Rensselaer Republican, Volume 13, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 January 1881 — WASHINGTON LETTER. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON LETTER.

WASHiAfmfoL Ik J*m*ary B. This climate beats everything for sudden clukDges. Only last* week .while sleighing aud>“coast!ng” parties were in the m idst of a season of real enjoyment, a regular Manitoba blizzard ruthlessly chucked them under the ch Lu. About the time they were becoming used to such cod treatment, a warm southern zephyr stple gently upon them like a low, sweet song, and being followed by a two days’ rainstorm, turned the twelve or more inches of snow into running streams of water and beautiful leather-colored slush*-leaving the streets in m miserable and almost impassable condition for man or beast. Consequently the sleighing is over, unless a sudden freeze should succeed the present thaw. ,To-day the sky is clear and “old Probabilities” suggests that perhaps it would be well for the ladies to stow their remaining hopse plants in the cellar a while longer. There is no indications of a breakup In the ice embargo on the river as yet; therefore

kNAUGURATION CKBHMONJEK , a Have now about as much business pn their hands as they can well attend to, Thousands of letters come 'to them daily, inquiring as to hotels, boarding houses and other The committee has positive information that the following military organizations will be here, viz:‘The National Guard of Pennsylvania, the Palmer Guards, of Columbus, Ohio; Company’ C, Lowell, (Mass.), Mechanic Phalanx, Pitts Light Guards, Df Medina, N. Y.; the Kosciusko Guards, of Milwaukee, Wis.; the Lynchburg Light Artillery Blues; the First Brigade of the National Guards of Pennsylvania, with 2,000 men; the Hamilton Light Guards, of Cumberland, Md.; the Langston Guards, of Norfolk, Va.; First Brigade of Michigan State Troops; the Gibson Guards, of Richwood, Ohio; Battery K, National Guards, State of New York; Eighth Division of the National Guards, (Buffalo), New York; the Seventy-first Infantry, National Guards, State New York; the Sumter (S- C.) Light Infantry: the DeSoto Blues, of Hernando, Miss.; the Fairbault Guards, of Minnesota; the Mauston Light Guards, of Mauston, Wis.; the Ninth Regiment Infantry, of Muscatine, Iowa; the Foster Rifles, of Nashua, N. H.; the Ninth Regiment, National Guards, State New York; the Stafford Guards, of Dover, N. H.; the Smith Guards, of .Oneida, N. Y.; Company F, Third lowa National Guard; the Howard Light Guard, of Fayetteville, N. C.; the American Rifles,of Wilmington, Del.; the Dunpont Guards, of Wilmington, Del.; the National Guards, of Norfolk, Va.; the Light Guards, of Menomonee, Wis.; the Light Guards, of Winona, Minn. :the Sherman Guards, of Neilsville, Wis.; Company A, cavalry, of New Hampshire National Guard; the Bay City Light Guards,of Green Bay, Wis.; Col. Coleman’s Rifles, of Troy, Ohio; the Sixth Regiment lowa National Guards; the Carthage Light Guards, of Carthage, Mo.; the Langston Guards, of Norfolk, Va.; the Flipper Guards, of Petersburg, Va.; the Indian CftdetSi of Carlisle Barracks, with 100 men and band; the Findlay Light Guard, of Findlay, Ohio; the Palmer Guard, of Syracuse, N. Y.; Company I, First Regiment I. N. G.; of Jessup, Iowa; Separate Trooi> G, cavalry Sixth brigade, of Brooklyn, N. Y., and the Bower City Rifles, of Janesville, Wis. Notice has also been received from a thousand-and-one, or more,‘political organizations of their intention of being on hand on the 4th of March, and in many instances accommodations have been secured in advance. In fact rhe pressure for quarters and food accommodations is so great that the commmittee is at its wits ends to know how to provide for all who have applied, but on the principle “where there is a will, there is a way,’’ it will be done all the same. Both Alexandria and Baltimore have come to the rescue, by proposing to take care of those who are unsuccessful in being provide for here, and special trains will be run between those cities with this end in view, Your correspondent will undertake to look out for his Indiana friends if they will signify their desires in this direction hi advance, but they must not delay writing too long.

THE NEW SECRETARY OF THE NAVY. The president on Thursday last sent to the senate for confirmation the name of General Nathan Goff of West Nirginia as secretary of the navy vice Richard W. Thompson gs Indiana., resigned. The nomination caused general suprise—only a few of the general’s most intimate friends being aware of the president’s intention in that direction. Mr. Gofifls the present United States district attorney for West Virginia, A position which pays him nearly 112,009 a yew, therefore R is though thia acceptance of the secretary ship is with the understanding that he will be retained in General Garfields cabinet. He was first appointed in 1877. He is described as being a man of about 44 years of age, decidedly boyish in appearance, having no beard or moustache, very pleasant and polished in manner, and exceedingly foqd pf a good story; a fluent speaker, possessed of the merit of brevity, and gne pf the W qat popular men in his native state. Re was colonel of the M Virginia tegiment in the qniop army and rwe to the rank of hrjga^Her.gt.neral, Hix yean, he was the Republican candidate for congress against Mr. Ben Wilson in the first district, and he got so manv democratic votes that h - came near being elected. Four years ago he ran for governor and was beaten by Matthews, Democrat.

