The Washington critic., 1886-01-29
TOPICS OF THE DAY.


ST. Louis Globo-D Democrat: II observed
an account in one of the papers this
week of reception extended by Miss
Nancy Mallitt of this city to Miss Mason
of Virginia. Few who read it sup.
pose would imagine that Miss Mason
is a lady Of 20, although in the descrip.
tion of her costume it was said that her
white hair was puffed high. The lady
has most romantic history. She Is
the daughter of General Mason, who
was appointed by President Jackson
Governor of the Territory of Michigan,
and who resigned because of business
in Texas in which he was then engaged.
He succeeded in inducing General
jackson to appoint as his successor
Stevens Thompson Mason, at that time
not 20 years of age. The son was a
fine young fellow, and very popular,
so much so that when Michigan was
admitted as a State the first governor
elected was Stevens Thompson Mason.
This Miss Mason, who was then known
as Emily Mason, was at II years of age
an accomplished woman and the reign
ing belle of Detroit Such was
her position when j went to
West Point. Our families were init
mate, my father being an earnest sup
porter of young Tom Mason. In the
midst of Governor Mason's popularity
and power he married daughter of
Mr.. Phelps Of New York city, lead
ing merchant, and shortly aftcrward
was seized with scarlet fever and died.
l next met Emily Mason in Washing
ton, where she was clerk in one Of
the departments, and subsequently
| discovered her rs the owner OF small
| farm at Alexandria, Va, where she
raised vegetables for the Washington
market and supported the remaining
| members Of her family. She suddenly
| became convert to the Roman Catho.
| lie Church, and when next ] heard of
| her she was member of convent in
Paris and Il distinguished teacher in
one of that city's parochial schools.
| At this time she frequently met my
| brother, then commodore of the navy,
residing in Paris, and Lewis Cass, jr.,
son of the celebrated Lewis Clss, and
ut one time minister to Rome. AL
though younger than Miss Mason he
was great admirer of her talent and
masculine strength of character. As is
| well known. Lewis Cass, jr., died in
| Paris, and, dying, he left handsome
portion of his fortune to Miss Mason.
She accompanied the remains to De-
troit where they were buried, and then
returned to Paris. have not seen her
since 1865, and ! was delighted to hear
of the manner in which she was re.
ceived by Miss Mallit here. She had
to my knowledge, many great oppor.
tunities of marriage, but declined them
| ALL"
w.
Mr.. Dorman B. Eaton's article upon
"The Need and Nature of Civil.Serv
ice Reform" which appears in the
February number of Lipp,ncoH, was
written at the request of the editor OF
that magazine, and is to certain ex
tent in reply to an article on "Civil
Service Lefom" in the January mum
Der heretofore printed in The CRrTIc
by Miss Abigail Dodge, otherwise
known as Gail Hamilton, whose initials
according to Mr. Eaton's grim humor
stand for Grand Humbug." The ar
ticle of the late Civil Service Commits
sioner Is not so much, however, in the
nature of reply to Gail Hamilton a
II is an independent dlsquisltion II tho
Merit System as opposed to Tho
"Spoi)s System" He says as mucl
himself; 1T is not the fault, but thu
misfortune of G, II. that, after expert
ence has refuted all her theories anC
falsilied all her prophesy in favor o
| fhn gNnilg md omaingi tln mi
system, she is now compelled either t
to be silent or to arraign the latter OF
these two grounds only; first, that NJ
reform was necessary, and, second
that the reform attempted is trivial
contentious which no one able to gail
access to first. class magazine eve
made before, and so easily refuted rs tC
require an apology to its intelligen
readers ] must therefore claim tn,
liberty, under my promise, of goin!
much beyond the ground she covers
In accepting her issues | mus
reject her standards. They are 81
different from mine that our chances o
reaching the same conclusions arr
hardly greater than those of arthme
ticians who should dispute over tn
multiplication table" lie then pro
ceeds at length to show wherein the ne
cessity for reform existed, and thu
sums up in support of the non. partisan
features of the reform system: 9TH
President and his legal advisers-mem
bers of his Cabinet-and, to q certail
extent, diplomatic officers, are boun,
TO carry out the political policy ap
proved by the people at the elections
But the vast clerical force in the De
partments and in the customs office
and the postoflices of the country arr
in no sense representative officers, anC
there is no policy, except that of hon