The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-01-17
Washington Letter.
Regular Correspondence.
WASHINGTON, Jan. Is, Il

WASHINGTON, Jan. IL, 1888.
The monotony of the week that has
passed was broken by the celebration of
the battle of New Orleans" Jackson's
day" as il is called The election of Jack
son marked the overthrow of a corrupt
party despotism, and it was fitting that the
names of Jackson and Cleveland should be
associated in celebrating the victory of
New Orleans when the country is rejoicing
in the overthrow, through Cleveland, of the
gigantic and despotic oligarchy of Office
stealers and holders known as the republi
can party. The celebration here was dem
ocratic eloquent and successful
Another event was the advent and depar
ture, all in forty eight hours, of Col. La
mont, the private secretary of the president
elect. Col Lamont came TO look for
home and TO scan the field of his future
labor He had'not been in the city before
He has wife and children and must have
house. He did not succeed in getting a
house, but will try again, after the 4th of
March, when a few hundred residences
will doubtless be vacated
II is difficult to believe that only six
weeks more remain of President Arthur
and a republican administration. Prepare
ton is sleepleSs, and expectation is on tip
toe for the 4th Of March. 1t is estimated
that there will be 100000 visitors here at
the Inauguration. | can not think that
there will be 80 many, hut the number will
doubtless be large. As a usual thing the
interest of the country in Washington mat
tiers ceases with the adjournment OF con
gress, but this year it will grow with the
inauguration of new president, new
policy, the appointment of new cabinet,
aud numerous other changes in all the de
partments of public service.
Il is edifying TO see the desperation with
which a large number of drones and sine
curists are trying 10 get themselves con.
yerted into real little civil service refOrmers
and democrats Many of them are shutting
over with an alaCrity that is not graceful
Congress is at work on the appropriation
bills. The navy bin has been passed by
the house, and the consular and diplomatic
bill il under discussion. | heard a repub
lican statesman. so called, bewailing the
tact that the trained and improved consular
aud diplomatic personnel which, he said,
had been established in the Last eight years
by Evarts and Frelinghuysen, must give
politicians. Well, il will be pity if il is
so, but if this noxious class must have Of.
fees, 10y all means let's send them to foreign
courts, where they will have nothing to do,
and win therefore be incapable Of harm.
Modern diplomacy is an anachrOnism and
a farce There is not the slightest neces-
sity for our sending representatives 10 for
eign governments, or for foreign govern
ments to send representatives here We
have nofOreign relations. Steam and cleo
tricitv and the press have made the EN-
bassadorial establishments of contiguous
states useless, then how utterly needless to
keep them up between our country and
trans Atlantic powers Itwould be better
to recall our flimsy ships, cruising in for
eign seas exposing our weakness, and
costing millions annually. II would be
better to dismantle our diplomatic estab-
'i>hmeutS in European capitals The press
with steam and the Atlantic cable will
furnish us prompter and more accurate in
:.aticn than can possibly he obtained by
our heavy representatives abroad. We will
know state secrets as soon as they are
known by kings and their ministers, for