Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1886-11-20
WASHINGTON.
Bayard on Electlons-sample Pres


Bayard on Electlons-sample Pres
ents-A Relic.
Special Correspondence Of the 1NrER.OcEAN.
WASHINGTON, Nov. II. Secretary
Bayard, the day after the New York
election, gave me some interesting opin-
ions on the subject of elections in gener-
al in this country. He said: 1.-THE ra-
pidity with which the result has been
ascertained in New York and the abso-
Lutte certainty with which it has been an
nounced, should recommend the system
in vogue in that state to other states.
After the ballots are counted they are
destroyed and the result is thencefor-
ward undisputed. The transfer of the
tremendous power in this country with
certainty and rapidity is a marvel, 1t
should always be done quickly and when
it is done there can be no reconsidera-
ton with any degree of safety. In some
countries the transfer of power al
most invariably brings revolution and
it is the fear of something of that sort
that has induced certain countries to rest
all their permanency of power and influ-
ence upon the foolish and illogical acct
dent of primogeniture. But foolish and
illogical as this mere accident is, it has
been the bulwark against revolution and
anarchy in the ages through which the
great nations of the past have come up
to their present degree of civilization.
In this country where it all depends on
the votes everything should be just as
unquestioned. The votes should be &C
curately counted and there should be no
possibility of r%ehearing or recount"
1t is decidedly a ''cold day. when First
Auditor Chenowith don't hear in some
substantial way from his numerous
Texas friends. One day it is a FOND
mother who has produced five good DEM
ocratic sons at a single birth and who
names n of them after the Judge; an
other day 1t is an elegant can beautiful
ly carved out of native woods, and still
another day there comes along a new
patent buckle for a Mexican saddle. But
the last acquisition is a basket of elegant
Japanese persimmons, each of which is
as large as a mans fist. They come all
the way from Texas by express. Very
few people here have eve seen anything
of the kind, though there is a large tree
in the Agricultural grounds which pro-
duces them as fine as the Texas variety.
A lively discussion on the subject Of
civil seryce reform took place in the
private secretary's room of Secretary
Manning's Office OH Thursday morning
while several congressman II newspa-
per men were waiting for an audience.
Congressman O'Neil, of st. Louis, was
IL of the participants, and was free in
expressing his opinion against the pres
ent system. He insisted that he favored
reform, but 1T was an entirely different
kind from the so-called variety at pres
ent in vogue. Congressman Lawler, of
Chicago, came forward as the champion
of the present system, and showed his
peculiar talent as a debater in it's de-
Tense. By the way, Lawler bids fair to
make things lively in certain quarters
in the house this winter. He is as I'M
adorned a o of ''auld sod as has shown
up in congress for many a day.
The Buffalo Historical society has re-
ceiyed a donation from Gen. VIM. B.
Rochester, the paymaster general of the
army at Washington, a most valuable
historical curiosity and relic of the war
of the rebellion. 1t is the case If a
Capt. Bourry, a distinguishe d Austrian
officer, who was recommended to Gen..
Mcclellan by the president, and by the
former assigned to the staff of Gen. Blen-
ker in October, 1861, and served until
June, 1852. AT that time Con. Blenker
wrote to the war department a statement
of the facts and as to the services of
Capt. Bourrv, and asking that he be
paid. The matter being laid before Pres
ident Lincoln he wrote as follows: II
remember nothing Of the case, but I de-
sire that it shall be Investigated and that
Capt. Bourry be paid for the service he
actually performed, if any: Thegovern-
ment ca~nnotafford to accept services and
refuse payment for Them" Then fol-
lows a letter from the wal department
stating the claim, and that the president
desired the case investigated, and refer
ring it to the adjutant general for infOr-
nation as to whether this officer had
been mustered into the United States
service. The adjutant general, under
date of Aug. 10, returned the matter,
SUbtAlS CldG OdpGs 1DOuIIy was ll6t0r
mustered into service within the knowl-
edge of his office. All of which being
laid before Mr.. Lincoln he wrote on the
face OF tho paper as follows: 81 did not
ask whether this man had been mustered
into service. Have we accepted his ac-
tual services? If we have let him be
paid, unless there is positive law against
it." Then follows. under date of Aug.
%, a direction from the wal department.
to Major Rochester to pay the officer in
full.
The Troy Telegram, referring to the
dark complexion of Senator Logan, says
that he inherited it from his Irish ances-
tors, who were of the Phoenician type.
These Phoenicians, who were all red
skinned, emigrated to England and Ire
land before the Roman invasion, and
many of their descendants are still to be
found in both countries. Several we'll
known gentlemen who have the same
swarthy complexion, long black hair
and high cheek bones as the general,
have been seen in Washington. Among
them is the we'll known John Harmon
of Detroit, Mich, who has been attend
ing Democratic conventions from tho
first down to the last Chicago v
ton, and putting in the interim assist
ing legislation" at Lansing and Wash
ington. It is asserted by ex-Mayor
Thompson, of Detroit, that Harmon is
Only deferred from irving his %nersOnal