The true northerner., 1881-08-19
WASHINGTON NOTES.

Secretary Blaine has been suffering
from malaria and tendency to chills.
President Garfield performed his first
official act since the shooting, on the 10th inst
He affixed his signature to paper extradting
a criminal wanted by the Canadian authorities.
Secretary Blaine has gone to Maine,
where he will stay several weeks.
During the last fiscal year there were
| 4, 3s4 pilots examined by the Marine Hospital
Service, of which number l1s were found color
blind.
AS soon rs the President gets out of
danger, says q Washington telegram, DR.. Bliss
intends TO publish q correct statement OF the
controversy that was made by DIR. Baxter just
after the President was shot as to Baxter's
right to take charge OF the case. Bliss
statement will be in substance that, in
the first place, he was called to the
| President at the depot by member OF
the Cabinet Secretary Lincoln. He took
charge of the case, and the next morning (Sun-
day) after the President was shot Bliss called
the Presidents attention to the necessity for
some system about the treatment Of the case.
| Meantime the President had reacted from the
shock, and was capable OF exercising judgment.
He told Bliss that he wanted him to
take entire charge and control of the
case; that he felt complete confidence in
| him, and would surrender everything to him
| Bliss asked him who he wanted associated in
| the case, and the President replied that he
would leave that entirely 10 Bliss. Soon after
| Bliss saw Mrs. Garfield, and she ratified all the
President had said, and requested Bliss to take
charge Of the case.
A Washington telegram OF the 1lth
! inst says To-day President Garfield wrote
his first letter since the shooting. 1t was to
| his mother at Mentor, and assured her OF his
confidence in recovery. Mrs. Garfield read to
him considerably to-day, both from private let-
ters and newspapers. The President is begin
ming to take much interest in public affairs"
Washington kilograms of the 18th
inst report the Presidents condition, at that
date, as fairly satisfactory. The pulse ruled
rather high, but the attending surgeons seemed
| TO view this lightly, and asserted that the pa
tient was steadily improving. DR.. Bliss
was slightly poisoned by cut from
one Of the knives used in removing the pus
| from the Presidents wound Dr. Blackburn,
the Governor of Kentucky. expresses the opin-
ION that Guiteau's bullet was detected to the
spinal column, and that the President Will un-
doubtedly die from his wound.
The Treasury Department are making
an effort to put stop to the custom OF punch
ing holes i'll coins. They Will invite the public
to refuse any clipped money.
Washington kilograms Of Aug. l5 state
that, owing 10 n slight gastric difficulty, the
| Presidents condition was hardly as favorable
az on the few previous days. When in ordina-
ry health the President has occasionally suf
| fered from indigestion, but the present attack
| is all the more serious as the medical staff are
working to supply the lost strength. In
spite of sensational articles in news
! papers and the ominous forebodings Of i'm
patient critics, his surgeons confidently predict
the ultimate recovery Of the patient. The high
| pulsation is they say, not n dang rous symp-
| tom in ITSELF and is at this time the result of
Indigestion There Is no intention on the part
Of the surgeons Of endeavoring to extract the
| bullet. They believe that it is now encysted
and therefore incapable of doing more harm
Before leaving for New York, DR.. Hamilton OK
pressed himself in a very hopeful manner, ex-
planning that time will be required to diminish
the pus-secreting surface, and that until then o
marked improvement cannot reasonably bo ex-
pected. Said the doctor; "You may assure
| the public that the President will get well il
they will only wait patiently for the result"