Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1886-05-10
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, MAJ Sd.

The presidents prospective mar
riage, and the probable retirement of
Secretary Manning, have been popu-
lar topics of comment during the
week. Mr.. Cleveland is quite non
cOmmittal as to the former subject.
Very few persons have ventured to
breach the Hateful question to him,
and those who have been so courage
Gus, have not extracted any satisfac-
tory information.
l am authorized, however, to say
that Mr.. Manning will be greatly
disappointed if he is not able finally
to resume his work at the Treasury
Department. Since he has been able
to sit up he has sent for and convers-
ed with his principal officers, and is
kept Informed as to the progress of
affairs. The only apprehension that
his friends now have is that he will
not take the rest that is absolutely
necessary to him.
Frederick Douglass, who lectured
here during the week on his recollec-
tons of slavery, said, among other
things, that he did not approve of
emigration for his race. The negro
could never go to any place where he
could not find white people. He
thinks, by the way, that President
Cleveland is very brave man. Said
he recently in letter to a friend,
"While in office, the president treat
ed me as he treated other office hold
ers in the district. He was brave
enough to invite Mrs. Douglass and
myself to his receptions, thus rebuk-
ing the timidity-I will not say cow
ardice of his predecessor. Whatever
else Mr.. Cleveland my be, he is not
snob and he is not a coward" Mr..
Douglass further said that he was
republican, and would do all he
could to elect republican president
| in 1888; but he honored manliness
| whenever he found it, and he had
found it in the present occupant of
| the White House.
The presidents afternoon hands
shakings are attended by hundred
on the days appointed, and every day
the White House is full of sight-seers.
| The rooms are still in winter dress,
the annual house, cleaning never COM
mencing until the season is far adj
vanced. The number of bridal coup
les among the crowds who admire
the furniture and draperies of the
historic apartments is very large and
are mainly stylish, well-to-do young
people, who are enjoying the sights
here without the tell-tale red book
carried by the average seer.
| The Senate's plan for patching up
the White House at an expense of
| 100000 meets with objections from
different directions. The senate pro-
poses that south of the present
structure there shall be built dupli-
cate house, connected with it by 8
corridor, and that the new edifce
shall be appropriated exclusively by
the family of the president.
The first serious objection to this
) novel scheme is that it practically de
stroys forever the symmetry and in
dividuality of the ancient mansion
which, after a life of more thar
half century, has become as vel
known, probably, as any public build
ing in the world. With the propos
. ed alteration the present heautifu
2 southern front disappears forever
: Again, the new building would com
pletely cut off from the present (thel
the official residence) the lovely vie,
to the south of the beautiful grounds
p of the river and the hills beyond it
: Arlington, the monument, and al
g the other striking objects of interes
j, now so eagerly gazed at by the Wis
0 itors from the southern windows @
n the east room and the adjacent apart
n ments. / Their prospect to the sout
n from those apartments will hence
}. forth be limited to the entrancin
d view of a white wall some thirty {
:. more feet distant, which would equa
t. ly oppose complete barrier to til
ar grateful southern breeze.
!. During the week, for the first tin
,e this session, the senators have di
v cnssed tariff and listened to speee