Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-11-11
something Of novelty in his political e1-
rosI-orFTcE DEPARTMENT.


In the Post Office Department there is
only one vacancy in the higher offices, ana
that Ia the Office of First Assistant Post
master-GeneraI. Colonel Whitfield's resig-
nation went into effect nearly month ago
and since that time Mr.. Fowler, the cnieI
clerk Of tho Office. has been acting hrst
assistant
Under the law an acting first assistant
can serve only thirty days, after when .
permanent APPOINTMENT must be made II
the vacancy IS nlled at oil. Mr. Fowler ana
MIR. Bell, the Second Assistant Postmaster
General, have been mentioned tor the
place, but Postmaster General Manama-
ker, tits eaid, has not yet fully decided VINO
be will recommend. bat he will, presums-
bly,, take some action soon.
TIE INTERIOR.
In the Interior Department there is also
one important vacancy-that OF Commls
sioner of the General Land Office. now
being temporarily filed by Assistant-Com-
missioner Stone. IL has been suggested
that Mr.. Carter might be induced 70 re-
turn and serve until March 4th, but TINS
IS quite improbable. II Is assumed tnat
the heads of all the bureaus OF the de-
partments will be replaced by Democrats
soon after the 4th of March, and these,
with the hundred or more chiefs OF diyi:
sions, chief clerks, and others outside OK
the CIVIL service, will constitute the main
patronage at the disposal OF the Demo-
cratic party In the government service al
Washington.
In the War and Navy Departments there
are no vacancies in any important of1ces'
TIE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE.
The same Is true of the Department OF
State proper. but there are several dipio-
matte places vacant, which are usually
most entleing to would-be offce- holders,
but may now go begging. Some OF these
places are ministries OF high order, sucn
as the Italian mission, the Russian mission.
the Portuguese MISSION, the Swiss mis-
sion, and finally, the Chinese mission. In
all of these cases but the last the Republi-
can incumtents have resigned. In the
case of the Chinese mission. owing TO hr.
Blair's rejection, the place IS still hlled
by Minister DENLY, hoid-over from the
last Democratic Administration, who,
therefore appears TO be safe to continue
at his post for four more years unless
President Harrison should determine to
make a change before the 4th of March,
which is improbable.
There are practically now two vacancies IN
the important offices of Assistant Secre-
taries of the Treasury, as Mr.. Nettleton's
resignation will take effect next month,
and MIR. Crounse. who ran as the Republi-
can candidate for Governor Of Nebraska,
has likewise resigned from the Treasury;
In the Department Of Justice there Will
be vacancy at the very head, Attorney
General Miller having signified his inten-
ton of resigning. but 1t Is not yet known
whether this action will be taken so soon
as TO require the President to make Cabi-
net appointment before the Attn OF March.
ON TIE BENCH.
The President will also have four va
cancies on the bench to fill between now
and the 4th of March. These are United
States judgeships, caused by the retire
ment of Judge Biodgett, of the Chics go
District; by the resignation OF Judge
Montgomery, OF the Supreme Court Of
the District of Columbia; by the retire
ment of Judge James, of the same court,
and by the resignation of Judge Dixon. of
the Utah District. These are life positions
and are really the most alluring prizes re-
naming within the gift of the administra-
tion. Colonel Hepburn, who has just
been elected to Congress from the Eighth
Iowa District, will probably retain his
present Office as Solicitor of the Treasury
until March 4th