The Washington critic., 1886-08-25
TOPICS or THE DAY.

Jersey, accompanied by several friends
and regular ships crew. A few days
ago the Brunhilde reached San Fran.
cisco, and Captain Phelps relates some
interesting events Of his long voyage.
Among other things he states that
while at Canton, China, he and
his party were the guests of
Colonel Seymour, the American rep
resentative there. The Colonel is one
of the best known characters Ia China
and is said to have q large measure of
influence with the Chinese authorities.
Some of the wags of Canton attribute
this to the ancient plug hat which the
Colonel has worn for well nigh gen.
Grafton and which the Cclestials hold
in great vcneration. He Is also locally
known as the "Governor of North
Carolina" from his fondness for re-
peating the old time formula of the
bar.room, LAS the Governor of North
Carolina said to the Governor of South
Carolina, it's long time between
drinks" They never allow much time
TO run on without liquid refreshment
in Canton. From Canton the yacht
proceeded to Japan, and Captain
Phelps informs correspondent of the
New York 1FiJWRe that he intends to
return by way OF Cape Horn.
~
One of the best kept secrets l ever
heard, says Macfarland in the Philadel-
pbia Record, was the movement in the
first year of the Hayes Administration
to have the United States purchase
the border states of chihuahua and
Sonora from Mexico for $4,000, 900.
To this day it has been kept from the
newspapers. 1t was begun by London
and New York capitalists who had
bought or intended to buy mines or
ranches in Chihuahua and Sonora, and
who wanted them brought under the
elican flag before they went farther
and began to build railroads. They
had been to Mexico and had arranged
with General Diaz, then as now the
dictator of Mexico, for the sale of
chihuahua and Sonora for $40, ,000, 900.
Diaz seemed to be glad to get rid of
these troublesome border states
at such an advantage, as he was
to secure the railroad communications
which were promised as soon as the
transfer should be complete. Then
they came here to induce President
Hayes to recommend to the Congress
which met in December, 1871 negoti-
atlons looking TO the proposed pur-
chase. Several conferences were held
between the capitalists and Stanley
Matthews, who represented the Admin
istratiun. Matthews was reserved, as
Il diplomatic agent ought to be, but
the capitalists were encouraged to be-
leve that in his annual message Hayes
would carry out their wishes. But he
did not Ii is said that he had actually
written the paragraph which they de-
sired in his message, being influenced
largely by the argument advanced by
his friends that the proposed purchase
from Mexico would take mems minds
off the great fraud of 1876, but at
the last II nent he struck it out with
his usual prudence. lie thought of
San Domingo and shivered The cap.
italsls saw that their opportunity had
passed forever, and they dropped the
matter 1t is interesting to think that
A. X. Cuttings chance Of fame hung
over by such slender thread of cir.
Cumstances.
~
In all the Departments, says the
Washington correspondent OF the
Louisville Post, there are employees who
hold their positions, not on the
strength of their political influence, but
upon the strength of their peculiar
abilities. Among these is Patrick
Hvrnau nf ihn liviSinn of Inons in th "a
Treasury Department. For a dozen
years not an interest check has left the
Department that has not passed
through his hands The interest on
the boads is paid quarterly, and, to in
sure absolute certainty that none OF
the checks go astray, ii is absolutely
necessary that they should all be sealed
by one individual. AS the holders OF
londs are represented in number by
many thousands, it would take three
ordinary clerks to do the work, bat
Byrnes does the mailing single. handed.
The checks are brought down from the
loan division and piled on his desk in
stacks like CordwoOd. Each one must
90 in its right envelope, which has
been previously addressed, Then
Byrnes begins. With no mechanical
assistance, except n wet sponge
he starts in to do the sealing Those
who have seen BitA or lIerrmnnn
handle pack of playing cards before
wonder stricken audience might have
some idea Of the way that Byrne,
rifles the checks into the envelopes
Fifty minute. How he does il nc
one knows. 1t is slcight of hand,
but SO rapidly performed that the eye
cannot follow the movement. Thump
thump, thump, all day long, aud mt the
close OF the departmental day he HI.
filled three store boxes with sealed en-,
velopes. Does he ever make mis-,
take? We'll, no. The checks vary
from $40 to So 900, and single mis-,
take on his part might cost him Il
years salary. 1t is safe to say that ht
never makes one. OF the thousands of
people who quarterly receive these in
terest checks, few know of the wizard
through whose bands they have
passed.
~
The Presbyterians of Kentucky,
says the SoWthGH Bicopac, just before
and during the war were divided In
allegiance, according to their political
sympathies, between DR., Breckenridge
and Dr. Stuart Robinson. These two
eminent divines, both justly celebrate |
for intellectual superiority and learn
ing, were no less distinguished by
ardent and unyielding convictions aud
aggressive, positive tcmpers, which in.