Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1870-03-17
Letter from Washington.


Decision-dc.
The debate in the House on Thursday
on the army bill. attracted to the Gal
lcries alargc number Of military officers.
and those seeking appointments in the
army: the latter class in particular
whose only encouragement for success
centercd in the hope that the bill would
be defeated General Sherman remained
on the floor through the entire debate.
and seemed exceeding we'll pleased with
the unanimimity of the Members on the
subject The bill a, i. passed the House.
provides for a board consisting of one
Major General. nvo Erigadicr Generals.
and two Colonies. whose duties shall be
tocxamimc fully into the miiiar, records
qualification aud general fitness of all
officers of the army below the rank OF
Brigader. and 10 recommend for appoint
ment. TRANSFER or retention. such IS may
he found best fitted for the positions re-
qured of them
Indian Affair We seem to he gravi-
taiing by the logic OF events toward
better understanding of this grave qncs-
ton. .ju>i now the public mind is
shocked by the horrid massacre of sick
women and children bv Col Baker. in
Moniani. >hcridans effort to parry the
force OF Colvrr's letter. has only aggra-
waited the ease. Congress seems tn he al
armed and very sensitive. As vet their
ideas are without form. But amoiion in
the House calling Tor a bill from the
Committee. willbrins out all they know.
What they lack can he readily supplied
bv practical men who are here. and will
! ia. 10 render all possible aid.
We have Just learned that the Prcsi-
dent aud Gen. Sherman. both refuse
I their sanctions 10 the Pow der River Ex-
pioring Company: and the Secretary Of
the Interior refuses TO appoint Commis>-
I toners 10 negotiate for the removal of
The >oShonc and other Indians from the
entire river cou,ry. alleging that he has
/ 10 place to put them. that they will not
be- liabl" Ia the same objections. a bin
il already prepared by man of large
/ personal experience. and will he intro
duccd next week. This bill deals with
. the whole Indian question, from Alaska
! 60 Leasenworih. IL proposes to make
| and maintain pcace-;o make the most
ofthe Indians self sporting within ten
ycar>-io save 500 lives. and ~. 900 900
Annually. over the present me-
thpi. l. remains To- De seen
whether Congress i ready and will
ing 10 deal with the whole
subject. and adopta policy OF the high
c>i Interest Ia white aud rel mcn aud
forever settle thi, vexcd quc> ion.
Genera! Que,ada. the Minister OF the
pressing upon the attention oi Congress
the prophet. OF at once lIelpin. hi- pco-
PIE ont ui their presenl difficulty. The
General says that his people now has a
I bonafide Government. with executive.
Legislative and judicial branches proper
i organized, aud that il ha> abolished
slavery, and IN actual possession OF two
third, oi the Island, with a splendid ar
my iii the field. His report seems al
most incredible, but is having the di,ir-
cd effect of Fastening 4 report from the
committee in the House. of which Gen
eiul Banks j. chairman. The Commit
tee. i, j. thought. will in "A dav or Nv 0
report in favor of the resolution 10 de-
clare neutrality between Spain and Gu
ba.
The investigation by the military Com
mitee OF HE sale OF cadeiships, is max
Ing quite a stir among a class Of fellows
hanging about Washington. who make
il their business Ia get acquainted with
each new Member of Congress as
soon p he arrives in town. When
once introduced they aim TO. and very
often succeed in. ingratiating them
selves in the Members favor. The object
Of This introduction i, to get Congress-
iomal influence TO aid them in lobbying
bills through Congress: obtaining clerk
ships in the Departments. influencing
domestic and foreign Presidential APP
pointments: securing Government con-
tracts If the investigation Committee
continue their labors, they will soon
find that the sale of cadetships is one of
the lcsspr evils a compared with others
where Congfa. sioupl influence is barter
ed for money.
A question which Is OF great interest
to tie inventors and manu- faeturers OF
the country. will be decided in a ley
DAYS by the Chief Justice ofthe Supreme
Court of the District Of Columbia. This
is the question Of abandonment of in
vention. 1t has always been held by
the Patent Office. that an inventor
abandoned his invention if he allowed it
TO remain for several years in the Patent
Office after rejection without making
. any effort to procure patent. Judge
Fisher of the District Court made q
decision some months ago, upsetting the
old established practice Of tsae OAsce,
and decided in the Cochran case virtual
ly, that an inventor after once filing an
application in the Patent Office never
abandoned it. Commissioner Fisher
OF the Patent Office has rebelied against
this decision. In speaking of this sub
ject he says: Whenever new ma
chine comes into successful operation,
search is forthwith made by some enter
prising Spectator for the earliest and
faintest CLEAN Of the principle embodied
in it, which the shelves of rhe Patent