Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-11-12
FROM WASHINGTON.
OF the Alexandria Gazette.

The President this afternoon will is-
sus proclamation suspendlng the COL
lection of discriminating duties upon
Mexican shipping upon satisfactory
proof that no discrimination Is prac-
ticed against American ships IN Mexl-
can ports.
The Cabinet was in session less than
an hour to-day and transacted no busl-
ness of Importance.
Before the meeting Senator Platt OF
New York had long conference with
the President. in which the New YORK
political situation was gone over, and
the Senator indicated what he would
like to have done in the matter OF ap'
pointments. =, 49,,
made for taking up the subject of
reciprocity treaty between the United
States and Canada, and to this end
meetings have been fixed upon between
Hon. John w. Kasson, who is specially
delegated by President Mckinley to
conduct reciprocity negotiations, and
Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the Canadian
Premier, and Sir Louis Davies, Minis
ter of Marine. The meeting will be
held during the present visit of the Ca
madam officials, but no exact time for
it has yet been fixed. The arrangements
also contemplate taking up the Ques'
tions of border immigration, North AT.
lautic fisheries aud all other subjects
affecting the two countries. The meet
ing with Mr.. Kasson, however, will be
confined to reciprocity, as he was dele
gated by the President to treat on that
subject alone. The dinner at the White
House last night was conducive to a
friendly settlement of pending cues.
tions. There were no toasts and no
speeches at the dinner, but at its con.
clusion the Canadian guests accompa'
MED the President and his Cabinet
TO the Blue Room, where wholly ill.,
formal and personal exchange of views
occurred. These were on the same
friendly lines as those at the formal
conference between the Secretary OF
State and Sir Wilfrid Laurier earlier in
the day, and the general sentiment pre-
vailed that the present time was OPP
perfume for more cordial intercourse
between this country and Canada.
Sixth Auditor Castle, for the Post
Office Department, has promoted A..
Clements to be chief of the collecting
division and D. w. Duncan to DO Chief
of the bookkeeping division. D. H..
Fenton, whom Mr.. Duncan succeeds,
has been engaged to represent the gov
eminent in al legal proceedings
against the bond men of Postoflice De-
partment officials, including postmas-
ters.
The following fourth class Virginia
postmasters were appointed to day
Abilene, Cora S. Daniel; Bonbrook, W..
II. Martin; Carysbrook, E P. Houchins;
Dooms, D. W. May; Shiloh, J. S Davis;
Thornhill. ]. 81. Estes; Whitebouse,
Rosser Johnson.
1t is learned at the State Department
that Mr.. Kotsebue has not only resign
cd from the Washington mission but
that his resignation has been accepted
by the Russian foreign Office aud his
successor has been appointed ia the
person of Count Cast i, toe present
Russian minister at Peking.
The third session of the experts on
seal life was held at the Stale De-
partmept to day, ali of the representa-
lives of the United States, Canada and
Great Britain being in attendance ex-
cept Sir Wilfrid Laurier, who spent the
morning in visiting the Catholic Uai
versity.
General Thomas G. Sullivan, COM
misary general of subsistence, will end
his active career in the army to NOR
row, as he will then have reached the
age of sixty-eour years, the legal
age of retirement in the army.
1t is generally believed that Col. Viii,
liam II. Bell, the senior officer of the
corps, will succeed to the vacancy.
Among the well known people at the
Capitol to-day was Senator Cockrill, OF
Missouri. He was there for copies OF
about fifty different bills that may be
called up during the coming session OF
Congress. Senator Cockrill lives here
nearly the whole year, and his many
friends say provides during The con
gressional recess the dynamite with
which he blows up the fraudulent re-
publican schemes that are introduced
into tn, Senate.
Lieut.. Armstead Rust, L. S. N, of
Loudoun county, Va, has been transfer
red from duty at Indian Head on the
Potomac, to service with the Mic
araguan canal commission.
Governor O'Ferrall spent the day
here yesterday. He has changed his
stopping place from the Metropol-
itan Hotel, democratic headquarters,
to the Raleigh, where he meets more
congenial company. In talking to a
gentleman from his State, he expressed
himself as in favor of reduction in
the States expenses, but did not init.
mate how such reduction could be
made, and when it was suggested that
the number of county judges might be
reduced, he said, to do that would re-
quire constitutional amendment.
The civil service Jaw, rs now executed is
such grotesquc fraud that it has become
positively disgusting to men of all parties
familiar with Its operation, and strong o..
fort will be ma1e to have it submitted to the
test Of the q. s. Supreme Court. In talking
about it this morning, Congressman Grosve-
nor of Ohio, republican, one of President Nc.
Kinley's warmest supporters, said there could
be no euch law in heaven. for all there must
be in perfect accord, and that its existence in
Ohio had cost the republicans fifty thousand
votes there at the recent election.
Tie House committees having boon APP
pointed, the most important one. that on sp.
propriations hss already designated the men,
borship of its sub committees, some of which
hnYe already pons to work and ona or moro of
the regular approp iation bills will, is said, be