The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1888-05-04
THE NATIONS CAPITAL.
THE APPOINTMENT OF FULLER
WAS a CLEVELAND SURPRISE.
A Sound Opinion AbOut Government
Ofhces--TObacc" Tax to be Repealed
--TaX Bond Cases. Personals, &c.
Especial Cor. STATE CHRoNI

A Sound Opinion About Government
Ohices--Tobacc" Tax to be Repealed
--Tax Bond Cases-.Personals, &c.
Especial Cor. STATE CHRoNICLE.l
WASHINGTON. D. c., April 20, 1855
| see my second letter to the CHRONICLE
giving an account of the delay of the North
Carolina tax bond cases, did not reach you.
| regret this for great interest attaches to
the case. The amount of money involved
IN it is about 50, ,OOO, ,OO0 The leading at
torney for the bond holders is Hon. S. F.
Phillips, ex Solicitor General of the United
States. Mr.. Phillips is native of Chapel
Hill, believe. is a fine lawyer and an
honorable representative of one of the
br- lnleSt families i'll the State. He has
recently formed a law co partnership with
firm of young lawyers in this city-La
mar and Zachry The first is a sonin-law
and kinsman of Justice Lamar. The State
will be represented by Attorney General
Davidson, ex Judge Ruffin and Richard
Battle, Esq The case has been deferred
until the next session of the court when
it will be heard before full Bench.
The tariff debate absorbs the House.
Rather, it takes up the time of the House.
| have seldom seen a more inattentlve set
that you can find any morning now Oh the
iloor of the Hall of Representatives and in
the galleries | do not blame them. Each
long winded orator repeats what his pre-
decessor has said before him and so it goes.
One of the best informed and most expe-
rienced of the statesmen here has just told
me | might print this with safety, viz:
The TOBACCO TAX WILL CERTAINLY BE RE-
PEALED THIS SESSION AND WILL 60 INTO Eff
Feet JULY 1sT. There is no certainty about
the tariff BILL and there is not member
of Congress here who can say what will be
done with that subject beyond the fate of
the tobacco tax. That will be repealed
without 4 doubt.
Mr. John W. Hays. Jr, of the Geological
Survey, has purchased snug home for
cash, and will live in his own house here
next winter He left Saturday morning
for the Black Mountains. He will take
the topography of that section for the Sur
vey. He has just received merited promo
tlon-and solely on his own merits. He
is a sngularly gifted man and hope soon
to see HIM Stlil further advanced, SO that
he can afford to give part OF his time TO
his literary work. There are men of not
one half of his ability III higher and more
lucrative places in the Geological Survey,
who do not perform one half he work re-
quired of him. Let him be put in one OF
these places, and he Will not only discharge
the duties of his higher office with credit
to the State, but he will soon make Il lit
erarv reputation second to that which no
son of our commonwealth has ever en- Joy
ed. This much is due him. And it IS due
the State to give preferment to suck of her
sons, rather than elevate mere political
tricksters who show their mental incOmpe
tency before they have been in office a
month, and who do discredit to North
lot a., iailx 1fx
and politically.
Mr. J. T. Murphy, of Sampson county,
Deputy Chief in the Third Auditors office,
and one of the most efficient Of the civil
service appointments from North Carolina
is still iu very bad health. He expects to
leave soon for his home, in the hope Of
recuperating. Washington-an and especially
the Treasury Depart ment-does not seem
to agree with him.
A number of Congressman, Naval cifc-
ers, and journalists left here Saturday in a
special car as the guests of Secretary Whit
ney to witness the launching of the new
dynamite cruiser, y oRKTOwN, in the Phila-
delphia Navy Yard. The cost of the affair
which was enormous, was borne by Secre-
tary Whitney. Mrs. Whitney and sew
| eral lady friends were also with the party.
Several members of our House delegation
accepted invitations to witness the launch.
| 1t begins to look as if we were going to
| have a good many representatives of the
| family of the late Governor VIM. a. Gra-
ham in Office here. Mr.. Robert D. Graham
was Secretary of the Civil Service Com
mission He resigned this and when his
resignation was accepted. he applied for
| 4. %l,NI Dat II
had letters from nearly every prominent
man in North Carolina but Senator Ran
sons personal presentation of his case to
the President secured for him an appoint
| rnent to a place on a Board of Appeals in
| the Interior Depart rtment which pays 80,
900 or So 500 Mr.. John Graham was
| nominated for Congress instead of Gen.
| Vim. K. Cox by the Convention. If the
I people had elected him, this would have
given the immediate family two good
Offices here. | am told third son, Mr.
James Graham, now wants an office and
has been here working for it about sill
weeks l presume he will get it, for those
who make business of hanging on ir
spite of discouragements, generally wiz
these prizes should be sorry if all the
Graha,ns left the State, that is, if the sons
resemble their distinguished father, whom
| regard as one of the most accomplished
statesmen whose name adds lustre to tht
history of his generation. AS a frienC
! and admirer of Hon. VIM. A. Graham,
would regret to see his sons bury them
selves in departments in Washington
When they consent to do it, the glory o
the name will be on the wane. and 1t vii
take century to rekindle tiff it is eve
done Routine work in Departments her
is not conclusive to mental or bodily vigor
1t makes the average man too dependen
on the regular salary he draws from tn
Government, and narrOwS him down t.
the limits of a mere human machine
There is little room for expansion, littl
incentive to mans ambition, and hop
only for slow aud uncertain promotion
dwell on this in passing. 1t is my busi
ness only to give you the news, so fol
bear to make further comment.
1t is believed here the Phelps will sue
cecd Bayard as Secretary of State an
} that the latter gentleman will again bt
come Senator from Delaware.
: The President is planting An orchard a
, Oak View.
5 Nichols has intro 'uced bill asking fo
800, 900 for a public building at Durham
r The appointment of Melville W. Fulle
to be Chief Justice of the United States
r endorsed by all the leading Democrats
: this CITY, Judge Fuller was born in Ne