Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1886-11-01
WASHINGTON LETTER.
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS OF THE MONITOR
Washington, Oct. 25th.

There is little or nothing afloat
just now connected with the presi-
dent or his cabinet. Everything is
quiet in the social world, too. Mrs.
Cleveland is living quietly at home,
gaining strength to perform the ar
duous duties of her position during
the coming winter. The 4th of De-
cember is the date set for the first
reception of the season. The wives
of the secretaries have all returned
from their summer tours and are now
absorbed with the all important
questions of house cleaning, furnish
ing and repairing, modistes, millinery
and other preparations for the gay
whirl which will begin a few weeks
hence.
Several weeks ago, at the request
of leading democrats of East Ten
nessee, Major Wagner was appointed
U. S. Pension agent at Knoxville, to
succeed Robert Taylor the democrat
ic nominee for governor. The new
appointee had served with honor as
major of the 18th Tennessee cavalry
of the Union army. Immediately
after his appointment certain demo-
Gratis came here and urged the Sec
rotary of the interior to recommend
to the president the reconsldera-
ton and revocation of the appoint
ment. Their complaint was
that when Mr.. Wagner was
member of the legislature in
1865, he voted to disfranchise ex-
confederates, and also voted for a
resolution offering reward for
the apprehensions of exgovern-
or (now Z. S. senator) Har-
rls, of Tennessee.
In response to the demand of these
persons, Secretary Lamar said he
declined TO propose revocation of
the majors commission because
he had been appointed upon the
recommendation of the leading and
best citizens of Tennessee of all
parties, who represented him as a
man fully qualified by integrity, IN
tellect and character for the po-
sition, and as a man endeared to the
people by his consistent support,
during the past twenty years, of their
highest and best interests. The fact
brought out against him since his
commission was issued that he had
gwen an unjust and unwise vote,
when he was young man, and just
after the war, when the passions OF
both sides were reused to their high
est pitch, (Mr. Lamar lnslsted)
should not now be used to ostracise
HIM from public trust among a peo-
pie to whose rights and interests he
had even since been true and loyal
1--WE have been contending.' wrote
the secretary .sthat the Issues of the
war and the passions growing out Of
it should not be kept alive, and l dc
not know of any instance in which
precept can better be enforced by
eXemple than this. Both sides. il
Tennessee showed the courage Il
fight. | am confident they have alst
that higher quality, the magnanimlt,
to mutually forgive
There is something strange in tn,
mysterious hold Secretary Lamar has
on the hearts of the old soldiers il
this city. They declare that-al
though an ex-confederate, and !;
prominent one at that-he has ap
pointed more Union soldiers to offic
than any preceding head of the In
terror department has in twelve year
past, and larger number than al
; the other cabinet officers of the pend
) ing administration confined.
Although the Congressional cleo
tons are only about ten days distant
l but little is known here as to tn
) probable results. The democrat
think they will hold the house
: Owing to the civil service law, th
campaign committees have been abb
to do very little from Washington
During past campaigns the commit
tee headquarters here received a
most daily reports from the closel
contested districts and it was tt
: custom for hard pressed candidate
to rush to Washington for money
. help them out. This year Meth,
. committee had any money to distr
y butte, and as result they have bee
e almost ignored. 1t has been pref
e well demonstrated that unless natio
y al committees can furnish none
u the congressional candidates tai
81 very little account of them.
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