The Washington critic., 1886-02-02
TOPICS OF THE DAY.

TOPICS OF THE DAY.
There is very emphatic objection
here, says the New York correspondent
of the Hartford Times, to the proposed
appropriation of 100000 by Congress
for the Grant monument. The obiec.
tion is based on the grounds-first,
that Congress has no right to vote
public money for such purpose, and
second, that The country's debt to
General Grant is already paid in full.
II is felt besides, that the men who
proposed the extravaganza of million
dollar monument should be left to
work out the scheme themselves. They
were mighty enthusiastic about it at
the start, and If they want 1t to go
through they should put up the cash
ont of their own pockets. 1t looks a
little odd to seas | do in the Times
to-day - side by side with the
proposal that Congress shall appro-
pirate 100000, statement that
the publishers of General Grants
book will give his widow check for
S225, 600 or $3.50, 900 in a few days. If
the publishers can pay such sum as
this so soon after getting out the book
they might take hand at putting up
the monument themselves. With the
income from the S250,000 fund, the
pension voted to her by Congress, and
the big check promised to her by
Charles l.. Webster & Co., Mrs. Grant
ought to be in an easy state of mind
about her finances. The total monu
ment subscriptions to date amount TO
$4,000. The sums now coming in
are mere driblets, and most of them are
from out of-town places.
~Ns
Says the same correspondent The
large reception-room connected with
Commissioner Blacks private office
contains the portraits Of all the gencr-
ais predecessors from Jonathan Ed
wards of Virginia, who was appointed
Commissioner in 1888, down to the
present time. The older Commission
ers, especially, wear the high choller
and huge eXpanse of shirt front charac-
teristic of western and southern men in
ante bellum days. One of the most
strongly marked faces in the group
Andrew jackson type of facets that
of Charles II. Gill of Wisconsin, who
was appointed by Zach Chandler in
1915. Mr.. Gill held the Office thirty
days, at the end of which time he re-
signed in disgust. lie was dissatisfied
because the salary was not $4,000 in
stead of $4,000 per annum. He want.
ed a carriage for his personal use, but
his request was denied. He was con
tinually wanting something he could
not get, and finally, at the end of Il
month, refused to serve any longer.
~
The Chicago MaiI is responsible for
the following on Congressman Lawler
"rhe other day he received letter
from constituent, telling him that he
had received no documents from him.
i have been very sick, but am now
able TO sit up, and could read some
| documents while / am convaescing
Please send me n copy of one of your
speeches, and you might start the
documents by sending me u copy OF
| Blainc's Twenty Years in Congress.
| Lawler at once dictated letter to hi.
| clerk; Tell the Interior Department
that | don't find Mr.. Blaine's book on
my list of documents, but want il al
the same. Tell them TO send set over
TO the Government Printing Office ant
| have it bound In nice morocco for me
and have IA set sent to this sick man
| Mind, now, want my set in mo
rocco.
~.
The Washington correspondent o
the Chicago Ne'oS, like everybody else
is most agreeably impressed with til,
Chaplain of the House Of Representa-
tivcs. lie says: Every mornin!
about II; 80 a gray bearded gentleman
the cut of whose garments is unmis
takably clerical, enters the lobby of tn,
House directly in the rear Of til,
Speakers desk Accompanying hin
is lady upon whose arm he leans
The gentleman is the Rev. DR.. w. ii
Milburn, the blind Chaplain of tn,
House. The lady is his private secre
tary-his second sight" as he jocu
larly calls her, Forty years ago Mr.
Milburn oillciatcd one term as Chaplain
of the House. A decade later he wa
appointed for the second time. An
other interval of thirty years finds hin
filling the Office again. No Chaplain
within the memory of the oldest Rep
resentative has commanded the respec
and affection of that unruly body ~
Dr. NIilburn does. His predecessors
were, without exception, tiresome ant
slow. The morning prayer was in
variably delivered in sing-songy
fashion, and the whole performance
bore the perfunctory air Of a man try
ing to earn his salary with a,
little effort ms possible. DIR. Nil
burns daily invocation is eloquen
and brief. The full, rich tones of hi
voice fill the chamber and the adioin
ing cloak-rooms Every word can bt
distinctly heard, During the delivery
of his prayer the members rise to thei
feet and remain In. that position, rever
emily and respectfully, until its conclu
sion. Such action on the part of th,
Members is all the more remarkabl,
when 1t Is remembered that in former