Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-05-06

night accompanied by her 1aCner. one
was met at the depot by colored dele
CATION, headed by Alderman John
Mitchell, and great demonstration
was made in her honor. Pokey expects
to reside there.
TALK WITH GEN. FITz LEE.
General Fitzhugh Lee returned on
Sunday from Washington, where ne
has been for several days on official
business connected with his appoint
ment as Consul General to Cuba. While
in Washington he had interviews with
the President and the Secretary OF State.
The General will take his departure
for Cuba as soon as he can wind up his
private matters and get his personal al
! fairs in proper shape. He was appoint
ed Consul General to Cuba on the 18th
of April, and on the 23rd following, the
appointment was confirmed by the Sen
ate. The General, however, was not
commissioned, and the passport and
other necessary papers were not receiv-
ed until the LIST of May, 80 that he has
had only five days in which to prepare
for his departure. Under ordinary cir
cumstances, persons who receive foreign
appointments are entitled to thirty
DAYS in which to make all necessary
preparations. 1t is understood that
Gen. Lee will not avail himself of any
such privilege, but will 60 to Cuba at
the earliest possible moment, probably
within ten or twelve days.
A MewS reporter called on Gen. Lee
yesterday afternoon, at the latter's resi-
dence on Court street, and asked him II
there were any developments in regard
to the confirmation of Captain Fowle's
appointment as collector.
III understand" said the General,
ssthat Captain Fowle is positively OBJ
iected to by one of the Virginia Sena-
tors, while the other Senator, so far,
has been undecided in his course. l
do not think it will practically change
the result, whether the Senate rejects
or takes no action, and I suppose that
Captain Fowle will either be collector
or acting collector during the term OF
the Presidents administration. This
condition, as can be readily seen, is due
to the early adjournment of Congress.
The present executive, owing to this
fact, may not have time, should the
Senate fail to confirm, to consider or to
decide upon a new appointment. Cap.
tain Fowle certainly has excellent
qualifications for the position, and in
some respects is the best equipped man
in the revenue service. He is no reia-
tive of mine, but is cousin of Mrs.
Lee, however. I had nothing to do
with the original appointment, one way
or the other. l found Captain Fowle
in Office when / came here. He was
appointed chief deputy by the late Cap
tain Shepherd, in Cleveland's first at-
ministration. He has had, therefore,
an experience extending over q number
of wears. The collection of revenue in
district that sends to the United
States treasury a million per annum IS
necessarily surrounded by intricate and
complicated machinery. A new man
would not be able to master the details
of the business before he might possibly
be put out by change in the admins
tration. So 1 think it was wise thing
when the vacancy was made, to simple
promote for the unexpired term the
next in rank, more especially as the
man promoted was person OF exper-
fence, with q knowledge of revenue
methods and revenue laws. This &C
ton taken by the President will be &C
companied by less party friction and
disturbance than if proposals had been In
vited to fill the vacant coliectorship and one
or two dozen candidates had appeared, each
backed by an array of friends. If there had
been number of applicants, those who did
not receive the appointment, and their mum.
erous friends. would have been more or less
disturbed and disappointed. If there is any
thing against Captain Fowles capacity or
character it has never been brought out. and
1 do not think, under the circumstances, tnat
the Virginia people arc going to lndorse ad.
verse action by the Senate"
"Who do you think will DO the nominee of
the st. Louis convention" asked the re-
porter.
benjamin Harrison, think" he prompt.
ly replied. .,
Eyes; that is true. The party must be
strengthened by harmony, and not weaken
cd by division. "-Lynchbrg Neps.
A letter from Richmond says: General
Fitz Lee will probably leave Richmond to-
night for Florida He is now in Lynchburg
packing up and making ready to go. Mrs
Lee is visiting here and the General will con
to Richmond to take leave of her. He will
20 by rail to Tampa, Fla, and from there by
boat to Havana. Mrs. Lee will stay here fer
short while and then return to Lynchbure.
She will no doubt visit West Point in June,
when her son, George Mason Lee, enters the
military academy there"
Another dispatch from Richmond says:
Fitz Lee will not start to Cuba for a week or
more yet. He has returned to his home in
Lynchburg where he will make arrangements
to go. Mrs. Lee, who has been visiting in
Richmond, left to-day for the Hill City to re-
join her husbsnd The general has a son in
Huntington, W. Va, and he will make fly
ing visit to him before leaving Virginia.
THE CAssARD.-A dispatch from
Norfolk says: The report that the sus-
pected flibustering steamer Howard
H..,o,d ,,biob fnr sot,aro1. naaRc naGt