San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-10-16
WASHINGTON LETTER.


DAILY LIGHT:
WASHINGTON, d. c., October 49,
Again the angel of death has spread
his gloomy wings over the national
capital and there is dense shadow
cast over the hearts of it's people;
again the flags are sadly half-masted
to mark the departure for that
"boarne from whence no traveller re-
turns" of an honored son of the ma
tlon. Justice Samuel f. Miller, the
most popular man who ever sat upon
the bench of the United States Su-
preme court. has gone to join the ST.
lent majority, which is ever growing
larger and larger, and grief holds SUI
preme sway over Washington, where
he was universally loved for his many
good qualities. He was stricken
down last Friday while returning to
his house from visit to the Supreme
court room at the capitol by that
scourge of the human race, apoplexy,
and although he rallied for a time it
was plain from the first to those who
ministered to the fallen giant, that
the hand of death was upon him.
Justice Miller was appointed to the
Supreme court in 1862 by President
Lincoln, and his death leaves Justice
Field the sole appointee of Mr.. Lin
coin on the bench of the supreme
court. He was the senior Justice, in
length of service as we'll as age, of the
court, and would undoubtedly have
been made chief justice had the va
cancy to which Jusrice Fuller was ap-
pointed occurred under a republican
president. Some of the opinions pre-
pared by Justice Miller are as able as
any ever handed down in any court
public AS q lawyer, he has always
ranked with the best; but it was as q
man that he was loved and admired
most. His place will be hard to fill
on the bench, and in the ranks of
humanity he leaves vacancy that
can never be filled. He was "A years
old last April, but there are few men
of fifty as active or we'll preserved as
he was.
Mr.. Blaine is going to Ohio to speak
fir Mr.. Mckinley. just as he has all
along intended to do, and just as he
long ago promised to do, and the
busy bodies who have recently been
SO industriously engaged in circulat-
ing stories of his having refused to go
TO Ohio, because he was DESTROYS of
seeing Mr.. Mckinley defeated, are
suffering from the chagrin which
they so richly deserve for having
written stories which they knew had
not the slightest foundation.
Mr.. Harrison will return to the
white house tomorrow, and his anti
cipated return has started anew the
talk Of an extra session of congress
being called to meet in November. Il
have most diligently endeavored to
find one single man in position to
know who believes that an extra ses-
sion will be called, and have failed.
The law requires that the president
shall issue proclamation calling an
extra session Of congress thirty days
previous to the date on which congress
is called to meet, and 1t is hardly
probable that such proclamation
will now be issued, as only two weeks
could thereby be gained. Besides it
is understood that every republican
senator has agreed to vote for a
change in the senate rules as soon as
the regular session meets. This
agreement removed the necessity for
an extra session, as the majority will,
under the changed rules, be able to
crush any attempts of democratic OBJ
struction that may be INDUCED in,
and to pass such legislation as may
be considered necessary for the well
fare of the country.
The Count of Paris and his party
have returned to Washington from
their tour of the Virginia battle fields.
They will remain in Washington for
several days, and the party will be
deluged with social atten lions; the
position of the Count, as q claimant
for the French throne, and as an
avowed and open enemy of the pres
emit French republic, prevents this
government from officially recogniz-
ing his visit by any of the courtesies
usually extended to distinguished
foreign visitors. 1t has been gather
ed from some of the party that their
reception in Virginia was not as cor
dial as it might have been.
Secretary Carter of the republican
congressional committee has gone to
Montana, and Hon. J. s. Clarkson is
filling his place at the committee
rooms.
The first certificates under the new
pension law were issued by the pen
sion officer last week. The number
issued will from this time on will be
slowly but steadily increased.
The war department has advertised
for proposals for 100 big steel guns, s,
10, and IL iuch for coast and harbor
defenses. 1t Is proposed that little
more than one-fourth of the number