Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1885-02-21
WASHINGTON LETTER.

daily; have prayer; go through with
routine business, and talk and talk,
but say nothing. There are plenty
OF. debates, replies TO iisinuations,
aud objections, but no important
action. The only question that can
be carried without a dissenting voice,
is that Of adjournment.
Although Congressman are motor
iously derelict in the matter of being
present at the opening prayer, until
last Wednesday morning, l do not
remember ever to have heard the
chaplain invoke the divine blessing
upon the deliberations OF the body
when only one Senator was his atl-
dience, besides the President OF the
Senate. Fortunately the chaplain's
salary is safely arranged whether or
not there is respectful attendance at
his prayers. The senator referred
to was Mr.. Jonas of Louisiana, who
is Hebrew. The backward state of
the appropriation bills, and the inn
pending deadlocks over some of them
make it probable that the Forty
ninth Congress will be called togeth-
err in the early spring. Last week
it was matter that Congressman
considered improbable, but they
have since realized that an extra
session may become necessity.
Each side charges the other with
pursuing an obstructive course in
order to bring about the result. The
Republicans have nothing to gain by
it, and Mr.. Reed, of Maine, one of
the most prominent Republican lead
ers in the House, says he has heard
only one Republican member express
a desire to remain at the Capitol
during the summer. When the
question was referred to i'm the SEN
ate, it evoked an energetic protest
from Senator ingalls,, who, 1T is I'M
derstood, voiced the views of the
Republicans in that body. In the
House Mr.. Bayne charged the Dem
ocrats with an effort to force an
extra session, so as to have an excuse
for remaining in Washington where
they can make direct personal APP
peals to the new President.
Cabinet speculations have not
been so rife for the past day or two,
though the subject has not lost in
terest. Mr.. Cleveland is now under
stood to be making his selections
from fifteen names, among which are
those that have been repeatedly
mentioned for the Cabinet. The
Democrats express the hope that he
will decide upon his Cabinet and an.
nounce it very soon. The chosen
ones can then make necessary pre-.
parations, and the rejected ones will
have time to recover from their dis
appointment before Mr.. Cleveland
arrives here. There will be some
keen disappointments. The large
number of aspirants for Cabinet
hOnOrs makes that unavoidable.
President Arthur will hold one
more public reception before the close
of his term, and it will occur late
this week or during the early part
OF next, when so many visitors will
be in the city to attend the ceremo-
MES OF the Washington Monument
dedication.
/ In making provision for the accom-.
mediation of the thousands who are
coming to the Inauguration, due ar
rangements have been made for
the hundreds of pick-p pockets and
thieves who are expected. Several
days since l dropped into a detect
ives Office where / found them en-
gagged with about bushel of photo
graphs. These pictures represented
the crooks Of various cities, and had
been sent by the police of those
cities. There we're several copies of
each picture, and rogue gallery
was being prepared for each pre-
cinct, so that the officials could study
the faces and arrest the originals If
they met them on the streets. They
we're photographs of pick pockets
principally, but the housebreakers,
the confidence man, the bunco man,
the monte man, and every other
species of criminal were there.
Difficulties and delays are con-
nected with the preparation of the
ball room for the Cleveland Inaugu-
ration festivities, which f0rcibly re-
call similar difficulties associated
with the second inauguration ball of
Gen. Grant. An immense frame
building was projected for that occa.
sion in Judiciary Square, a short
distance only from the new Pension
building in which the coming ball
will he held. AS the fourth of March
drew near, and delays in the com
pletion of the building arose, the
anxiety Of the managers became in.
tense. Extra forces of men were
employed day, night and Sunday.
Finally, when the building was fin
ished, the heating arrangements
were found inadequate, and gas Jets
we're resorted to which were kept
burning day and night. The cold
was severe on that eventful evening.
and in spite ofall that could be done,
there was intense suffering at the
ball. Gentlemen danced in their
overcoats, and ladies in seal skin
Jackets and fnrs. A number of Der.
sons lost their lives in consequences
OF cold contracted there. Fortunate
ly, the Cleveland ball room can be
made warm whatever kind of winds
the ides OF March may bring.
Mr.. Melvin, of jefferson. moved in