Mohave County miner., 1889-07-20
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Correspondence Of the MISER.


sian Minister for the land Of his fathers. |
The Persian mind looks with disiavor up |
on the publication Of attacks, either
humorous or otherwise, upon the Shah
Of the faithful. The master evidently
takes more kindly to such abuse than
does the man, inasmueh AZ the Shah still
remains in England, where tho most
scandalous stories Of his filthy habits
have been published and where the p"o-
pie look upon him as great show, some.
thing in the line Of the "hairy man" or
the dog laced child" The truth is, |
believe, that behind the lofty resignation
Of the Persian minister, with the laundry
name, is lowly motive. Ever since his
arrival here. the envoy has longed for
home. The Coreans who fled home in
six months were as nothing to the Per.
sian diplomat. But he might have had
the courage to say 70, and not have gone
howling home with tin can tied to his
tail. America never meant to insult the
grandee but cannot be responsible for his
failure 10 understand joke.
The Presidents family ID located for
the summer at beautiful Deer Park. where
Benjamin Harrison Mckee can hit the
baby over the head with as many busters
as he chooses and find other relaxations
from the burdens society imposes on the
juvenile great. The President has an
nounced that he will spend as much time
with them As is possible, only remaining
in town when absolutely necessary. No
President in the last half century has
passed the entire summer at the White
House. The hot, sitting air Of a city is
not to be avoided by hundred feet OF
grass plot in front Of any house, and every
President has learned this fact and has
| sought rest and rejuvenation in the open
country or by the sea.
When one speaks Of the uncertain ten
ure Of office under the spoils system he
does not allude to the example Of white
haired George Rartie who was appointed
from Virginia as clerk in the State De-
partment forty-iour years ago. For more
years than he cares TO remember, Mr..
Bartle has had his desk in the room OF
commissioner and Pardons" and has
acted as keeper Of the great seal. Here
| he fills out commissions for whosoever
the President sees fit TO "repose trust and
confidence in," and affixes the seal. The
seal cost over 81 900. 1t is mammoth
affair and has table OF its own. The
pressure is applied by turning long steel
bar with heavy ball on either end,
which movement screws down the ham
mer with great force. The design Of the
seal face is fully designated by law en-
acted June 20, 1882.
| There have been four seals in use since
the foundation OF the government, and
these are preserved in the State Depart
ment. All were intended TO conform TO
the law, but one failed in important par
ticulars. when Daniel Webster was
made Secretary OF State he found the old
seal badly worn and he ordered new
one. BY some mischance the eagle on
the new seal held only six, instead Of
thirteen, arrows in his sinister talon, and
the red stripes, OF paies as they are called
in heraldry, were twice the width OF the
white, instead Of being OF equal width.
These Inaccuracies were not corrected for
many years and indeed were never oh
jected to by such lucky gentlemen as
happened from time 70 time " lind the
impress on their commissions. The last
and correct seal was made by Tiffany,
and no effort was spared TO improve the
picture of the eagle, 10 that now no
American need he ashamed Of the picture
OF the proud bird Of freedom on his par
don or his commission as the case may
be.
The Washington Post has applied a
severe test to the public school system Of
the capital, and in its issue Of yesterday
gave its readers the fruits Of the investi.
CATION. twenty-five thousand pupils oi
the various grades engaged In contest
for eleven gold medals and eleven "hon-
orable mentions" The successful com
positions, az published, are 80 unfortu-
nately weak that one shrinks from the
thought of what drivel the unsuccessful
4 20, a M
preparation, after downright aid at home
and friendly criticism from teachers, only
three Of the efforts deserve even honor
able mention. The lesson il, as Senator
Ingalls, says, an easy one. If the public
schools fail TO teach pupils the use O
lucid English and do not develop in g.,
900 scholars twenty-five fairly goot
writer's, the system is failure as it exist'
. in Washington.
. The post-Gfiice after hunting every
where for place of residence, has abou
( decided upon leasing the Firs. Presby
p terian church, which il quite far enough
out OF the lines of travel to secure thu
clerks immunity from the public. Th'
church is situated On Four-and-a-hal
street, which has long been abandoned
a. thoroughfare. being too far dowr
town. In this church Mr.. and Mrs
! Cleveland worshiped and its present pas
tor, Rev. Byron Sunderland, performe'
their marriage ceremony at the Whit
House Phe late Schuyler Coltax, whc'
he was Vice President, belonged 10 tn