The Southern herald., 1886-02-20
Our Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, Feb. Is, 1886

at once ordered by the President
that the flags upon the various De-
partments be placed at half mast.
A bill was at once passed by the
Senate providing for the erection
of monument to the memory Of
the illustrious general, while the
House testified its respect in the
customary way, and voted itself a
holiday.
During a general discussion of
the silver question in the Senate
on Monday last, Senator Sherman
astonished his fellow Senators by
making an earnest and vigorous
speech in open session on the con-
troversy between the Senate and
the Executive as to their respective
powers regarding persons suspend
ed by office. This is the first
public speech upon the subject,
which had heretofore been discuss
ed only in executive session. The
news travelled rapidly through the
Capitol, and the galleries were soon
filled with interested listeners.
Mr.. Sherman declared that all in
formation upon the files of any Dc
partment belonged to the Senate;
that while he did not claim that
the Senate could exercise any pow
er over the Presidents" discretion,
that the President must not pre-
vent the Senate from having the
same information that he had when
he made the nomination.
1t is reported that Senator Ed
munds has of late changed his
mind on the subject of secret ses-
sions, and that he now favors the
consideration of the Presidents
nominations in open session, and
that he will make a speech in sup
port Of Mr.. Platt's open session re-
solution.
The debate on the bill for the
relief Fitz-John Porter was begun
in the House on Thursday, and by
special order the debate is to con-
tinue without interruption after the
morning hour every day until
Thursday next, when it will be
closed by the previous question.
A large delegation of Indians,
from Indian Territory, are here to
protest against the passage of the
bill providing for allotment of their
land in severalty.
The President gave his third
State dinner on Thursday evening
in honor of the Justices of the Su.
preme Court, and on Friday even.
ing entertained the Diplomatic
Corps.
On Thursday evening the final
reception of the present Chinese
Minister, Cheng Tsao Ju, prior tc
his departure to his native land
was given. Nearly all of the mem
bers of the Diplomatic Corps were
present, as were also the members
of the Cabinet and many Senator
and Congressman.
During several years past ther,
has been a disagreement betweer
the Naval Observatory and tn,
officers of the Navy over the con
troll of that institution, the nava
officers claiming that it is a nava
institution, and that the officers o
that service should have charge o
the work, while the professor
claim that it is purely a scientif,
! institution, and should be CONTROL
ed by scientific men. Six year
ago a site for a new observator,
was bought by theGovernment, ,bu
no appropriation for the buildinI
has been made by Congress owini
to the disagreement that has exist
ed as to its management. Th
American Academy of Sciences, t
whom the question was referred
: have recently submitted a report
: in which, after reviewing the his
/ tory of the institution, they hol
that it has long since ceased to per
form any distinctive naval funC
, tions, and that it properly shoul
, be placed in charge of civilians
! and shnuld he known nov as IN