Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-03-29
At the close of the Cabinet meeting

at the close OF the CABINET meeting
to-day Secretary Alger gave out the
following statement: $50 far from there
being any difference of opinion among
the member of the Cabinet, tb ey are all
in hearty accord with the President,
and have been without single excep.
ton. When he read to them yesterday
his message on the Maine, there was
not dissenting voice nor a sugges-
ton of change. 1t commanded the
approval of every member. How
could the President have said more ?
He gave Congress the report at
once and stated that be had forwarded
it to Spain and is awaiting her reply.
He must take one step at time. 1t
may be said further that there need be
no fear that he will not take the next.
He has not lost a moment in present
ing not only the Maine incident, but
the whole situation to Spain. The
country can we'll afford to await the re,
suit of the negotiations, which will be
promptly made known, whatever the
result"
Secretary Long sent to the House to-day
| for inclusion in the general deficiency bill an
estimate of an appropriation of 500 . for
steam wster boat for use at the Norfolk, Va,
] navy yard.
l Secretary Alger sent to the House to-day a
request for an increase of % in the number
| of post Guartermaster sergeapts in the army.
! Orders were issued to-day for the transfer
of the Twenty-ffth Regiment of Infantry to
| the Dry Tortugas. The fact that this regi.
! ment is made up of colored troops is regarded
as quite significant in showing the purpose OF
| the War Department to concentrate colored
| troops in the vicinity of Cuba, inasmuch as il
is recognized that the negro is bett able tc
| withstand the Cuban climate than the white
\ man.
II Mr.. Lewis, of Washington, to-day intro
| daced in the House a resolution asking infor
nation of the President as to what he conf
| mnnicated to the Spanish government as the
1 views of the government of the United States
upon the court of inquiry on the destruction
of the Maine and asking that such informa
ton be communicated to Congress at once.
As Chairman Hit of the House foreign az
fairs committee is ILL., and as four other mel
| bers of that committee will have to escort the
/ remains of their dead colleague to Msssachu
sstts to- morrow, it is not supposed that actor
on the Presidents message on the Mai at
fair will be taken by that committee befoI'
next week.
The policy determined upon by the demo
Gratis in the House is to propose to amend any
recommendation the President may make TO
I an appropriation foT the relief of the sufferers
10 Cuba by the recognition of Cuban indie
pendence but it, as ia anticipated, such al
amendment be defeated, they will not refuse
to vote for the appropriation.
This is private bill day in the House, ant
the friends of the omnibus bill to pay all The
claims approved by the court Of claims, In
Guiding the large one of the heirs OF Mrs
General Robert E. Lee, hope they may b.
able to ct it through. The friends of Rich
mond College also hope to get the claim o
that college through to-day.
Congressman Jones of Virginia says that a
member of the House he feels Inundated a
the inability Of its members to give expression
to the sentiments of their constituents on thu
floor of that body by reason OF the rules b,
which it is governed. In respect Of the Pres
ident's course on the Cuban question, Nj
Jones says it is positively contemplate. 81
says contracts have been made for one sec
toa of the proposed railroad from Freder
lcksburg through the Northern Neck to Ches
apeake Bay, and that work on it is bein
prosecuted. Mr. Jones has just succeeded il
having mail route established from Wish
ert's Point, ON the mainland, to Chincoteagu
Island.
Congressman Otey and Hay of Virginia to
day presented in the House numerous peti
tions from their cons tituents in favor of III
passage of the anti.scalpers' bill.