Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1886-11-19
Le,,er from Washington.
WASHINGTON. Nov. l6, 1886

ClVll SeTVlCt Oy StCh 10 NV" ~o
solute impartiality and perfection
Thus Mr.. Donahue, elected from the
heart of Tammany, having been In
Washington, was sent for by Mr.. Cieve-
land for the purpose of confab and
comparison of notes. Mr.. ID. was very
frank: told the President that the CIVIL
Service System was cuDningly devised
niece of partisan machinery and inva-
sion of popular rights as well MS the
Constitutional prerogative Of the Presi-
dent. who, as the choice Of the people,
had a right, not to be abridged, to choose
his agents and subordinates without the
dictation of any partisan organization
Donahue says he was not Cleveland
man when he went to the White House,
and was still less when he came away.
He states that the President conceded 1t
to be an absurdity that whilst man OF
46 years of age shall not hold common
clerkship paying 81 900 year, yet he
can be Secretary, Senator, ora Pres
ident! Sam Randall, you will recollect,
pointedlv declared in the last Congress
that he would never vote dollar in
support of Il scheme that thus ostraclzed
myriads of intelligent and worthy citi-
zens. Another eloquent New York
member of the next Congress, Rourke
Cochran, is thorough going foe to the
Civil Service policy.
Some relentings are felt at the conse-
onences of the discharge of about zoe
workmen from the Washington Navy
Yard. 1t was sore SET back to East
Washington, as was the Printing once
curtailment to North Washington. Two
months ago we were told that In from
four to six months good many OF the
discharged men would be restored; 1t Is
now said that the promised good time
will not be for year TO come. VI course,
such propitious news must be cheering
| TO the discharged men and their lam
lilies. no are thus enabled to take
RiD Van Wrinkle nap till, say, about TIE
beginning of the year 1888.
Michael Davitt IL doing his best out
at Pittsburg to maintain the spirit OF
| incivism that keeps one-half OF Ireland
in peypetual ferment and torment. But
the antagonists of the Parnellites turn
snch eloauence into ammunition for
their party, for they have one'e6nt
naper which copies out all that tram
spires on their side of the Atlantic and
circulates It from Lands End to John U.
Groats. Davitt's speeches suit their
turn precisely.
Nobody suits the Russian Car for
Prince of Bulgaria but Nicholas of Min
grelia 1.-THE ancient Colchis) who is an
officer i'm the Russian service. The
Austro. Hungarians throughout the En-
pire repudiate such choice as well they
might, and so the Bulgarians are still
At a loss for ruler. From all that now
appears England, Austria and Germany
are united in the purpose Of disallowing
Russia to appropriate Bulgaria. Inc
Car seems to have cast all moral consid-
Grafton to the wild winds and to regard
brute force as the one thing needful. Ii
he dares all this whilst yet unpossessei
of Constantinople, what would he do II
ensconcel there? Would it not require
more than Peter the-Hermit crusade
to root him out?
The inference to be drawn from the
evidence In the Police trial would seem
10 be that weakness rather than wicked
ness beset both sides, viz, Major Walker,
the Chief; and Lieutenant Richard Ar
mold. Walker, at the October meeting
of his lieutenants, could not withhold
his citation Il: having his estimates for
the coming year approved by the Dis
trict Commissioners, and in the gush OF
his Joy and pride wanted the lieuten-
ANTS TO aid the estimates by such per-
sonal representations and appeals to
their acquaintances among Congress
men, as might influence chem to appro-
pirate the estimates. and to add very
largely to the police force. Talk was
free all round, and something was said
about the habits of some Congressman,
when Arnold blurted out that he knew
of one who visited a disreputable house
at least twice a week. Then it mi ght
have been said that no notice must be
taken of such matters n0p, but that
time might come when use coulG be
made of them. At all events, Arnold
one night told leaky Sergeant, Dig
gins. about the substance of what
passed at the meeting, but bound Dig
gins to silence, which was promised.
Diggins kept his promise by telling
Edelin,; soon after which the matter
got into the papers, when Senator Ed
munds called on the President, who
dropped an autograph letter to the Dis
trict Commissioners. calling their atten-
ton 10 the matter. Then Arnold was
very peuitent and offered, if it would
stop the scandal, to be reduced to the
ranks, but was told that it was now too
late. for it had got into big peoples
hands. Arnold's best plea is that no
order for silence was given; at the same
time he deeply regrets his talk to Dig
gins. He contradicts Walker in some
important points, and is corroborated by
Lieutenants Gessford and Kelly.
Walker adheres to his own statements.
Public sentiment rather favors Arnold;
but have given you an impartial &C
count. My own impression is that the
affair is not likely TO help the objects of
the force very much; at least not just
now.
rLo latost ;ntalliOapnn atates that the