The New York herald., 1876-11-21
MASSING TROOPS AT THE ARSENAL
Engineer Officers Examining Ap-
proaches to the City.
DANGEROUS DEMOCRATIC PROCESSION,
General Sherman Says the Preparations
Are Necessary.
OPINIONS OF ARMY OFFICERS,
icy TELEGRAPH TO THE HxnALD.1

By TELEGRAPH TO THE HxRALD.1
WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 1876.
The streets Of washipgson especially In the region
known the Island, lying between the Potomac Rail-
road depot and the Arsenal grounds presented quite
q martial appearance to-day. Soon aftsr daylight
long train rolled in from Baltimore and unloadcd
three companies Of soldiss who took up their line OF
march for the Arsenal, where they joined the detach
ment which had landed over night from the Norfolk
steamer making companies within tho spac,ous
grounds The Arsenal IL to Washington what the
Battery is to New York. II is . large
park at tho extremity OF the city, and
in times OF peace Is the resort Sunday for pleasure
seekers. comprising IN area or about nfty acres
dows Of the most rural and peaceful aspect
II II dotted At the samo sime with mounds OF
balls, with collections Of all kinds
Of ordnance Within the enclosure machine shops
and barracks, such usual In . military depot A
drenening rain fell all day. despite which tho soldiers
OCCASIONALLY struggled out into the adjoining Streets
while parties OF smartly drossed officers faced the
buster OF tho storm In search Of refreshments al tho
uptown hotels and restaurants Washington gazed
upon thcso men with . new and strange interest,"
despite its long familiarity days gone by with the
sight Of soldiery. Tho jaunty caps. blue capes aud
red stripes Of the officers commanded instant attsn-
tion and caused the wayiarer the swept the
Streets 10 turn around for . fuller look. So far tho
garrison OF Washington confined to tho trivial num-
Der Of 400 men, all OF whom quartered in she
Arsenal grsarda Tho company which It was said
would be detached and sent 70 occupy quarters In the
Navy Yard retained with the rest in tho Arsenal
the fact having been made manifest that the
corps Of marines In the Navy Yard competent for
its safe keeping the present and until the situation
OF affairs bocamc moro critical That more troops
coming most likely but the officials at army head
quarters arc proof against the assaults OF the most
skiful and desperate OF interviewcrs and their num-
Der and name Kept profound secret Very natu-
rally thc and objects of this movement OF the
military to Washington arc the subject OF universal
speculation. Parsisans both sides 20 TO extremes
and exaggeration in their pronersd explana-
tions OF It. Tho democrats pronounce It the
beginning OF . scheme to republican
precaution against democratic demonstration to pre-
vent the Inauguration Of the republican Presidential
candidate.
aKxKRAL sHERxAS's EXPLANATION
Tho real reason, however, was siven BY General
Sherman whom he said :-"we must protect the public
property, you know and must guard the arsonals,
particularly arscna whatever sho eventual settle
mcnt Of the election dispute may be.
THE DANGEROUS xLExExr
II is not impossible that some OF tho
hot-blooded, reckless and desperate parti.
sans of the candidae who is most In favor
with the people Of tho adjoining States Of vir-
ginia and Maryland might make dash into the city
OF Washington, to thereby enccsualy destroy their
cause and that OF their candidate Baltimore has hun
drcds OF such mad spirits, and the country to the
pany, matter bow much their Presidential leader
might dsavow their conduct and no matter how fruit
less might be such enterprise eventually II would
in the heretofore dccnceess condition OF tho city have
put It's buildings and public property at their mercy
again . desperate fray OF this kind might
sacrince the President TO It's rage 1t is
NO secret that detectives have already warned
tho President that no should bc cautious
In his and not expose himself in situations
whore he might DO mado the victim OF plot agans,
his personal safety. Tho Treasury building aIono
would be tempting object to band OF dcsperadocs
cioaking their purpose under the disguise Of political
partsanshp Its >1oo 900 Of god silver currency
and would alone be prize rich enough to tempt
a raid.
In Short the mischief and injury such an enterprise
might accomplish Is nca'cuable. But, while the Ad-
mlnistra,ion seems justified in precautionary meas
urss, Is doing little stroke of bust
ness for itself and the candidate with whom
It's sympathies lic As lawyer would say.
agans, tho supporters OF the o.hcr candidate whose
followers put In the light OF fac,ious and revolu
tionary party whose mcnaces have in turn rendered
necessary the presence OF troops Washington to pro-
the city against vclcncc II is In this spirit Of
propriety and Of policy combined that measures Of
protection and defence have boon taken by tho govern.
ment
EXAGGERATED REPORTS or rxcrrKxKxr.
should be sad, meantime, that the reports OF cx-
ctomcnt IN Washington are greatly exaggerated. Tho
arrival OF the troops on sunday night was known to
comparatively people in tho city, and escaped the
observation altogether OF the local pagers II was not
until tho New York papers got hcrs this afternoon
that anything like commotion was created
Tho plan for tho protection OF tho city has not
developed itself TO the public eye, and whatever IL
may bo is KEEP. secret by tho military and naval
authorities The points TO be covered are many, and