The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-04-07

When il is remembered tnat the congress
of the United States is composed of two
representative bodies, one extremely digni-
fed and the other bowling terror of i'm
portance, 1t will be inferred at once that it
Is no ordinary pc tman's business to inter-
rupt the proceedings for the sake of deliver
ing a letter And when the billets dour
come from that mighty parsonage, the
President, the necessity of some especial
ceremony is apparent In fact, a commu-
nication from the President is the only mat
ter that is permitted to distract the con-
gressmen from their devotion in sailing the
ship Of state.
1.-THE business of sending letters from the
white house TO the capitol calls for the
services Of two interesting public servants
who have held Office for many years. The
first is Octavius L. Pruden. He is officially
known as the assistant private secretary to
the President, but from the nature Of his
duties his more popular title is Presidents
messenger. Pruden is a hold-over. He
came to Washington from Glens Falls, n
Y, at the beginning of Grants first admin
istration to take the office which he has held
ever since. Cleveland found that be could
trot around about as well as any democrat
IN his list of acquaintance and made no
effort to displace him. As a matter of fact,
though, Mr.. Pruden's trotting is usually
CANT colored man in livery. The assistant
private etc, sits in di ynified ease within the
vehicle and looks with lofty contempt upon
the uniformed district messengers running
,Gheir dear legs offFin their anxiety TO be
prompt and save their customers any annoy
ance. This description Of the uniformed
messenger is copied from the pictures hung
up in telegraph offices, and may therefore be
relied upon as accurately
SC OOl T..
cidental to his errand running, i'll a special
carriage, he looks after various details
which are beneath the attention Of Lige
that is, and Danl and others that were
Whenever there is message to go up to the
capitol, a very long mile and a quarter dis
tant, Pruden prepares manifold copies of it.
1t does not follow that he sits down at a
typewriter personally and pounds typo
graphical errors out Of the rattling keys, or
lobs carbon and tissue paper with stylus.
The figures following the above quoted i'm
ply that be has some deputy assistant private
etc, who performs the physical labor.
Pruden looks after the hesdwork, and the
TACT thai he is still in office is proof enough
that the handsome little man does it we'll
When the message is ready, the original
being sealed and tied into big blue en-
velope addressed to 1.-The Senate" and the
manifold duplicates sealed in another less
imposing envelope, Pruden summons his
carriage. For all that it is the especial con-
yeyance of the Presidents messenger, it is
not very luxurious affair. 1t is a good
ordinary carriage, and that is all The
messenger does not dress for the perform
snce Of his duty. He goes to the Senate
IN a business suit that makes him look as if
he employed good taller
Since March 4, the Presidents communi-
cations have beeh limited to nominations
I ,l Office, and the temporary residents Of
Washington look with keen interest for
frudens carriage. AS he makes his way
rom the porte cocher to the Senate door he
IS always surrounded by eager men, but his
peasant face never betrays the slightest
NM OF what is written in the big envelopes,