed as remarkable discov-
cry every time there was a count OF
the money. The value Of the con
tents of the box has been eXaggerat-
ed, although there is no doubt that
they are worth considerable. The
box was presented TO President
Monroe, the contents being intend
ed for decorating swords, &c. The
diamonds and other jewels are not
of the highest value, butare OF the
kind generally used for decorating.
They were presented by the Jap.
aneSe government, and pending
the possage of a bill 10y Congress
TO allow President Monroe to re-
ceive them, the box containing the
gifts was placed in the treasury
vault, and all trace of them was
lost for some years. The register
of the treasury has called the at
tention Of the Secretary TO the case
and it will be attended to at once,
and there is no doubt but that the
gifts will be turned over 70 the
heirs of President Monroe, of whom
there are half dozen living in diff
ferent parts of the country
-
The unexpected turn OF the tide
in the Illinois senatorial contest
cansed by the election OF republ-
can member of the legislature in
place of Shaw, deceased, was the
almost universal topic Of discussion
in political circles today. There
are quite number of Illinois dem
ocrais here, and they are compelled
to admit that the republicans
outgeneraled them completely.
Representative TownShend, who
has Just arrived from Illinois, says
the republicans, under the pretense
that they were not making a can
vass, quietly notified all. their
voters to turn out. The democrats,
surprising they had a walk.ovcr,
took things easily. AS it was the
busy planting season many OF them
did not 90 to the polls. no, sir
added Col. TOwnshend, in reply to
a question, 'the result does not
indicate any dissatisfaction with
the administrator, for there Is no
snch dissatisfaction among tue
democrats. Among our people the
administration grows stronger
every day. 1t is pOpular and ITS
course is heartily endorsed. II
there is any grumbling that there
is too much delay in filling Offices
II is not among the democrats OF
Illinois,
Mr.. Van Pelt, of Chicago, a
leading democrat of that city, also
SAYS that the unexpected demo
cratic defeat cannot be traced to
any feeling Of GOODNESS towards the
administration.
Most of the Illinois democrats
here, among them Mr.. Townshend,
think that the senatorship IS not
vet lost to the democrats. They be-
lieve that there are several republl-
cans in the legislature who will not
consent 70 support Gen. Logan
But some of the shrewdst give up
the fight. ~
.I ~
Postmaster General Villas, be-
coming tired Of waiting for Malcolm
Hay to put in an appearance at his
desk as First Assistant Postmaster
General, has started in to do Hays
work by commissioning persons to
fll several thousand of the many
thousands of small post-Oflices.-
The Congressman in whose districts
these small Offices are located be
came 80 clamorous for changes
that Villas had to give in and not
wait longer for Hays return. The
reader eau judge how Insignificant
some of these postoflices are when
| state that the lowest salary paid
to a postmaster is that received by
the postmaster at Neshabo, Miss,
who IN 1888 drew twelve cents
from the Government, having sold
during the year three postal wrap
pers, two Scent. stamps, and three
postal cards. The postmasteTs