The Press., 1885-06-11
WASHINGTON LETTER.

The first week of summer has witnessed many changes here. There1lave been dis missals and appointments in every grade of the public service, from bureau chiefs down to white house ushers and depart ment watchmen. - .-...
 The friends of civil service reform felt, some weeks ago, that their cause was in peril from the powers that be, and now all hope that the theory on which the reform rests will be applied to the civil service generally, has been destroyed. Direct as- saults have been made on the citadel of the reformers-the civil service law itself. Some have occurred in the treasury, oth- CTS in the department of the interior The prospect now is that these aggressive acts will continue until nothinfi will be left of the statute. ~.
 Secretary Lamar expects to make many ners of the patent office. He has directed that no information be given to the press from the appointment division of the in- terior department. For some time those holding the position of patent office exam iners have been thinking that they would not be disturbed, experience and training being such needed qualifications in their positions - .-r
 Complaint is made that the civil service G ,mmissioners have not stood as firmly as they should have done in defence of their great trust. It was inevitable that the ac- cession of a democratic administration af- ter twenty-four years of republican ascen- dency, would bring on terrible conflict between the spells system and the reform embodied in the civil service law. It is alleged that the commissioners manifest an unwillingness to offend the new admin istratlon and show timidity calculated to encourage the spells hunters.
 It is reported that republican senators are discussing 8 plan of action regarding the confirmation of president Cleveland's nominations in cases where officers were removed for offensive partisanship. They propose to confirm no nominations of men who can be shown to be them selves offensive partisans." When the senate meets the two parties in most of the states will have passed through an electoral canvass, which in some states will be of much heat and interest. If it be found that the new appointees in such states have been guilty of the same offen- ses as those for which their predecessors were removed, the republican senate can not vote to confirm them.
 The spectacle of Congressman Holman
 
 of amusement just now among his breth- relr MT. Holman is the objector of the House, the rigid economist. During the last session however, he secured the pass- age of clause in an appropriation bill al- lowing committee of five members to make an excursion west to investigate h. dian affairs. The tour will continue until October, and include Idaho with the Vel lowstone park, Oregon, Washington terrl- tory and Nevada. There is no limit to the money to be expended except that the amounts drawn at one time must not be larger than $1, ,000, and MT. Holman has made his son clerk of the committee. The breadth of this provision was criticised, but as the self-appointed ''watch- -dog' of the treasury was to be head of the com mittee, it was allowed to pass.
 ssLast week." relates gentleman inter- viewed in the Chicago Ia,ter-O Ocean, "I met in New Orleans daughter of old Sam Houston, who unsettled all my notions as to her father. This lady, Mrs. Nettie H. Bringhurst, is now a very earnest worker in the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, and is very highly regarded by all factions in Louisiana happened 10 speak of seeing her father in Vermont years and years ago, and she in reply said | . Il
 that she was born only a few months after he returned from that trip to New England In the course of the conversation she said that her father died of broken heart, and she mentioned coincidence which, if I ever heard of it, had forgotten. When Texas came into the union Houston, who had served two terms as president, was opposed to annexation. When the war broke out he was governor of the state, and was opposed to secession. He took the position that as Texas had come vol untarily into the union she must stay. But the convention and the legislature were against him, and finally resolution was passed to depose him from office. The day before this resolution was to take eff. ct he resigned. Before this President Lin- coin offered him troops to keep the state in the union, but he declined assistance. He was offered place in the cabinet, but he declined this, and retired to his farm in the country, and grieved over the break up of the union, and, literally speaking, died of a broken he9rt.
 GEN. B. F. BUTLER. Still lives, SO do hun. dreds of others who have been cured of rheu. matism and neuralgia by the great blood puri: fer, Sulphur Bitters. Send for testimonials