Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1886-12-18
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, Dec. IA. 1856.

uOuO uulluR tuc pdSt week as Is
President Cleveland. He launched
ashrewd politicalcampaign document
upon the public as his second annual
message to Congress, and he got
the better of his rheumatism. The
message was printed and bound in
most sumptrous manner, in striking
contrast TO the Jeffersonian sim
plicity SO much talked of under the
present Administration. The paper
was of the finest quality and finish,
the margins liberal, and the type
extra large.
A certain statesman, when asked
his opinion OF the message, replied
promptly that the binding was very
beautiful. No President before Mr..
Cleveland ever had his annual mes
sages gotten up in an elaborate
style. Jefferson's messages we're
written closely on ordinary writing
paper. without an inch of space
being wasted. In former years
the annual message contained a
great many nominations, too, and
they were sent to Congress by mail.
Nowadays each nomination goes in
separately on the best quality of
paper, and whenever the President
has anything to say to Congress,
his private secretary takes his COM
munication to the Capitol in a ear
riage drawn by two horses.
Now that Congress is here the
fact that the two wings Of the Dem
ocratic party drop widely apart,
becomes glaringly prominent again.
The SO called Democratic leaders
realize that the present session is
likely to be as damaging to their
party as was The last, but they seem
powerless to help 1t. One trouble is
that the leaders cannot lead. Mr..
Morrison's idea of producing har-
mony is to fight everybody who
differs from him into an acceptance
of his views, and of course his
policy has failed utterly. Then
Speaker Carlisle has none of the
qualities of a successful leader. He
lnterprets the rule of the House
very fairly, but he either lacks
energy or influence sufficient to get
his wishes carried out.
While the Tariff programe in the
House is still unsettled, it is thought
the issue will come up in some shape
this week. There have been TO-
formal conferences of all factions,
but no formal caucus, canvas, or
agreement. The Republicans and
Protectionists would like to defeat
consideration of the subject alto
gether, but if enabled to do this,
effort will be made to form a coali-
ton and shape legislation from
protective standpoint.
Speaking of the Presidents
ailment, a certain prominent ply
stefan remarked that it was only
called rheumatism by courtesy, that
the opinion was that he had slight
paralytic stroke. "Paralysis," con.
tinued he, is not disease, but the
symptom of a disease, and that
disease is apoplexy. The latter
kills instantly, but paralysis Stays
by successive strokes" The doctor
was asked why the paralytic phase
of Mr.. Cleveland's illness should be
SO jealousy guarded from the
public. why" said he, "because
Mr.. Cleveland is anxious to be his
own successor, and no man upon
whom it is known that paralysis has
a hold can ever hope to be re.
elected
President Cleveland has the
exact build which apoplexy has
marked for its own. He is
short, heavy man, with a thick neck
and he is an enormous feeder. He
weighs sixty pounds more than
when he came here, and besides be
takes no exersise. beyond riding out
IN carriage. All of these habits
increase the apoplectic tendency. 1t
is SAID that the president is not
devoid of superstition, either, and
that he does not like to pass under
the sable draperies with which the
White House is now swathed in
memory of his predecessor. Since
he has been its occupant, Grant,
Hendricks, and Arthur, have passed
away, with but brief intervals be-
tween, and Mr.. Cleveland has
pathetically alluded to the fact that
the sombre drapings had scarcely
been removed for the one when
they were required for another. 1t
is a notable fact that all the Demo.
cratic candidates for the Presidency,
Seymour. Mcclellan, Hancock and
Tilden, have also died since that
bright day in March, less than two
years, when MIR. Cleveland delivered
his inaugural address from the east
front of the Capitol.
Mr.. Dawdney, the Congressman
from New York, who died of
apoplexy during the past week, was
especially interested in the bill
appropriating half million for the
erection of monument to General
Grant in Riverside Park. The bill
was at the head of the calendars
list, but it was being antagonized in
some way by Geu. Bragg. AS the
deceased Member stepped aboard
the train for New York, his last
words to Gen. Viele were s'Please
try and get Gen, Bragg to consent
to the consideration of my bill.n
Greatly Excited.
Not few of the citizens of Martins