Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1893-07-28
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Written and compiled for the HERALD

Written and compiled for the HERALD.
WASHINGTON, July "a, 1S93-Secre-
tary Gresham must regard bis prospects
for receiving the democratic nomination
in 1896 as we'll as for being elected al
unusually good, or he would not have de
clined to accept an appointment to the
Supreme Court vacancy, which his friends
say be has done within the last few days
Your correspondent is inclined to believe
with the late Senator Carpenter who once
expressed the opinion that no man hat
ever declined a seat on the bench OF the
US. Supreme Court; but even ii he
wasn't, this Gresham story doesn't ex
actly dovetal with the one that came
from similar source a few days ago
saying that he had been promised that he
should be the administration candidate
for President. Now, one or the other o.
these stories is wrong, and it wOnld moi
be surprising to find that both are. i
President CLEVELAND had promised tC
make Secretary Gresham the candidate o.
bis party in 1896 what sense was there in
his rendering him the present vacancy or
on the Supreme Court There would no
be the slightest, unless the President re
GREETED the first promise and sought t.
escape it by putting Sec. Gresham on th'
bench.
The names of Sec. Carlisle and AttOr-
ney Gen. Olney are also mentioned by The
gosslps IN connection with the Supreme
Court vacancy. They hayn't been offered
the place, but, according to aforesaid
gossips, they would like to be. 1t doesn'
require any special knowledge to make
that sort of a statement. There are prob
ably at least 1OO, 900 lawyers in the United
States who would be delighted to have
this place rendered to thsm and doubt
less Messrs. Carlisle and Olney; also
Bissell and HOke Smith are among thu
number.
Suppose Mr.. Cleveland in his message
TO Congress, asked a Treasury Official,
"should recommend as substitute fol
the Sherman silver law bill providing
for the free coinage of silver - "Suppos'
the SKY were to fall ?" Retorted The
gentleman with whom he was cOnversing
"You seem incredulous, but you need not
be-" was the reply, "for can assure you
that Mr.. Cleveland is now earnestly cor
s.dering that very thing, the silver sc
coined to be limited in its legal tender
qualities TO one hundred dollars or prob
ably less Mind you, do not say that he
will make such recommendation, only
that be is considering that among other
proposed substitutes for the Sherman law,
having about come to the conclusion that
it will be impossible to secure the I'M
conditional repeal of the Sherman law
and beiug DESTROYS of making known 10
Congress what sort of a substitute will
be acceptable to the administration"
Speculation as to Presi lent Cleveland's
message occupies a considerable portion
of the time Of those COngreemen who are
already here, and every body who is likely
TO have any information on the subject is
closely catechlsed. Few people have sue
ceeded in finding out IN advance any of
President Cleveland's actions it is said
that some times all of TIE members Of the
cabinet do not know until the thing is
done-and for that reason impressions are
not to be relied npOn IN predicting what
the message will contain. Those who
have talked with him express the belief
that it will be confined exclusively to
financial matters, aud that every thing
else will be left over for his message to
the regular session, beginning in Decem-
her. There is no doubt that Mr.. Cleve-
land in common with most people would
like the extra session to be a short one,
but be has little or no hope that 1t will
be. lDeT6 are lNCutg koOu AN"o'Ho wy
the extra session will be prolonged to the
opening of the regular session, a nd none
for its being short one. Likes are not
reasons, in politics or in any thing else.
That Comptroller Eckels is an am
bilious young man has become apparent
to the most careless observer, bat it as
tonisbed many to be told that his am
bition scared as high as the Treasury
portfolio, but that is what The politicians
around Washington are saying just now.
Mr.. Eckels is known to have very strong
personal influence with President Cleye-
land and Secretary Lamont and he is
said to be using it for all he knONs how
to bring about the appointment of Secie'
tary Carlisle to the Supreme Court
vacancy and his own as Secretary Car
isles successor. 1t appears at list
glance to be an impossible sort of a CON-
bination, but what appeared Impossible
Yesterday is often accomplished to day
particularly IN politics.
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