Ellsworth American., 1892-04-07
Cherryield. March II, 1892.
From our regular Correspondent, |
Washington Letter.

Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, ID. C., Mar %, 1892.
Secretary Blaine has resumed active di.
rection of State department affairs, al
though he has not fully recovered from the
attack of the grip from which he has been
sufferer for several weeks, and It can b
positively stated that the President has nc
more ardent supporter in his controversy
with Lord Salisbury, concerning Behring
Sea matters, than Secretary Blaine.
The situation continues critical, owing
to the failure of Lord Salisbury to say
definitely what his government proposes
to do, and while neither the President MOI
any member Of his cabinet anticipates wal
with Great Britain they recognize tha,
hosttlities may result from the orders il.
sued to the commanders Of the naval vcs.
sels OF the two powers, which will soon be
ID Behring Sea. 1t is certain that the
commanders of tile L. s. vessels. which
VIII include some Of our strongest lighting
ships, Will be directed to seize all YES Sc !
engaged in taking seals Illegally, no mat
ter what fag they fly, and 1t NAV be that
the British commanders of war vessels
which, according to the latest information.
have already begun to gather in the vicini-
y OF the sealing waters, will be ordered
to protect sealing vessels flying the Brit
i>h flag. Here lies the danger If Great
Britain will keep her fingers ont of the
mndole there VII! he no trouble. even I
she persists in declining TO renew the mo-
dus vlvendi 1t Is this uncertainty that L,
causing this government to prepare for
trouble. a. far a. it may under the circum-
stances
The Senate has informally agreed to rat
lfy the arbitration treaty, but owing ID
the unusual precautions to keep the pro.
ceedings of the executive sessions on the
subject secret there is doubt rs to whe,h
er the ratification will be on condition thai.
the modus siyendi be renewed, or be with
out conditions.
The House Census committee has given
considerable att on TO the proposition
of establishing permanent census hurean
and has heard arguments on the subject
from number Of gentlemen, including
Superintendent Porter, and il has invited
General Francis A. Walker, who was Su-
perlntendent Of the Tenth Census, to give
the committee hi ideas on the subject at
a. early day a may suit his convenience
joint caucus of Republican Senators
and Representatives will De held Thursday
night. The only business that win br
brought before the caucus will be the se-
lection Of the members Of the Congression-
al campaign committee
The Paddock Pure Food bill, which was
recently passed by the Senate will be fav-
orably reported to the House by the com
mittee on agriculture
The President is deeply interested in the
success of the G. A. r. encampment which
is to be held here this year as his special
message TO Congress in favor of the bill
appropriating 500 600, one half to De paid
from the revenues of the District of Co
lumbia, shows.
A national organization to be known as
the Henry Clay Club, has been organized
here. Its motto il, The protection of
American markets and the elevation Of
Americans" and its purpose is to unite
those persons who are believers in tn.
fin IA al oll 4
by Henry Clay, and to encourage the pro
mitigation and adoption of those truths
which were the inspiration of his life
work. Literature is to be distributed and
branch clubs organized in the mining and
manufacturing sections Of the south, and
arrangements have already been perfected
for sending the following eloquent gentle
men to that section to make speeches
Chauncy NJ. Depew, Ex-senator Eyarts,
and Representatives Reed and Burrows
The fate Of the Free Coinage Bill which
everybody expected to have been decided,
as far as the House Is concerned last week
is still matter of doubt. The House
committee on rules is now deliberating on
proposition from representative Band,
the author Of the bill, to report a special
rule, again bringing the bill before the
House and prohibiting flibusterng there
on. in other words, the very cloture rule
which Democratic speakers and editors de-
clared to be unconstitutional and every
thing that was bad when it was proposed
that the Republicans of the Senate should
adopt it to pass the election bill, at the
last session of Congress. But the defeat
OF the silver man last week appears to
have taken the confidence out of them to
large extent, and many of them openly
express their fears that the bill will be de
feated. The anti silver men, however, al
SO express fears that the bill will pass, if
1t ever gets to straight vote before the
House. which makes it evident that the is
sue of this weeks fight is extremely doubt
full and that it will be very close either
way.
The story that the President had said
that he would not allow his name to be
presented to the Minneapolis convention
has again been started. There is no truth
in it. He has never said that he would be
or that he would not be a candidate