The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1886-05-07
Our WASHINGTON Letter
From Our Regular Correspondent.
Washington Max 8, 1856

Washington, May g. 1856,
The Presidents prospective marrign,
and the probable retirement of Secre-
tary Manning have been popular top
les of comment during the week. MIR.
Cleveland quite nor -cOmmittal as to
the iorn,er su ject. VerV few persons
have ventured to hroach the ia teful
question to him. and those who have
been SO courageous. have not extracted
any satisfactory Information.
am authorized. however, to saw that
Mr.. Manni g will be greatly disap-
pointed if he is not able finally TO re-
sumo his work at the Treasury De
parment. Since he has been able to
sit up he has sent for and cOnversed
with his principal officers, and is kept
intormed as to the progress of affairs
The only apprehension that his friends
now have is that he Will not take the
rest that is ab olutely necessary to him.
. Frede ick Douglass, who lectul ed
here during the week on his recolect-
ions of slavery, said among other
things that he did not approve of emf
grafton for his race The negro could
never go any place where he could not
find white people. He thinks by the
way, that President Cleveland is a very
brave man. Said he recently in a let
ter to friend. while in office, the
President treated me us he treated
other office holders il. the District. He
was brave enough to invite Mrs. Doug
lass and myself to his receptions, thus
rebuking the timiditv-I will not saw
cowarJlice or prejudice of his predecess-
or. Whatever else Mr.. Cleveland may
be, he is not snob and he is not
coward. Mr.. Douglass further said
that he was Republican, and would
90 all he could to elect d Republican
President in 1888; but he honored
manliDess whenever he found it, and
he had found it in the present occu
pant of the White House.
The Presidents afternoon handshak-
ings are attended by hundreds on the
DAYS appointed and every day the
White House is full of sight seers.
The rooms are still in winter dress
the annuIar house cleaning never COM
mencing until the season Is far advanc
ed. The number of bridal couples
among the crowds who admire the
furniture and draperies of the historic
apartments is very large and are main
ly stylish. weil-to-do young people,
who are enjoying the sights here with
out the tell-tale red book carried by the
average sight seer.
The Senate's plan, for patching up
the White House at an expense of $500
600 meets with objections from differ
ent directions. The Senate proposes
that south of the present structure
there shall be built duplicate house,
connected with q corridor and that
the new edifice shall be appropriated
exclusively by the family of the Pres
ident.
The first serious objection to this
novel scheme is that it practically de-
stroys forever the symmetry and indi-
vidGality of the ancient mansion,
which after a life of more than half a
century, has become as well known,
probably, as any public building in the
world. With the proposed alteration
the present beautiful sOuthean front
disappears forever. Aeain the new
builning would completely cut offfrom
the present (then the official residence)
the lovely view to the south of
the beautiful grounds, of the river
and the hills beyond it, Arlington, the
monument and all the other striking
objects of interest now SO eagerly gaZ
Ell at by the visitors from the southern
windows of the east room and the ad-
jacent apartments. Their prospect to
the south from those apartments will
henceforth be limited to the en-
trancing view of "a white wall some
thirty or more feet distant, which
would equally oppose a complete bar
rier to tue grateful southern breeze.
During the week, for the first time