The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1891-08-21
Washington Letter.

WAsHINGTuN ID. c. Aug. 18th, 1871.
Representative Wilson, of West NIr- |
ginia, the chairman of the Executive |
committee of the National Association |
of Democratic Clubs, which met in New |
York this week, and several other mem
bers of the committee came back TO
Washington much pleased. The meet
was A secret one and of course the MEM
bers of the committee will not talk for
publication other than in a general way
of what was done, but it can he stated
without any violation of confidence that
the meeting was IN every sense OF the
word a successful one and that the re
ports received were OF the most encour-
aging nature, showing the rapid growth
of Democratic clubs to be without pre-
cedent ir the annals of political organl-
cations, and adding to the confidence
which each member felt before the meet
ing that the man nominated by the next
Democratic national convention would be
the next President of the United States.
In the absence of anything more i'm
portant the resignation of the negro
demagouge, Frederick Douglass, as min
ister to Hayti, was much discussed here
this week When Douglass was first
informed by a newspaper man that his
resignation had been accepted, he was dis
posed to blackguard the administration
and the State department particularly
for having forced him out of the diplo-
matte service, but later, probably on a
promise of some other office, he changed
around completely and insisted that he
had been misunderstood by the first
newspaper man, and that his reSigna-
ton had been entirely voluntary. This
is simply not correct as 1t has been an open
secret here for many months that the
State department wanted to get rid of
Douglass, but that Mr. Harrison hesi-
tated to dismiss him for fear of the effect
it might have on the negro delegates to
the Republican nominating convention
next year According to his own state
ments Douglass has spent the greater
portion of his time in Hayti in pushing
through private claims against the Hay
tian government. Notwithstanding the
general belief that Mr.. Blaine wishes to
send whiteman of ability to Hayti, in
order to secure the Mole St Nicholas for
a coaling station, half dozen negroes
have already filed application for the
place, and some are reported to have
made threats that Harrison dare not ap-
point n white man TO a position that
Cleveland filled with negro. \ prom
inent Republican told me to-day that no
appointment would be made until after
Congress meets.
Owing to the peculiar distribution of
the available YES sells of our navy the only
vessels the navy department could order to
China with any hope of getting them there
in time to assist in protecting Ameri-
can interests should the revolution in
that country prove as serious as expect
ed, had to be taken from the Bering Sea
fleet. The Charleston, Marion and
Alert have been ordered to proceed to
China. The Charleston is at San Fran
cisco and it is thought at the Navy De-
partment that she can sail on the 10
inst. She will proceed direct to Shang-
hal, and her commander has been di-
rected to make all the speed possible.
The Momocacy is at Yokohama, but a
cablegram says she is too unseaworthy to
make the trip to Chinese waters.
One of the important results of the
meeting of the executive committee of
the national Association of Democratic
Clubs held in New York city tins week,
is the opening of bureau of informa-
ton in Washington, under the manage
lucnl OI lIlstt COLlIIlllleS WHICH sllall De
ready at all times to furnish political
information to Democratic organizations.
This bureau will be opened Just as soon
as the necessary arrangements can be
perfected and, in the meantime Mr..
Lawrence Gardner, the efficient Secreta-
~ of the National association, will take
pleasure in answering any inquiries that
may be addressed to him at his Office in
this city.
1t is reported that Mr.. Harrison has
made bid for the Pacific Coast delega-
ton to the nominating convention by
rendering the appointment as minister
to China to Senator Squire, of Washing
ton.
The Fifty-first annual meeting of the
Association of American Agricultural
Colleges is in session here. There are
about seventy delegates present, repre-
senting nearly all tie agricultural col
leges and experiment stations in the
country. The last member of the Cab
met, in the person of Attorney-General
Miller, has gone on vacation, leaving
the question of whether citizens of Chi
ma will be allowed to land in this count
ry who may wish to visit the World s
Fair, which has been referred to him by
the Treasury department, unanswered.
NJ.