Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-01-12
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence of the Alexandra Gazette
WASHINGTON Ian. 10

a hearing to-day by the House COM
lnittee on banking aud currency on the
commissions bill proposing revision
of the currency. Elk Senator Edmunds,
of Vermont, chairman of the commits
sion, headed the delegation and with
him were ex-Secretary Of the Treasury
Fairchild, of New York, ]. w. Fries,
of North Carolina, representing the
gold democratic sentiment OF the
South; T. ]. Bush, of Alabama, and
Judge r. S. Taylor, of Indiana, repre-
senting the middle west. Secretary
Gage was also present, accompanied oy
the solicitor of the treasury. MIR. Ed
munds was the first speaker. He said
the effect of the bill would be to con.
vert every government obligation, ex-
cept a few of mioor form. into gold obli-
cations, aud to make all United States
obligations payable in gold. But as to
private obligations between citizens he
said that proviso in the commissions
bill declared THAT nothing herein con-
tanned shall be construed or held to
effect the present legal tender quality
of the silver or the subsidiary or minor
coins or the paper currency of the
United States"
The Postoflice Department will re-
commend to Congress that legislation
be enacted providing that clerks and
other employees in postoflces handling
government finances be here after re-
quired to give bond to the government
aud not to the postmaster, rs now.
This will relieve the postmaster from
all responsibility regarding his employ
ees except as to their conduct.
Senator Faulkner, of West Virginia,
stated to-day that he would not be a
candidate for reelection to the chair
manship of the democratic congression-
al campaign committee, which post he
now holds.
Commissioners Jones, of the Indian
office, received dispatcht from We
woka, Seminole Nation, this afternoon
from w. S. Field, who says the report
of the Seminole troubles are untrue. A
few shots were fled in tho darkness by
nrac ical jokers in the neighborhood OF
Earlsbcro. The commissioner says he
knows Field very well and regards this
Information as entirely trustworthy.
An arrangement has been perfected
by which Charles Page Bryan, Of Hi.
aois, nominated to be Minister to
China, and Representative Copger, Of
Iowa, the minister to Brazil, will ex-
change posts. There was considerable
objection to MIR. Bryan's confirmation
on the ground that he had no diplo-
matte experience and was not equip
ped for 80 important post as that OF
Minister to China may be during the
present administration. MIR. Gopger
VAS Minister to Brazil during the Hat=
rson administration. The nominations
making these changes will be sent to
the Senate shortly. 1t is believed
there will be no opposition to the con-
tirmalion of either gentlemen.
A republican from Alexandria coun-
ty, Virginia, hear to-day, says the office
seekers from his county having aban-
doned all hope of success in that direc-
ton, have returned there and gone to
work filling their farms and saving
more money than if they had been sue
csssful here, as the farms there are
ve,y profitable. He mentioned the
case of one man there who from three
quarters of au acre of ground sold four
hundred dollars worth of strawberries
last year.
The House committee on claims to-
day reported favorably on the bill for
the relief of j. H. Fairfax, of Fairfax
county, sub contractor. in this city.
The bill for the relief OF j. Il. Smith, OF
Virginia, was laid over. The Senate
committee on war claims reporter ad-
versely on the bill for paying the heirs
of Mrs. Mary Ann Randolph Lee, of
Virginia, large sum for the destruc-
ion of her property during the war be.
tween the States. In the House MIR.
Rxey introduced bill to refund to
George S. Ayres, of Fauquier county,
large sum OF money taken from him by
U. S. soldiers during the wsr. In the
House Mr.. Otey introduced bill TO
lend W. ". Smith, chancellor of all the
Randolph Macon colleges in the coun..
try, four hundred tents for the general
meeting they are to hold at Lynchburg
next June. The House committee on
war claims this morning agreed 10 re-
port favorabiy on Mr.. Hays bill appro-
priatiug Sl5 900 for thu benefit of Gen.
,enary Church, Winchester, Va.
The contested election case of Brown
Va. Swanson, from the Danville, Va,
district, will be argued before General
Walkers committee in the House tc-
morrow. A large number at the con.
testant's friends from his district are
here to attend the committee meeting.
The hearing of the Thorp-Epes contest
ed case was concluded yesterday even
ing by the contestant, who presented his
side ofitin its most favorable aspect, go
much 80 that several members of the
committee told him he had presented
his own case better than that in which
any of the others had been. Mr.. Thorp
is a brot her-in-law of Mr.. Samuel G.
Brent, of Alexandria.
The President to day sent the follow
ing nominations TO the Senate Mark
S. Brewer, of Michigan. to be civil
service commissioner: Edwin 81. Cor
ger, of Iowa, to be minister to China;
Charles Page Bryan, of Illinois, to be
minister to Brazil, and Henry w. Fur
Miss, of Indiana, to be consul at Bahia,
Brazil.
Congressman Yost says if he shall DO called
before the Senate judiciary committee in re.
lation TO the nomination of Mr.. Brown Allen
as marshal for thelwestern district of Virginia,
he will tell the truth" Unless he shall b.
called. he says, he doesn't know whether he
will take any steps to defeat the continuation
or not.