The National tribune., 1885-12-17
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
The Weeks DOingS at the Ma
tiOnal Capital
THE BIG MESSAGE.

sent to Congress for many years. Mr.. CleVe-
land NAV be pardoned, however, when 1t is re-
lnembered that it was the first chance Demo
crat has had to write such document Tor
quarter Of a century. Some nave imagined
that he wanted TO make up for this long period
of silence If this is true it must be admitted
that he proved equal TO the task, and rose TO
the full demands of the OCCASION
The reading of the message in each branch OF
Congress occupied nearly two hours The clerks
worked by relicfs. The vocal strain OF reading,
with the voice pitched in high key, was Sc
we're. Fifteen or 20 minutes at a time was all
that any Of them could stand. As ones voice
became husky he gave way 10 another, and ad-
dressed himself to drinking water, sucking
lemons and eating troches to get himself ready
for duty again when his relief came round
No message for years has been listened TO with
SO much attention. A majority of the members
remained in their seats till the reading was mn
ished, ONLY here and there one could be seen
engaged in writing or reading newspaper III
which OCCUPATIONS the average Congressman
spendst he greater part Of his tine during the
sessions. It is not matter of surprise. how
ever, that after listening to those 24,oO0 words
they felt they were ready TO "call 1t day and
quit" They knew when they had got enough.
1t was a full meal, and they adjourned almost
Immediately to give their digestive organs a
chance. Some of the Democratic members
showed symptoms of weariness while the PreSl-
dents deliverance on the subject OF Civil Ser
vice Reform was being read.
Comment on The message is generally favor
able in all quarters. Most Of the leading DEM
ocrats are enthusiastic in its praise, while Re-
publicans find much in it that they heartily
approve. Some Of the latter pronounce IL a
manly, patriotic, and statesmanllke document
The President covered much ground-not
only in the square feet of printers ink In the
newspapers, but in the extraordinary scope OF
Il. ,nnhln tnrI
connected, directly remotely, Win the
Government-that there are few who do not
find something in it that they cannot lndorse.
The loudest grumbling is by the silver men,
who mastering their forces under the lead
ership of Warner. of Ohio, and Bland, of Mis-
souri,, to resist with all their power the attempt
that will undoubtedly be made to greatly re-
strict or stop altogether the coinage of the pres
ent silver dollar. The uncquivocal stand taken
by the President against further coinage leaves
these men in a very peppery state OF mind, and
they express their opinions in highly seasoned
language. These, and the ultra tariff retormers,
say that the President is in the hands OF the
manufacturers, capitalists and finaDciers OF the
East, and that his message was written wholly
in their interest.
The Democratic spoilsmeu. who want all the
offices to use as circulating medium with
which to pay off their political debts are In the
dumps. The Presidents utterances give abun-
d8nt proof that he is slayer" and his back
bone is as stiff as ever. Those who have been
standing for months under the caves OF the
White House. waiting to get their axes ground,
are left TO mourn as those without hope
Not for years has there been great effort by
the correspondents along Newspaper Row to
secure an advance copy Of the message, or, at
least, a few points" that would enable them
to forecast its tone on important questions. 1t
was so carefully guarded however, that they
avari- o1y- ha4T a1 NH ROunIS
would have defended that message with his
very life. He is one of the Republicans who
still hold the fort. His honor was at stake, as
well as his official head, for that would have
quickly tumbled into the basket il he had per-
Initted copy of the message to escape. Not for
a moment from the time he received the
copy" till the press had done its perfect
work, did he relax that vigilance which was the
price OF his fat" position.
THE FEDERAL COURTS.
The annual report of Attorney General Gar
land devotes considerable space to the consider
alton of the judicial system of the country. and
says that the United States courts as now or
ganized cannot possibly transact the business
before them with the promptness that justice
requires. 1t indorses the general features OF the
Davis bill for the establishment of Court of
Appeals, or intermediate court as best adapted
for the purpose, but suggests plan based on
that bill, the main features of which were in
corporated in the Presidential message.
The Acknowledgement repeats the recon-
mendations of his predecessor that authority be
given the Judges of the United States Courts
TO sentence prisoners convicted of first offenses
TO such reformatories or graded prisons as may
be selected by the Attorney General He urges
the necessity of building Government peni-
tentiary, where all persons convicted of United
States ofenses could be confined and employed
in the manufacture of supplies exclusive for the
oh,
ing the institution self-sustaining.
He adopts the views of his predecessor on the
subject of criminal procedure and says that it
is of the highest importance that the pleadings
in criminal cases be simpliied, uniform sys-
TEN of challenges provided and the whole pro-
ceedings shorn of the technical objections.
The report closes with brief statement of
the Union Pacific Railway litigation and says
that q motion will be fled by the Government
in the Supreme Court in few days to advance
the appeals on the docket, so as to have speedy
determination of them.
HE WENT BACK TO OHIO.
John p. Leedom. Sergeant-at-Arms of the
last House of Representatives, and reelected
for the present Congress, is not altogether
happy in his relations with some of the Demo-
cratic members from that State. The opposi-
tiGn Of lie Fevre Geddes and one or two
Others was SO active few days before the ses-
sion began, as to place Leedom's denomination
in serious jeopardy. Judge Geddes had a friend
in the person Of Captain Powell, of Delaware
Co., o., and he thought he could fasten q
tOw-line TO him and pull him through" So
he sent for Powell to come to Washington, and
he responded promptly. Judge Geddes called
caucus of the Ohio Democratic members to
consider his case. Leedom was seriously
alarmed, for things looked sgually 1t was well
known that division of the Ohio Democrats
on the question would inevitably result in the
the defeat of both by candidate from some
other State. The day before the House caucus
Geddes and Leedom had an interview which
resulted in the withdrawal of the formers
opposition. Powell took the first train for Ohio
impressed with the belief that the Scriptural
injunction: " Put not your trust in princes"
sometimes applies equally well to congressman
GEN. LOGAN IN HIS OLD PLACE.
When. after the protracted contest in the
Illinois Legislature, Gen. Logan was returned
TO the Senate, it puzzled the Republican Sena-
tors how 10 bestow upon him the chairmanship
of a committee of such Importance as his ability
and long public service deserve. He has been
for many years at the head ofthe Senate Military
Committee, which was eminently in accord
ance with the fitness of things. But when Gen
Logan's term expired March last, and his re-
turn matter of doubt. the vacant chair
manship was conferred upon Senator Sewen
of New Jersey. The death of Vice President
Hendricks gave the Senators AN opportunity
they were glad TO improve by electing Gen
Logan 10 the chair; not only because they were