Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-16
VIRGINIA SENATORS
They Are Indignant at the Action of
the President.
GENERAL LEES SUCCESSOR TEE CAUSE
Neither Was Consulted as to the
Appointment.
M AY TU RN 1T DOW n

The Presidents action in appointing Gen.
F.tz Hugh Lee to be consul general at
Havana was expected in many quarters to
harmonize Virginia politics by the with
drawal OF Senator Martins antagonist
from the field, and highly complimenting
the man who is regarded by Firginians
and the south generally as the embodiment
of all those chivarous traits that caused
them to love Gen. Robert E. Lee
The Administrations Intention.
1t is generally believed that the appoint
ment had good deal of politics in it, and
not only was intended to make friends for
the administration in the south, but was
also intended as a declaration to foreign
governments that the United States gov
ernment does not hesitate to impose the
greatest confidence possible in a distin-
guished confederate soldier, trusting him
with the most delicate diplomatic mission
now within the gift of the administration.
1t was desirable to give this object lesson
to foreign governments in view of the silly
stories that have been circulated in Euro
pean newspapers, ard credited by people
who know nothing of this country, in
effect that should the United States engage
in foreign war the south would seize
upon the occasion to again attempt to Sc
cede from the Union. Such idle gossip
seers silly to an American, but during the
late eXcitements between this country and
the governments of Spain and England
these reports have received an unwarranted
amount of credit by foreigners, whose in
formation regarding the United States has
been exceedingly limited. and they were
spread by European newspapers that should
have known better, and probably the
writer's of the sensational articles were not
themselves deceived but intended merely
to work upon the ignorance of their read
erS.
To AntnSOnize FOWIe.
These We're the intentions of the admins
tration, but another element, exceedingly
dscordant in its nature, has arisen a
result of the appointment of Lee. This dis
cordant element was the result of the ap-
| pointment of NJ. H. Fowle, the first cousin
! of Gen. Lees wife, to be the internal reve-
| nue. collector of the sixth Virginia district
| to succeed Gen. Lee, and it is now declared
| on what appears to be the best authority
! that Senators Martin and Daniel have not
| only consulted in regard to the advisability
| of making a fight on the confirmation Of
| Fowle when the nomination is considered
| by the Senate, but they have, 1t is under
stood, decided to earnestly work to turn
down the named by the President.
| The cause of this antagonsm is said to be
| because the President totally ignored both
of the Virginia Senators in making this
| selection, as he did Representative Swan
son, in whose district the collector is To-
Gated. 1t is said that they We're not so
greatly surprised at the appointment of
| Gen. Lee by the President without consult
| ing them, but they We're it is stated, highly
| indignant when the President selected
! man to fill a local office within their state,
| the first notice of which reached them by
| the publication of the nomination.
Mr.. Martins Feeling.
| Mr. Martin has been decidedly at odds
with Gen. Lee, whom he beat for the SEN
| atorship by but few votes, but Gen. Lee
| and Mr. Daniel are warm personal friends
| Mr. Daniel could more readily be pacified
| in regard to Mr.. Cieveland's action on ac-
| count of his intimacy with Gen. Lee but he
| does not like the idea of being ignored in
state appointments and is afraid that If he
| overlooks the Presidents action without
! a protest that action will be repeated In
| O, her instances
It is said that the feeling of Mr.. Martin
over this appointment, really upon the
recommendation Of Gen. Lee, is shown by
| his attitude toward another relative of
| Gen. Lee. 1t is asserted that Mr.. Martin
! has called for the resignation of DIR. Carter
| Berkeley, a doorkeeper of the United States
| Senate, and a first cousin of the late Robt
| E. Lee. Berkeley led the forces of the
| confedcraCy at the famous battle of Pied
| mont, and is regarded one OF the Most
| gallant of the c5nfederates. 1t is said that
! MIR. Martin wal is to secure Berkeley S
| place for one of his friends.
To Teach Lesson.
| Just what line of opposition the Virginia
| Senators will decide to urge against the
| confirmation of Fowle is not now known
| Mr.. FoUe's friends assert that this oppo-
| sition is the result of c personal grievance
| but friends of the Senators think that
| they will get considerable support in their
| opposition from the fact that other demo-
| cratic Senators would like to teach the
| President lesson in regard to the appoint
n:ent Of men without their approval 1t
| is possible that the Virginia Senators will
| be pacified and persuaded to let FowIe be
| confirmed, but those who know them well
| say they can hardly overlook the Presi-
| dents action without a protest, as it would
| weaken their standing in Virginia to have
| it generally known that appointments with
| in that state are made without regard to
| them.
| 1t now looks as if the appointments that
| were expected to bring harmony into Vir-
| ginia and to make very friendly feeling
| toward the administration will result in q
| great deal of diacord before FowIe is con-
| tirnled as collector of the sixth district.