Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-04-25
THE GARNET AT WORK.
some Psculisrities of the Presidents
ksf Official Family.

d the CablneI are last becoming d0mes-
icated in their several Departments ana
much gossip is INDUCED in concerning
heir abilities and personal paculiarities.
The public life of these men is familiar
O all newspaper readers, but not every
5ae has observed their individual traits
hose little characteristics of mind and
person which can be seen only in private
life or al the office desk, and which afford
true index to the general quality of the
intellect and heart. The truth of Voltaire's
.aving: 'ShOw me a statesman's Office.
ais desk, his chair and his books, and |
viii give you an accurate description of
ais mind" is nowhere more strikinglv
Illustrated than in the characters of the
new Cabinet officers, more especially the
secretary ofState, the Attorney General
and the secretary Of the Navy. Mr.. Bay
ard is generally considered the intel
lectual saul OF the Cabinet, head and
shoulders above his associates. During
his long public life, his career has been
distinguished by a wise conservatism and
a scrupulous practice of the maxim, SIN
medic stat Virtus,' which have made him
the NeStOr Of his party. He has never
made a very great speech or originated a
very profound legislative measure. but he
happens to be always on the right side of
public questions, and being careful
student of political economy, can be
safely relied upon to guide less expert
enced minds. He IS more solid han bril-
liant, pos esses acquired wisdom rather
than il tuitiYe genius. and aiains his OBJ
jects by cautious, wcll-plauned manmu-
HreinS IA her than by hold, but risky
moves. Any one who visits the state
Department can see how accurately his
public character is miro ed by his
working idiOsyncracies and Office sur
rOundinIs.
THE SECRETARY AT WORK.
The room in which Mr.. Bayard works
is furnished in a severe, stately style, and
is i'll adapted for luxury. One of his first
acts as Secretary of State was to remove
all the lOunging and rocking chairs and
substitute a number of armless, straight
Jack seats, OF which the one in front of
his own desk is decidedly the most I'M
comfortable. Here he sits almost erect
during working hours. seldom turning
his head and never indulging IN the
luxury of crossing his legs or taking a
refreshing stretch. Everything about him
is in model order. The mass of papers on
his desk is arranged as orderly as envel-
Opes in box. His pens lie in exactly
parallel lines. Not drop of ink can be
seen on the wood or cloth. Even the
waste basket savOrs of method. When he
has performed the duties of the dav he
wipes his pens with extreme care, takes
a careful survey of the room to see that
everything is in place and slowly de-
scends to the street. To his subOrdnates
he isp0ite but chilly, and inspires respect
rather the affection.
The clerks of the State Department are
just now in great trembling and con-
sternation, not that they fear dismissal,
but because they have a dreadful fOrebOd-
that fHp SECRETARY will 11q,Iarf olr tn
establish throughout his domains the re-
form in the matter of chairs which he has
introduced into his private office. Even
dismissal would be preferable to such
hearJless innovation. How could all
these idle, pampered fellows while away
Tie long weary hours of the daYIn straight
hatk seats when they have been az
cu,tomed all their official life to Toll on
t0as and reclining chairs after their two
or three hours daily work? 1t is bad
eacugh to keep them at the department
til o'clock every day, but to deprive
hem Of their cushions is almost as great
barbarity as to make them work for
their salaries.
Another subject that agitates the State
department is the absence so far Of liquid
refreshments in the vicinity of the Sec
retary's room. This is the unkindest cut
of all Thirsty officials and visitors sadly
recall the palmy days OF the Hayes adj
ministratiOn and picture to their minds
the festive punch-bOWl of Secretary
Eyarts, which was thing of Joy TO all
who labored and were thirsty. 1t is SAID
that EYarts spent one-third of his salary
on this blessed bowl and took more delight
ia its contents than IN any of his state
papers. To praise mis- punch was the
surest avenue to his heart, and, indeed,
any one who tasted the delicious beverage
could not refrain from singing its praises.
n tho of the hglnVnd howl ha
4 Secretary even forgot his circumlocutory
4 style of expression and saluted his Wis
TORS with plain, hearty ''Take drink"
Blaine, while Secretary of State, dethroned
the punch-bOwl in favor of an assortment
of Old wines, which were quite as accepta-
bic TO all concerned except Eyarts, who
occasionally dropped In, cast a sad glance
at the throne OF his uncrowned treasure,
and lamentod the heartlessnass OF the new
Secretary.
Mr.. Freinghuy sen, more aristocratic
than his predecess Ors, would have noting
hut champagne, but as he dispensed it
freely there was no cause for complaint.
Secretary Bayard, from whom 50 much
was expected. begins his new career with
out even bottle Of beer for the thirsty
waytarer. Department peOrle look
with mingled wonder and indignation
on this violation Of established precedent,
but nourish the hope that in time Mr..
Bayard will see the error Of his ways and
n amend.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
There is a marked contrast between the
n Secretary OF State and the man who pre-
sides over the Department of Justice.
Attorney General Garland's Office habits
A give clue to the lights and shades OF his
mind. He mas no regular hour for reach
ine his department. Sometimes he comes
E 40 in the morning, at other times
not till l in the afternoon, and not un-
frequently drops in just at the end OF
business hours. One day he Will work
Ike steam engine and get through
N great amount OF labor; next day he will
spend his time reading newspapers or
chatting with his subordnates. He can
accomplish more within n given short
ime than any member Of the Cabinet, but
ne has perhaps the least capacity for long
continued effort. His Office is a beautiful
n picture OF confusion. Books are piled ON
n papers; stray pens and ink bottles can be
seen on all sides; newspapers are on the
esh and under IL and on all the chairs.
mere lies his slouch hat against a bottle
Vi Iid INK and the two are pretty sure 10
mIngle the next time the Attorney GEN
efal pitches book on that table. There
l9 lQrloru-lOOking slipper peeIing out OF