Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-01-17
FROM WASHINGTON.
CORRESPONDENCE of the Alexandria Gazette.
WASHINGTON, Jan. II, 1884.

The selection Of candidate LOT tne
Middlcburg postofiice has been SUB,
mi,,ed to me by all the applicants and
by HE member of Congress from that
district. Mr.. Meredith, for my lnvesti-
cation and decision. Before the matter
was gone into it was understood that
The examination was TO be made de
poyo. and all the facts bearing on the
,.ase were to be brought in. have ex-
amined the papers in the case carefully
and have come 10 the following conclu-
sion In his statement Mr.. Meredith
said that he had in the distribution OF
postoiiices followed the principle OF en-
tiorsing the man recommended by the
county committee. The county CHAIR
man and two district committeeman
endorsed DR.. Chamberlain, but one Ct
them subsequently withdrew his en-
dorscment. In the course OF the paper
which he fled in the case, he states
that he had recommended DR.. Cham
berlain and makes statement as fol-
lows: 81 am sure that if l had known
when recommended DIR. Chamberlain
Chat the majority of the democrats
wanted Mr.. Downs | should have rec
ommended him. do not see how MIR.
Meredith could have done otherwise
than he has done in the case. He had
q uniform rule, which he followed and
acted on in good faith in this case, and
having once endorsed a candidate, how
ever much he might have desired to
recommend solne one else, it would
have been impossible, having proper re-
gard to the interests of the party for
more trouble would necessarily have
arisen out Of change OF endorsement
than BY standing by his origlna en-
d,rsemcnt. 80 far therefore as the ac-
ton of Mr.. Meredith in the case Is con-
cerned cannot understand how he
could with propriety have acted other
wise. have in my own district,
wherever it was possible to do 50,
adopted somewhat different rule, ow-
ing TO the fact that have facilities pos
5 bly not possessed by other representa-
Irves for have list of all the white
voters with their postotlices in my dis
trict. have, therefore, with few eI-
ceptions. adopted the rule Of recon-
mending applicants for postmaster on
the weight of democratic sentiment,
recommending that man who seems to
have the weight of democratic endorse
ment OF the patrons of The office. Look
ing at these papers on that principle
have no difficultyin coming TO the con-
clusion that Mr.. w. H. Downs has a
large majority of the democratic pa
irons of the Middiebnrg postoffice who
endorse him for that position. My de-
cision therefore is that Mr.. Downs be
recommended for the position. | may
add that personally in this matter de-
sired the appointment OF Mr.. Dutiey
nv old friend, and had it been left to
me to name the postmaster should
have named him, but under the rule
had nothing to do but to enforce its ap'
plication. Respectfully,
H. S. G.. TUCKER.
Congressman Meredith called at the
State Department this morning. to try
to get Mr.. George, of Culpeper, one Of
the minor places there, but was un:uc
cessful.
The majority OF the democratic mem.
bers Of the committee on ways and
means have decided to make the duty
On barley 81 per cent. ad valorem, in
stead of 20, as in the bill reportsd. The
rate on barley malt will probably be
fixed at the same figure.
All the rumors that are being clrcu.
lated as to the Supreme Court vacancy
are simply revivals of the gossip that
were current before Mr.. Hornblower's
name was sent in. The names men
toned are the same. Senator Gray Of
Delaware with the contingent return
of Ambassador Bayard to the Senate
leads the list and is followed by Judges
Lacombe and Peckham and Messrs
Carter and Coudert Of New York, ex
Minister Phelps of Vermont, &c, &c.
Just as in the interim between Justice
Blatchford's death and Mr.. Hornblow
er's nomination. The President i:
strictly keeping his own counsel, but
the pressure from the other members O
the court on public grounds for some
prompt action to fill the vacancy will
probably lead to nomination being
made with the least possible delay
The selection of Mr.. Hornblower was
unexpected until few days before the
name went in. The President may
have another surprise in store. 1t is
reported that he is by no means pleased
with the democratic Senators who OPP
posed Mr.. Hornblower's confirmation
The democrats of Connecticut are urg-
ing the nomination of S. F. Baldwin OF
their State.
Congressman Meredith went to the
State Department to-day to see if B.
r. Grymes, jr., the removed keeper Of
the burned light house at Lower Cedar
Point, could not be reinstated, but
found that the keeper of the light house
at Seven foot Knoll, on the Patapsco,
had already been transferred to that
at Lower Cedar Point, and that moth
ing could be done. Congressman Mere
dith and Congressman Compton, have
this morning, recommended Willie
Drinkard of King George county for the
place of assistant keeper at Lower
Cedar Point, and he will probably be
appointed. 1t is said that Field, the as
sistant keeper who was in the light
house when it was burned, saved all
his possessions and put out for the
shore, and left early the next morning.
Representative Tarsney. one of the
democratic members of the ways and
means committee of the House, is an
A. 81, 81 ION