Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1894-02-02

Senator Witherss VINO was sppointed
by Cleveland. Smythe seemed to
think that Virginia had mortgage
on this Consulate, and his friends
persistently urged that he be sent to
Hong Kong.
The President took q great deal of
interest in Snythe's case, owing to
the fact that the friends OF the latter
were careful 10 let the Chief Magis
trate know that Smythe had been o
bowling advocate of the nomination
OF Cleveland in 1892. But he could
not get the Hong Kong Consulate
He was appointed Consul 10 Fuchow,
China, a place that pays O straight
salary of S3,Ou0 and TO which some
FEES are attached, making il worth
probably $4,000. Snytbe did not
like bis assignment and iutinated
both to the President and Secretary
Of State that he would have to de
cline it. He tried to get one other
Consulate iu China, and while the
powers that be were considering his
case he came out bodily and asked
that he be sent as Minister to Hayti
He Informed his friends here that
big work had been mapped out for
him ut PorLau Prince, aud also gave
them to understand that he had as
surances that the department would
recommend TO Congress an increase
in the salary. $4,000 year being
the figure demanded.
Smylhe is raw sort of a man 70
far as experience is concerned, as he
has lived most of his life in a village
and in . portion Of the State where
very little progress has been made
since Tazewell county became mod
orately well populated. In a pro
vincial sense Smy,he is nervy sort
OF fellow, aud during the heated po-
litical campaigns in Virginia he has
had some lively times with his oppo
nents, often resorting to encounters
to settle any little differences that
might exist.
Smythe is au unusually lean, lank
man, with lantern jaws, and has a
most peculiar facial expression. Few
persons would take him for diplo.
mat should he hal. en- to get in a
crowd. He looks as if he had never
been very far away from home. aud
when in Washington, on his way to
his post of duty he smoked, in the
lobby Of down town hotel frequent
ed by southern people, a big clay
pipe with long reed stem.
In addition to tue backing Smythe
had. he made regular mash on the
President and Secretary Of State by
exhibitions of wonderful knowledge
of foreign countries which he had &C
quired from book reading while re-
siding in Tazewell county. He was
very much pleased with his appoint.
ment as Minister to Hayti, and TO a
number of friends dropped remarks
before sailing that the Administra.
ton had given him some important
things to attend to in the little is.
land.
Before his departure, it is said, he
exhibited here uniform which he
had worn in Virginia, and in which
he said he proposed to appear in
Hayti. Slnythe is hot headed. i'm
petuous man, and as he went to
Hayti full of the idea OF doing some
thing bordering on the sensational,
those who knew him here will not be
surprised to learn that he has got the
government of the United States in
to another tangle.
Secretary Gresham says he has re-
ceived no official information con
corning the report that Minister
Smythe at Havti had been over off
cious in the discharge of diplomatic
dutios. The Secretary's first informa
ton that Minister Smythe is suppos
ed to be in trouble at Hayti was con
veyed to him this evening by the re-
porter of the Sun.
Later the Secretary saw a United
Press dispatch 10 the effect that G
steamer arrived in New York from
Hayti this morning, bringing the in
formation that Minister Smythe had
written letter to the President Of
the Haytian republic suggesting Ger
tain changes in the form of govern
ment there, and stating that Minis
ter Smythe's suggestions were rot
well received and that his recall will
be recommended by the Haytian gov.
eminent.
Secretary Gresham listened to this
statement with surprise, and then
said that he had heard nothing from
Hayti on the subject. and animated
that when the official returns come in
it will probably be found that the re-
port is exaggerated. He has no rea,
son to doubt Minister Smytbes abili.
ty TO discharge. his duties with wis
dom and discretion, and up TO the
present time there has been no OBJ
.ctioD to him or no suggestion that
he is unpopular with the Haytian
government.
2,228,672