A TESTIMONIAL TO GENERAL HAWyjY, The boari of comm«sfa ftWß gs |he centennial an Wednesday tott at General Hawley’s residence, and presented to him a handsome testimonial in the shape of a silver urn of beautiful design and artistic workmanship, about eighteen inches high, composed of silver taken from one of the mines in Nevada, and mounted on g stand" composed of wood and metals taken from American vessels, and buildings whose associations have become historical, and bears (h|s jwripTO JOSEPH R. HAWLEY, - of Connecticut, President of the Centenial Comm isThe members off he Commission as a n\ark of personal esteem, and as a recognition of hte patriotic and W? a* Resident q L?<International Exhibition of 1876, Philaeelphia, . .Pa. Among those present were President

Haye*,General Sherman, neariveterv member of the and * large;i number efj senators and representatives. The selection and prospective election of“ ” ‘ <!f< - . anti < OIWHIAI JOHN F. a native-of Hoosierdom,: to represent-. California in the United States senate, was a pleasant surprise to hfe many friends in this city. The general was bom hi the vicinity nf South Bend, and spent the moat of his. time before attaining hia majority attending school in that city. It there. in the capacity of a school mate that yonr correspondent first became acquainted with him. John’s father was a wealti y retired farmer and a village squire to boot, and, being at the head of a large family, somewhat impregnated with ’reported aristocratic notions the “boys” did not take well to M hh son John” nor he to them—at any rate he seldom intermingled with them. It was remarked by observant one*, however, that he was a close and exceedingly diligent student and particularly fond of hie own books and company, peeminglv it never occurred to him that his duty to his elass-thates during re-

cess required hfe presence on the play ground, where he might enjoy himself by participating, in the antics of the hour,. His frajj. physique tand modest ways won for fiim the admiration and good-will of all, and for thia reason he, doubtless, escaped much of the rough-usage usually accorded to his-more hardy and frolicsome companions. After leaving school he “took to law” as a profession and had got a pretty good start, when the war of the rebellion came dn and called hhn to the front at the head of the 20th regiment Indiana volunteers, where he did good service. His army friends and companions speak !of him with enthusiasm as a man of supreme courage and ability. It was at the battle of Stone river, while leading his men in the thickest of the fray, that he had a horse shot from under* him and at the same time gave up an eye in corumemeration of nis deeds of daring. 1 While Andrew Johnson w’as military governor of Tennessee General Miller was provost marshal at Nashville. The position was a difficult one but he was equal to the occasion and filled it with credit. It was not until he went to Califoania, after the war, in the capacity of collector of the port of San Fancisco, that he first loomed up in public life. His management of that office soon made for him many warm personal friends and frbm that time to the present his career has been onward and upward. He has been for some time and is still president of the Alaska commercial company. He was a Hayes, as well as a Garfield elector, and was also a member of the recent California state constitutional convention. That it has so happened that he is to be the successor of Senator Boothe, another Indiana boy, is something remarkable. ‘Go west young man.” The largest letting of miscellaneous contracts for

CABBYING THE MAIL, ever known in the postcffice department, will be made March Ist. Up to the present time over 46,000 bids are in and will be opened next week, r orty routes in Indiana are to be provided for. The recent nomination of HON. O. D. CGNGEB, of as senator, gives universal satisfaction among his fellow-con-gressmen. While all the Republicans rejoice at his promotion, the Democrats thank God that this thorn in their sides will soon remove to other pastures green, and take renewed courage. Mr. Conger’s retirement -from the house of representatives will make ene less on the long list of candidates for the speakership, and will greatly enhance the opportunities of Hon. Wm. H, Calkins, of Indiana, whose aspirations in that direction are simply booming. The Republican Indiana delegation in congress will give him a hearty support.

■ THE SOCIAL SEASON Opened gaily immediately after the holidays, and Is now in full bloom. To those who take pleasure in receiving and answering in season the numerous and easily obtained invitations to dinner parties, Germans, bal masque and other private social entertainments, there is no lack of opportunity, for it requires nearly a column of the dally press to properly ventilate the “doings” in this line. The novelty of the season thus far was the entertainment at luncheon of fifty young ladies, given by Mrs: President Hayes, on Thursday last, to meet the seven who are visiting her at the White House. To accommodate fifty-eight persons, three tables were arranged in the form of a letter I, with broad base and top, Mrs; Hayes sitting at the middle of the upper top near the door of the new conservatory,with Miss Evarts at her right and Miss Thornton on her left. From the latter around to the former the guests were so seated as to bring the seven assistant hostesses of Mrs. Hayes each at the middle or end w a ~A J n onK the guests was Miss McCulloch, of your city, daughter of the ex-secretary of the trtMteury who is stopping at the Kbbitt House for the a inter. The floral decorations were yery fine and the Marine band of seventy-five pieces furnished choice music for the occasion, ’ This afternoon the first of Mrs. Haves’ wwMly receptions and for the anytime mqfiy Of the newly married wives of senators and members will have »n opportunity of greeting each other. The blue room and east parlor will, no doubt, be a scene of lively interest from three o’clock till five