Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-12-22


! Dodd, of Fnnquicr county, Robert E. Rus.
| Sell and E'iiah 7 Myors,of Loudoun county,
mud Of Susan :. Samuel and John Scott, of
| Cuipeprr county, Virginia, all Of which were
referred 10 the committee on war claims.
MIR. Barbour also presented petition Of
citizens of Fairfax county, Virginia, asking
legislation in behalf of the agricultural in
| terests OF the country, which was referred TO
the Committee on Agriculture. Mr. Trigg,
of Virginia, presented the petition of Mrs.
Emma Clark, of Washington county, Vir-
ginia, that her war claim he referred to the
Court of Claims also in memorial of Char.
lotte X. Sibley and others. Mr.. Wise pre-
sented tho petition Of William Baily. of Cold
Harbor.
The President is certainly standing by his
coored friend Matthew'S Recorder Of Deeds
for the District with great persistency.
Matthews claimed IN an interview yester.
day that in the light Of his denomination by
the PRESIDENT and the satisfactory conduct
of his office, the Senate could have now no
ground for his rejection save that of Senator
| lngalia, which is that no negro should be
encouraged to join the democratic party by
confirming him for any Office whatever. 1t
is probable that opposition such as Ingalls,
accompanied by bigoted party reasons such
as that Senator assigns, will have ten
dency to create for Matthews sympathy
in certain quarters that he would not other
wise receive. In regard 10 Mrs. James
Lyons, whose employment in his Office WAS
stated in thi correspondence Monday, and
which has occasioned so much surprise, there
was no hesitation on the part Of the Record.
er to speak freely of it. He stated be had
made few changes only as yet in his Office,
but those We're judicious ones and not for
party capital. Some five or more of the
kinsfok of his predecessor, Douglas, were
in when he took possession, and their NUN.
Der he had felt compelled to decrease. Mrs.
Lyons, he said, had come with high recon-
mendations from eminent people in Virginia
aad the District of Columbia, and he had
given her regular clerical employment.
first been impressed by her command.
ing appearance and elevated deport.
ment, and funced that she must be a
lady of distinguished family extraction
and social antecedents, that he had endeav-
ored to treat her in u manner becoming the
situation, and believed she would state that
he had done so. He did not know, however,
the particulars regarding Mrs. Lyons, her
family, etc, until he had seen them in the
GAZETTE. Apropos to this case it NAV be
stated that Miss Lizzie Van Lew, n Union
lady and SPY for the federals at Rich.
mond, has been holding sinecure in the
Interior or Postoflce Department,
drawing one hundred dollars or more per
month, and doing because she is unable to
do it, little or no work. The position was
given her originally for the distinctive rea.
son that she had been spy and needed the
money for herself and nieces, which she in.
sisted the Government should pay her.
She was radical republican, held the post.
Office at Richmond eight years at five thou
sand dollars per year, and when that failed
her came here.
COL Mosby is in the city to-day. He
says he was never treated better in his life
than he has been in Massachusetts, where
he is now delivering course of lectures,
and that since he came here he has received
ansinvitation from one Of the swell clubs
Of that city TO lake his Christmas dinner
| with them. The Colonel says tho Treasury
Department owes him about ten thousand
dollars, which he will get That and the
| fifteen thousand dollars he is to get from
his lecture course will make quite a nice
little nest egg. He is, as is known, one of
the retained counsel in San Francisco of the
Pacific Railroad.
The House Ways and Means Committee
to-day agreed to report tavorably the bill
for reducing the number Of customs dis.
tilctS by consolidating some Of the smaller
ones. The bill reduces the humber of dis.
tricts lnNlrsnia TO three and consolidates the
Alexandria with the Georgetown district.
The House Banking aud Currency Com.
mttee 10 day agreed that at an early day
after the recess they would report favorably
the Senate bill for the redemption of the
trade dollars.
Both houses Of Congress adjourned to day
until Tuesday, the 4th Of January.
AS anticipated in this correspondence, the
Randall so called democrats, at their con.
ference last. might, left the whole matter on
which they we're to confer to Mr.. Randall
who will prepare bill to be introduced
soon after the holidays. The bill will con-
tain no provision relating to reduction of
the tariff, as Mr.. Randall thinks the friends
of such reduction might avail themselves
ofthe opportunity it would afford to attempt
to increase the number of articles to which
it would apply. It will therefore provide
only for reduction of the internal revenue
tax on tobacco and on liquor distilled from
fruit.
In the House today Mr.. Holman, the
great objector, to the surprise OF every BODY,
sat in his seat and allowed several private
bills to DO passed without obscting. His
remarkable conduct was explained how.
ever, and caused general laugh, when he
arose, presented, and had passed similar
one, in the passage Of which he was inter.
ested.
None Of the Virginia nominations sent to
the Senate since the reassembling of Con-
gress, have as yet been considered in exec
utive session. The nomination of the col.
ored New Yorker, Matthews, to be recorder
of deeds, will, it is said to day, be rejected
by as large majority as it was at the last
session.
One of the morning papers of this city Of
to.day's date contains letter in reference
to the aqueduct bridge, to which is append.
ed the name of representative John S. Bar
bour. Mr.. Barbour says he never wrote
the letter, and does not want to be held re.
sponshle for letters written by other peo.
pie. With regard to the bridge referred to,
the Government will order an inspection,
and the probability is that it will be opened
to travel during the erection Of the proposed