The Daily Tombstone., 1886-03-20
WASHINGTON LETTER.
The s'Green Mountain" Senator
 Does up Grover.
WASHINGTON. March 15, 1886


 vent of Ash Wednesday, and lenten season of comparative quiet has com menced. Although no large enter tainments will be given, it is not like ly that the present stagnation in society will continue during whole forty days of lent. The monotony will be relieved by numerous quiet luncheon and dinner parties.
 The entertainment given by Presi, dent Cleveland on Tuesday evening is generally conceded to have been not only the most brilliant, but the largest and best conducted of any of the num- erous receptions held at the White House during recent years. The in vitations were issued in srch way that no branch of the government service, and no one connected with the service, could complain that they had not been made welcome. Not withstapding the perfect arrange ments which had been made to ac- commodate those within the building, the crush upon the outside was enor- nous. The entrance to the Executive Mansion was almost inaccessible, a double row of carriages lining the drives. Pedestrians were more fortu- nate however, and were able to drop into line without the delays incident to carriage arrivals.
 The President sent to the Senate on Wednesday his first veto message. It was of bill for the relief of John H. McBlair, who was appointed first lieutenant in the regular army in 1861, and shortly afterwards was found 10 be inoapacita,ed for service and was retired from the army. The President subsequently, revoked the order and placed him upon the retired list, and upon his presenting claim for longevity pay, the question as to whether he had been legally restored to the army was referred to the Court of Claims, and that court decided that he had not been legally restored. He then had bill introduced in Congress to suspend the law regulating ap- pnintments, and allow the President to appoint him fir lieutenant and place him upon the retired list, AL though the case is one of little impor- tance. 1t IS as gravely treated hy the | Pr sident as though it concerned the most importan, public Questions. During his term as Governor of New York Mr. Cleveland sent to the Legis- lAture about one hundred and fifty Vsto messages, and it is thought that the message of Wednesday last is but the first of a series soon to follow.
 The speech of Senator Edmunds on Tuesday is said to have been one of the greatest efforts of his life. It had been generally reported that MT. Ed munds was to open the debate, and long before the hour set for the con- mencement of the session the galleries were packed, and every seat upon the floor had been taken. No one who has ever spoken in the Senate con- manded greater attention than did MT. Edmunds during the two hours occupied in the delivery of his speech His logic was clear, direct and over whelming. His speech showed great research and historical knowledge. The debate was upon resolution to censure the Attorney General for his refusal to furnish certain papers. After clearly defining the law govern l ing the office of the Attorney General and defining the term official papers" he demonstrated that private papers could not be on file in the depart ments. He reviewed the various reso- iutions of the Senate calling upon the President for information, and stated that their was no confidential act of the Executive Department that had not been inquired into by Congress, and in no important case had infor- nation been refused. The debate, which was so ably begun by MT. Ed munds, has been continued during the week, and promises to be one of the most interesting discussions of the session.
 On Friday last hearing was had before the House Committee on post offices and post-roads in behalf of a