The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-12-08
sALIsBURY'S REPLY
Great Disappointment Expressed 1.-THE PreSl-
dents Absence From the City.
PROBABLE DELAY OF TEN DAYS CAUSED.
Civil Service Rules Amendcd-FortS-
Five Additional Enpioyments
lstldcd-Fostoisicc Employees For
hidden to visit the Capitol for
Lobbying Purposes.

Washington. -. c., Dec. $50 far as
Speaker Reeds influence goes the con-
clusions reached III the contested cleo
tiOn cases now before the House will
be based on the law and evidence and
without regard 10 partisan considera-
tonS. Upwards of fifty members OF the
House have applied for assignment to
the Elections Committee and many of
these gentlemen have preferred their
request personally. Mr.. Reed has re-
pcatedly sought from these applicants
an expression of opinion as to the spirit
in which their work would be under
taken in the event that they be placed
upon the committee. To such as he has
talked he has expressed a desire that the
work should be expedited, in view Of the
very considerable expense which will
accrue to the Government from delay
ing n settlement of the cases. and he
has also emphasized his belief that the
committees conclusion shall he wholly
free from POLITICAL bias and that each
contest shall be settled strictly upon its
merits.
There Is now apparently little doubt
that two Elections Committees will be
formed I'm order TO facilitate matters
anu II Is among the strong probabilities
so far as any one can anticipate Speaker
Reeds actions. that the Chairman OF
the two committees will be Messrs.
Daniels. OF New York and Mccall of
Massachusetts.
The President has amended the civil
service rules and brought into the clas-
siiied about forty-live additional en-
ploymcnts. The amendment reads that
special departmental rule No. / isadopt-
ed by striking from the list OF places.
excepted for examination in the de
partmcnt OF labor. statistical experts
and Temporary experts. So much of ex-
ecutivc orders as provided for special
agents is revoked.
Great disappointment was expressed
by members OF the House to-day that
the President should have left the city
yesterday, and thus have delayed lay
ing before them the information CON
tanned in Lord Salsburys reply to Sec
rotary olney's letter. which reached
Washington last evening. Such of the
Representatives as feel n keen and pa
triotic interest in the Venezuelan boun,
Diary question have expected that the
British Premicr's answer would be i'm
meaiately forwarded by the President
In special message to Congress. The
Presidents absence will prevent the
House FOR possibly ten days from re-
ceivinE this information unless some
other method for procuring il Is reach
ed. Mr.. Livingston. who is consplcu-
ously friendly To Venezuela. believes
that he has evolved a plan which will
get the Salisbury letter before the
House by next week. This plan looks
to the introduction of Il resolution, when
the House rcasscmbles on Monday. call
ing upon the Secretary OF State for his
letter to Lord Salisbury. written in
July last, and the British Prcmici!s
reply. received yesterday, If this be not
Incompatible With the public service
Mr.. Livingston will ask the immediate
consideration of his resolution. which.
II IL be adopted, may be followed by the
correspondence within the next twenty
four or forty-cight hours.
Bids wer opened at he Treasury to-
day for vcntillating the New York
post-ofice. The Dalton Company of
Charleston. S. c., at S7,00S were the
lowest bidders.
The Postmaster-G to-day issued
the following significant order respect
ing all postal employees.
That hereafter no postmaster. post
Office clerk, letter carrier, railway pcs
tai clerk, or other postal employe
shall visit Washington. whether on
leave, with or without pay. for the pur-
pose of influencing legislation before
Congress Any such cmploye who Nio-
lates this order is liable to removal
PostmaStcrs and other employees Of
the postal service are paid by the Gov
eminent for attending to their respective
duties assigned them which do nc,
include. efforts 10 secure legislation.
That duty is assigned to the rcprescn-
tativcs of the people elected for that
purpose.
III bills are introduced in either
branch of Congress affecting the postal
service upon which any information or
recommendation is desired, am ready
at all times to submit such as lies In my
power and province"
AT IL o'clock to-day Sir Julian Pauncc-
forte. the British Amba ssa dor. came to
the State Department bearing III one
of the characteristic bli.a envelopes
with the accompanying red seal. which
from the distinguishing features of
British diplomatic correspondence, Lord
Salisbury's reply to Secretary Olney's
note I'm regard to the proposed VcneZue-
Ian boundary arbitration. The docu-
ment was in print with the usual wide
margin for notes and printed in the
customary legiblc type, pertaining to
such communications. The British Am
bassador was saved the necessity of 60
ing through the formula of reading TO
Secretary Olncy the exceedingly lengthy
and argumcntativc communica ,ion. Of
which he was made the official bearer.
by pcrcciving that Secretary Olncy him
self had duplicate In his hands which
had been transmitted to him by Am
bassador Bayard by the same steamer
as that which conveyed Sir Julian
Paunceforte's missivc and which had
consequently reached him last night
This naturally shortened the official
ceremony. Tho presentation Of the note
barely occupied ten minutes; the read