Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1878-12-27
FROM WASHINGTON.
Especial Correspondence Of the Seatinel ]


Special Correspondence Of the Seatinel
WASHINGTON, D. G. Dec, Is, 1878
Army reorganization is a live sutjecl here
just now, and is likely to become more lively
before the discussion of il ends in Congress.
The General-in-chief has expressed his APP
Proval of the bill lately reported by Senator
Burnside's Joint Committee and to a man up
Il bamboo sprout it would appear that the
grounds for this approval are ioerably plain.
Your correspondent isn't much of warrior
neither in the science, nor GEE Burnside
be accused of anything very brilliant in this
line, though if the mere matter OF reduction is
all that is required his method a few years ago
was certainly effective and practical. One OF
the gravest admDDi'ions of General Washing
ton upon his retirement from public lite, was
his warning against n sta nding army, and the
maintenance of such an institution upon any
thing like large scale, is foreign 10 the whole
theory and spirit of our government Since
the civil war our army has been top-heavy
and incongruous concern, only saved from
thorough OVERLAPPING by indian complica-
tions and depredations The House OF Rep
resentalives, and especially the Military Com
mittee, headed by Gen. Banning, has had the
matter under consideration for two years,
and the Commission which has just reported,
grew out of their agitation of the subject.
or course, if we are to have standing army
it needs reorganizing, and the elimination OF
few superfluous but expensive shoulder
straps, is one of the first demands. The pres
ent plan does this, and perhaps, in time. it
may be brought down 10 a basis of not over
two officers TO one private: but the central-
cation features ought to be squelched The
tendency of the day is 10 the concentration of
power at The National Capital. II is an i'm
nui ap horne nf and toStarpH nv Radical
practices, and the finger boards of history warn
US that il we are not wise and prudent it will
end in ruiz. Already compact and power
tul party is calling for the return of Grant to
the Chief MajIsiracy, that we may have
strong government Consideration OF the
army subject has been sci for January the 9Th
in the House.
IL is evident that the manouvres of Senator
Blaine are not advancing bis presidential pros
poets 10 the degree he anticipated. His heav
est gun has been discharged, yet no increase
n his popularity is visible TO the naked eye.
Senator Tburman's amendment 10 Baine's
resolution promises to bring forth qnite as
the original inquiry, for as Senator Wallace
so apty stated in his speech, the investigation
of Cameronism in Pennsylvania and aristo-
cratic bulldozng in Massachusetts will develop
facts quite as startling as anything likely TO
be found in South Carolina orany other South
ern State
The House Committee on Appropriations is
endeavoring TO get from the Department of
Injustice some information as 10 the number
OF Deputy Marshals appointed TO help carry
elections for the Radical, and the amount of
money paid them. Also what fund the amount
WAS taken from. Mr.. Southland of Ohio, Of
fered a resolution calling for this information,
and the committee reported it favorably, but
IL. a.
it. This Deputy Marshal's business is little
elss than species of election bribery. The
appointees get FIVE dollars to vote the Radical
ticket and stand at the polls TO work for it all
day. Part of their work is to keep Democrats
from voting by various methods. By this
means several Congressional Districts have
been carried, as many ms 900 Deputies hav-
ing been appointed in a single district II
has been charged that the Marshals and Su-
pervisors were paid out of funds appropriated
for other uses, and the policy of the Republic
cans 10 seeking to suppress information con-
corning the matter, indicates that they are
afraid 10 have it examined into But promi-
neut member Of the Appropriation Committee
says: 1--WE intend to have This information
before we give the Department of Justice any
more money"
1t is very homelike to read that Mrs. Hayes
caused the White House cellar to be fitted up
this year with potato-hins, shelves for pump
kins and squnshes and other things to refresh
The Administration during the winter. Yet il
is little remarkable that, after year or more
OF lie Due in the Agricultural Bureau, pump
kins and potatoes and squashes are The only
things the mistress of the White House has to
put away 10 the cellar. What has become OF
the bamboo aud bonhons and other delcacies
lie Due has been raising right along2 Ifpota-
toes and pumpkins are al that the White House
needs, it seems we might get along with less
Commissioner of Agriculture -
But lie Dues sins of omission are greater than
his sins Of commission There is scarcely a
doubt but that be is responsible for the miser-
ably small crop of OLD line Wings. which has
so grievousIy disappointed the Administrs-
lion. DENocRITEs