Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-11-06


funeral has taken place; the bill will remain ur-
touched until Tuesday or "Wednesday of next week
and will hardly be put upon its passage before the
latter par, Of the week. 1t will have TO pass the
ordes of the Senate, which wishes the army TO be
increased to $1,000 men at least. II this di.A-
greement should be insisted on the bill will
hardly become law much before the end Of
the session, which means the last of November.
Meantime, the officers and enlisted men of the
army hypotbecating their pay certificates at
runous rates and are secretly or openly cursng
the powers that be for such unnecessary dilstori-
ness.
| The ARMY BILL.
| Gen. Sherman is considerably out of humor at
being Obliged to accept 81 900 men as the standard
number of troops, when he felt quite confident of
aximun of % 900. Soon after the late riots
all over the country, followed, as they were, by
several Indian wars, there was general feeling
that our army should be increased to at least 49,,
600 men. Had these troubles taken place later, or
have more or less continued, there evidently would
have been material increase ordered; but as the
riots are extinguished and the Indians partially
qneled or subdued, the old feeling of "enough"
has returned to control the bill. Besides it is
serted that the democrats have a scheme of their
own; which is to keep the field and line officers
down to a low figure so that when their antcipat
ed accession to power takes place, what with
deaths, rerements &C., in connection with an in
crease of the army under a democratic admins
traton they will be able to put in field aud line
officers enough OF their own stamp, especially
from the South. to control its action in any future
emergency. This squin's little (f true) at the
idea that if the North should, in future, resent
any undue dom nation of the element which it has
once so terribly combatted, they will consider that
action rebelous and punish them accordingly.
And pray why mott With the Southern aristoc-
racy in powers with the colored man under sub
lection akin to his former slavery; with demo-
cratic President at the helm and an army and ma
Wy at his comm nd. why may not any resistance
| to unjust laws or action be considered rebellion :
And why may they not, with such idea
trolling them, and the precedents of the past for
examples, turn the tables on the North and either
oblige them TO consent to a separation or another
struggle The idea may appear, to some. chimeri
cal, but it seems certainly within the range of pos
| sibiliiy. And it is no wonder they afford to
de lude many good men with the impression that
they entirely peaceful, and devoted to the old
flag, if any such Interior purpose is contemplated.
SENATOR MoRToN's DEATH
produces profound impression here lie has so
long been member Of the Senate that he became
familiar to people here as any old Washington
resident. Persistent. bold and severe as be was in
his political views and actions, be was urbane,
courteous and sociable personally and had many
warm friends inside of both the great polcal
parties. Many a time have seen him chatting
pleasantly with some political opponent in the
lobby rooms or corridors, whom he had, verbally,
chsstised severely an hour two before. Nor
ton had some iailings but lack of kindness, good
humor and good heaitedness were not of them.
His loss will be felt most by the party he has done
so much to advance and strengthen. The LOYAL
element at the South, including the millions of
men he was so greatly instrumental in freeing,
will miss him immeasurably. The loyal North
and northwest too in view of his mastery and sue
cessful efforts 10 put down disloyalty in his own
State, and at the same time furnish Indianas
quota for the war, will never forgot him. Quite
likely it was through his wonderful ssgscitv and
activity that the border States, well as the boz
der counties of his own State and of Illinois were
prevented from multiplying the power of the Union
in that quarter and perhaps, from taking sides
against it; for it must be RENE mbered that dem
ocratic Legislature refused appropriations for the
Indiana troops in the field, and aided as it were,
the various bands of traitors who were secretly
arming resist the Union armies.
CIVIL SERVICE, AND How IT WORKS.
Since Attorney General Devens has come out in
Boston paper with his Interpretation of the Civ
il Service Order, there has been a curiosity, here
to know who is night on this question. Certainly,
| if the Cabinet cannot agree amongst themselves
how are the employees under them or the public
| to know For instance, here were State organiza-
tons in this city-organized for the purpose of
aiding the State organizations at home in dissem-
mating documents amongst the Masses sending
orators into the districts, (going themselves some
tmes) sending voters to their various States, aud
in various other ways aiding the Republican par
ty. Soon after the issuance Of the Civil Service
Order, the officers of these various associations
fearful Of offending and thereby losing their
heads, called upon a cabinet officer and asked his
opinion on the subject lie decided that they
were all right. But after, another cabinet
officer decided that they were all wrong. AT last
they went to the President himself, who, after
hearing their statement, decided that they must
disband, which they all did. Now comes Attor
ney General Devens, under authority, it Is said
Of the President and announces theory directly
in contact with that announced by the President
himself to those associations. What is the
matters Is there a mistake, or blunder, or are
things generally mixed up, or is there genei al
latter.
Again, Secretary McCrary allows his clerks to
60 home and vote, granting them pay in the mean
time, and not deducting the lime from their regu.
lally allowed annual leave; Secretary Sherman
allows his clerks to do likewise, save that he
deducts the time from their annual leave; while