The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1886-06-26
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
What the Presidents Marriage has Done
for Him-The Administration Growing
More Popular-Changes in the
Departing ts, &c.
WASHINGTON, D. c., June Oath, 1888

WASHINGTON, ID. u, June Z4tn, 1880.
Editors Union Noticing that you have an
Occasional" correspondent from this city, l
thought would venture to drop you few lines
from here also this week. 1t has been long
while since l essayed to do So partly on account
of having been away from here the major part OF
the time since this date last year, when the read
ers of The UNION heard from me occasionally from
the 4th district of your county over the same sig
nature which subscribe to this letter, and partly
from dlfidence to write about matters and things
pertaining to the administration and otherwise
occurring here with which was not familiar
But of some things that have transpired here since
Mr.. Cleveand's administration commenced any
one who attempts to write to your paper at all can
confidently speak of. The first is that Mr.. Cleve-
land got married few weeks ago and every one who
has come in contact with the bride or has seen her
speak in the highest praise of her. About week
ago TUESDAY evening of last week. she gave her
first reception and was introduced publicly to the
people of Washington. She made most favora-
BILE impression, and her beauty and accomplished
grace was spoken of by every one. Thus it is fit
ting that every one should speak of the "rst lady
of the land, of the lady whom the President, ever
ready to impose surprises upon the public, and
this was one of the surprises up to short while
ago. has chosen not only to be his companion
through life, but also temporarily, at least during
his term of Presidency, to be the mistress of the
White House and to do the social honors, on the
feminine side for that institution and the nation.
But Mrs. Cleveland, it is candidly said and be-
lieved, is worthy of all the praise for her beauty
and grace that is bestowed upon her, and there is
no doubt but that she will confer honor upon her
station equal with any of that long and honored
line of Presidents wives who had preceded her.
From strategetical political standpoint the
Presidents marriage cannot be said 20 have been
the least of the coup detats that he has pat out,
Intentionally unintentionally, for it is hard to
judge how or for what purpose many of these
things are done to catch the peoples eye and ap-
plause and cement their attention and approval
| upon him. 1t is well known that many of Mr..
| Clevelands party friends did not approve of the
course of his administration and were about ready
to break with him and go in diametrical oppOsi-
ton to many of his measures and recommendations
to Congress. But just at this critical juncture it
is announced that the President, scarcely throw
ing aside, however, the of Office sufficiently
| long to accomplish it, is going to get married to
a beautiful young woman and to bring her to the
White House to be its mistress, and all at once all
criticisms, chickering's and enmities cease and the
attention of all are absorbed kindly and sympa-
thetically in that one event. And then during a
weeks stay of the bride and bridegroom at Deer
Park enjoying the honeymoon, the opponents
passions have had time to subside and they al
most themselves forgot what they we're mad with
the administration about Could any fact have
been devised better calculated to dispel all oppo.
sition and antipathy to the President by his party
friends and draw them closer to him than that one
of the President getting married to this beautiful
| young woman just at this opportune moment?
Why his party friends would forgive him for all
he not doing just for her sake. And
so it was. The President is much more popular
with his party and the whole country, whether he
stood stiy up for civil service reform not since
he married Miss Folsom than he was before.
| Another thing that is manifest and calculated
| to make Mr.. Cleveland immensely more popular
with his party than he has been is the announce
ment that he is about to give them more of the
"spoils" by modifying the civil service rules by
striking out of them the age limitation and allow
ing larger list than four names to be certified by
| the Civil Service Commission for each appoint
| ment. 1t il this that the party leaders have been
clamoring for, since it impossible or impoitic
| to endeavor to abrogate the whole law. This lat
ter attempted through resolution introduced
| by Senator Vance, of North Carolina, but EN-
| phatcally sat down upon by majority of his own
| party in the Senate. The former proposition was
attached to the legislative appropriation bill in the
House by Messrs. Randall and Holman, the former
the chairman Of the Appropriation Committee, but
after being largely discussed pro and con was de-
clared out of order by the Speaker
The members of the Democratic party are also
being very much encouraged by the fact that just
at this time large number of discharges being
made here in the departments. Last week there
were twelve discharged from the Second Comptrol-
| ler's Office, twenty from the Second Auditors
Office and fourteen from the Sixth Auditors office,
and still, it is said, there are "more to follow"
This is construed by some to mean that the Presi-
| dent is opening his eyes "to the needs" of his
party, and just in proportion as he does this and
they the official positions will his popular
ity with them increase. ANON.