Morning journal and courier., 1889-03-29
WASHINGTON NOTES.


 ! Crowds at the White House Keep the President Busy-Murat Halsteaa,a Nomination Under DiscussIOn-Gen- eFal Clarkson's Policy In she Ap. potntment of Fourth Class Postmas. ters.
 WASHINGTON, March 28-The crowd al the White House to-day was greater than ever and the president did not have minute to himself from the time he entered his office, about 9:30 o'clock, up to 80 when he escaped the eager throug on the plea that Mrs. Harrison and lunch were waiting for him. District delegations were unusually numerous. One from Georgetown asked the reappointment of Commissioner Wheatley and another from the western section of the city urged the appointment of Lee Bryant as recorder of deeds.
 The St. James Gazette, commenting on the appointment of Robert T. Lincoln as Ameri- can minister to England, says: "It is certain that MT. Lincoln will be popular" The Freeman's Journal says: "The appointment Chili will keenlY delight Irishmen It is a comment on the policy toward Ireland pur- sued by England, where MT. Egan is a hunt ed outlaw"
 The postmaster general has appointed the following named fourth class postmasters in Connecticut: Jesse Warner, Hsmden; Jas. Ives, Mt. Carmel.
 Secretary Windom has received large number of applications for appointments in the steamb boat inspection service, many of which come from persons who sesm alto- gether ignorant of the qualifications necess- ary. In order to meet these cases he has prepared letter specifying the necessary 1e- Oo1 qualifications for tba Aiffaronf pIaacaa If appointments.
 Secretary Windom has received the resig- nation of Judge McCue as assistant treas- urer of New York, but has not acted on it.
 MT. Windrina, the new supervising archi- tect, and MT. Brynes, the new appointment clerk, were sworn in to-day and entered upon the discharge of their new duties.
 It is said at the Interior department that the presidents proclamation issued yesterday will throw open to homestead entry on April 22 about 1, 1,S0O, ,OOO acres.
 The executive session of the senate lasted between two and three hours this afternoon and was confined largely to discussion of the nomination of Murat Halstead to be mins ister to Germany. Before that came up the pending nominations of John 0. New to be consul general to London and of Lewis Wolf ley to be governor of Arizona, were con- firmed.
 The committee on foreign relations favora- ply reported all the diplomatic nominations of yesterday, but in the case of MT. Halstead the report was not unanimous. On motion to confirm his nomination the nays were ia the majority.
 MT. Sherman moved to reconsider the vote and on that motion long debate ensued, in the course of which the ground of objection to MT. Halstead was disclosed.
 When the Senate refused to enter upon an investigation of the election of Senator Payne of Ohio MT. Halstead, whose paper, the Gin cinnati Commercial-Gaze had strongly urged the investigation, made uncomplimen- tary allusions to the Republicans who voted against the investigation. The feeling against him on the part of the senators who fell un- der his displeasure at that time is very bitter and one of them is reported to have said to President Harrison this morning that Mir. Halstead could not be confirmed; that the senators whom he had criticised would not vote for him. The motion to reconsider was pending when the Senate adjourned.
 The vote on confirmation was taken before there were any speeches.
 General Clarkson, the first assistant post master general was questioned to-day con- eerning certain newspaper criticisms directed against his policy in the appointment of fourth class postmasters. In answer he said that practically all of the changes thus far have been made for other than political reasons. A large number of the appoint ments made during the last administration were notoriously bad, a considerable number had been found to be delinquent in their &C., counts, other changes had been made in order to secure better locations for the offices and in many cases appointments had been made with view to the removal of the offices from the vicinity of saloons. In every case of removal there had been good and sufficient cause therefor. "Per-- haps," he added, Git is not known generally known that my predecessor, within the month or six weeks prior to the fourth of March made over thousand appointments of four class postmasters for the purpose, apparently. of forcing them upon this ad- ministration. This course has never been pursued to my knowledge by any previous administration. The commissions of the thousand appointees of my predessor, were of course, withheld, and these vacancies witt others are now being filled rapidly as pos sible."
 CHICAGO, March 2S.-Robert T. Lincolr to-day received telegrams from all parts o the country congratulating him on his nomi nation to the court of St. James He say he has not yet made up his mind as tt whether or not he will accept the nomina l tion. A friend of Mir. Lincoln is of th' opinion that he will decline it for the reason chiefly that his wife is confirmed invalid.