Griggs courier., 1893-07-14
WASHINGTON LEE
,rXCfS.

WASHINGTON LET
,ExLfs.
WASHINGTON, July 5, 1853.
1t will he along time before these IA
miliar with tho circumstances that led
to the calling of,the extra session OF con.
gress for August Z, instead Of menti
or more later, as had for months been
intended, get through talking about
how MIR. Clcvelamd's nerve went 10
pieces and he got Thoroughly ratified" F."
some Of his admirers say for the first
time in his life. His friends have tried
hard to smooth over his break by Civ
ing out interviews in which they state
that for ten days Mr.. Cleveland had
been thinking of calling tho extra ses-
sion in August. That Is simply rot,
only the day before his proclamation
WAS issued he told y personal friend
who was trying to lcrsuad" him to call
an immediate extra session that he
had fully made up his mini not to call
it until September. What ratified him:
Why, the avalanche ef petitions from
all sections and from all classes of citi-
zens, asking that congress be called to.
gether at once, many OF them telling
him, in polite but plain language, that
II he failed to do so he would by that
failure assume personal responsibility
for any further damage that might be
done through the continued financial
stringency. A majority Of these petit.
tions, which were rs u rule forwarded
by telegraph. mentioned the repeal Of
the Sherman silver law as the end
sought, but many merely asked that
congress be called together and given
an opportunity to d. something to res
tore pablic confidence. Added to these
petitions were the opinions of the mem
bers OF his cabinet, who had themselves
been under the the same sort of pres
sure, that August must be substituted
for September, and in the language OF
one of them, 'the old man got ratified
and threw up the sponge, issued tho
proclamation and left for Buzzard'>
Bay before 1t was made public" Re.
publicans are rs a rule glad that the
extra session has ut last been called.
They have from the first been Of the
opinion that the sooner the democrat
congress got together the it would be
for the country, as the worst possible
legislation would not be any more dis.
astrous than the dead asd uncertainty
of coming legislation which has prevad-
ed business circles from the first day Of
the present administration, and with
congress in session public opinion will
have an opportunity to at least try t"
influence Legislation.
There is leaven of common sense
at work among the democratic con.
gressmen OF the tariff question thai
later on nsy produce good results. One
of them, who because he is not really at
this time h openly oppose the leader
Of his party. forbids the use Of his
name, said to me: II shall gladly vote
for the repeal of the Sherman >iivei
law, because l have always been "p
posed to it, but do not consider il the
principal cause of our financial troubles
The fear of disturbances in the tariff
has had n,mcl, more to with it. and !
believe that if Mr.. Cleveland would
publicly stat. his intention to veto amy
tariff bill which cuts the present rates
sufficiently to injure any American in
dustry that within sixty days confidence
would be completely restored and the
country again prosperous" While il,
isn't certain that he will do SO. there is
IL contingency in which this congress.
man will publicly state these views on
the floor Of the house.
Another political debt incurred dur
ing the campaign was settled by the
appointment of j. F. Tillman of Tenn,
to be register of the treasury. Mr.. Till.
man was promised good place if he
would use his influence as secretary Of
the Tennessee farmers alliance to head
off the populi>ts of that state and pre-
vent their absorbing the alliance. The
promise was made by Senator German.
but the ''goed place" was not forth.
coming until almost a row was kicked
up by Tlllman and his friends. This is
the position which Gen. Rosecrans was
allowed to keep during the entire Har.
rison administration. His health com.
PEELED HIM to resign it few weeks ago.
Mr.. Cleveland WAS either misrepreseht
ed or he broke his word in connection
with this Office, as he was reported t.