Evening star., 1894-01-10
THE DISTRICT OFFICES.
Expectations Raised by the Two Recent
Appointments.
GOssips Look for Changes In the Of
hce of Recorder of Deeds and
Register Of Wills.

The fact that the President. in the multi
plicity Of his duties, has found time to give
attention to District matters to the extent
OF making appointments to two of it's most
important offices naturally leads to the coll
clusion that he has also considered the mat
ter OF the other local offices under his juris-
diction. The appointment of Commissioner
Ross and Marshal Wilson gives universal
satisfaction and justifies the hope that the
appointments yet to be made will be equal
ly satisfactory. In at least one of these
cases he waived his general rule as 10 re-
appointing ex-office holders. Mr.. Ross did
not hold his present Office under Mr.. Cleve-
lands administration, and to continue him
in place which he had filled so satisfac-
torily makes a case different from the re-
appointment of an old Office holder.
The reappointment of Mr. Wilson, how
ever. has led the friends Of Mr.. Dorsey
Clagett to believe that another exception
may be made in his case. Mr.. Clagett held
the office Of register Of wills under Mr.
Cleveland's first administration, and served
with credit.
Changes May Soon he Made.
Although there Is no legal term Of service
in the offices Of recorder Of deeds and regis
ter Of wills. the appointments usually run
for four years. This. however. is merely u
force in law. District Commissioners. the
United States marshal, the United States
attorney and the city postmaster are ap-
pointed for stated terms the District Com
missioners Of three and the others Of four
years. but the recorder and the register are
appointed without regard to length Of serv-
ice.
So far as can be learned in official centers
no action has been taken by the President
looking to a change in either of these two
offices, but the gossips predict that there
will be a change in both before many weeks
elapse. Recorder Bruce has been in office
four years. lacking one month. and Register
Wright has a little over three years service
to his credit. Mr.. Bruce was appointed in
February, 1880. and Mr.. Wright in Septem-
Der OF the same year. Ever since the ap-
pointment Of Mr.. Frederick Douglass as
recorder Of deeds, by President Garfield
that office has been held by a colored man.
Mr.. Matthews of Albany was appointed to
the office by Mr.. Cleveland in 1885. The
senate rejected his nomination and the
President appointed Mr.. Trotter a colored
resident Of Boston. to the Office and he was
confirmed. There is considerable interest
now to see whether MIR. Cleveland win
again appoint a colored man. and whether
ne Will again select a nonresident.
In the event that the President decides
to give the office to a colored resident of
the District the friends Of DR.. Riley. pres
ident of the John M. Palmer Club think he
has fair chance of selection. They say
that the local democracy. If a colored man
Is to be appointed. prefer a resident colored
support to DIR. Riley. The District democ-
racy, however, do not regard 1t as neces-
sary that colored man should be appoint
ed. The President Is reported to have said
that II he gave the office to a nonresident
he would give 1t to some prominent colored
democrat but whether, in case he appoints
a local democrat. he will feel bound to
choose a oolored man IL not known.
The District Attorneyship.
People who claim to know say that the
next local appointment to be made will be
that Of a United States attorney. They go
SO far as to assert positively that q change
has already been determined upon and will
be announced before the close Of the pres
ent month According to these wiseacres
Mr. Henry E. Davis Is the man selected to
succeed Mr.. Birney. They predict that he
will be nominated soon after the court an
nounces its decision in the case Of the book
makers at Ivy City. The advocates for
change in the district attorneyship concede
that Mr.. Birney has been a faithful. eff
cient and conscientious officer and that his
relief after SO short a service. is not to be
regarded as reflection on his administra-
ton.
According to their theory the President
Is personally interested In the administra-
ton of Justice in the District for the rea
son that 1t comes directly under his OBJ
servation and that therefore he desires to
have the position Of public prosecutor filled
by man Of his own party. Of whose abil-
ity and integrity he has personal know
ledge. This would seem to indicate that
the only objection to Mr. Birney is that he
is a republican and that he does not possess
the Presidents confidence. Mr.. Davis has
denied the statement that the office was
rendered to him or that his visit to the
White House Monday was In relation to
the office of District attorney.
Early last summer The Star spoke Of the
probability Of the nomination Of Mr. Davis,
and while he then and today stated to a
Star reporter that the office was unsought
by him. and really not desired. 1t is known
that Mr.. Davis has been prevailed upon
by his friends to allow his name to be con-
sidered by the President, with the distinct
understanding that IL 1t Is favorably. con-
sidered he will accept the appointment
only as recognition Of the urgent request
of his friends. While Mr.. Davis stated to
a Star reporter yesterday afternoon that 1t
was true that he saw the President Mon
day, as mentioned in The Star. and that the
matter of some of the District offices were
discussed, the office of District attorney
was not Of those mentioned during his con-
versation with the President Mr.. Davis
also stated that the office had not been
rendered to him. and politely begged to be
excused from saying what he would do
should it be offered to him.
In all the gossip about local appoint
ments less attention seems to be paid TO
the postmastership than to any of the other
offices.and the impression is gaining ground
that it will be the last one considered by
the President It is generally supposed
that Postmaster Sherwood will be permitted
to serve out his term. which will end next
fall. So much Of Mr.. Cleveland's time is
now occupied by important affairs of state
arising out Of the complications in Hawaii
and in Brazil, and economic questions, that
1t is possible District matters may be laid
on the shelf for some time to come
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