The Press., 1885-09-17
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington, D. C., Sept.

Washington, D. C., Sept. Il, 1885.
 The first cabinet meeting since the pres idents return was held on Monday, Secre- taries Bayard, Manning and Lamar being present. The Austrian mission and the Wyoming troubles were discussed. The cabinet meeting commencing at II a. m. continued until late in the afternoon Consultations in relation to recommends tions to congress consumed most of the time of the time.
 The question of appointing democrats to offices held by republicans is one that confronts the president on his return. Some of those who, either for themselves or others, want places, are already on hand. The Ohio democrats want control of the federal offices of that state to aid them in the pending political canvass, and considerable pressure will be brought to bear upon the president to grant them this aid The presidents attention will be ur- gently called to the political status of the senate, and to the feasibility of making that body democratic during his term. According to the democratic calculations their party may count upon electing dem- ocratic successors to eight of the nine who go out on their side. They count Della ware, Florida, Maryland, Mississippi, Mis- souri, Tennessee, Texas, and West Vir- R1Dla aS sue GO 0leCG ueIOCIdtlC SeudbOES, and admit that of the nine outgoing dem ocrats the seat of only Fair of Nevada is doubtful. With regard to the sixteen re- tiring republicans, democrats contend that eight of them can be replaced by demo- crats by good management. If the demo- crats could succeed in making their esti- mates hold good they would gain nine senators and loose one, which would give them a majority of eight i'll the senate. | But in all calculations of success ill getting control of the upper house of the national legislature, the distribution of federal pa tronage in the states counted upon to re- turn democratic senators instead of repub- licans is relied upon. Well informed.dem- ocrats, however, are not sanguine of re- ceiving assistance from the administration whose policy as far as can be discerned has been to avoid the very appearance of interference in politics.
 The appointment of Mrs. Mulligan to succeed Miss Sweet as pension agent at Chicago ends somewhat memorable con- test. In April last Gen. Black wrote to Miss Sweet demanding her resignation, and she declined to resign and appealed to the president for protection. Tuesdays s mail brought to the white house letter from Miss Sweet, in which she says that, having accepted the eastern agency of an enterprise having it's headquarters ill Chicago, she respectfully tenders her res- ignation as pension agent, to take effect upon the qualification of her successor The letter concludes with an expression of thanks to the president and cabinet for courtesies and consideration. The presi- dent referred the letter to Secretary Lamar, and he yesterday recommended Mrs. Mul- ligan's appointment. Mrs. Mulligan is widow of the union officer who organized the original Mulligan brigade, and as such is woman with claims on grateful coun- try. She has been Commissioner Black s choice for the place for some time, and by her appointment General Black has set tied question that was becoming of some interest, namely, whether he or Miss Sweet was the boss of his office.
 Judge Bryant, assistant attorney general for the post-office department, returned to the city to-day. He has been up in the woods near Lake Superior with Postmaster. : General Villas. He says that Colonel Vil as has gained five pounds. The fish stories } that he tells would necessitate the enlarge ment of your columns to reproduce them
 The officials in the United States treas ury are we'll pleased with the financial ex hibit of the month of August, during which the debt was reduced nearly three millions. They consider all the figures te be indicative of a revival of business, ano that the prospect is now brighter than a