Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1881-10-01
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular correspondent.
wAsnINeroN, SEPT. 20, 1881

The talk at the Capital, among all
classes, officials, politicians and resi-
dents, is at present about evenly di-
vided between a discussion of the
surgical treatment of President Gar
fields wound and speculations re-
garding the new administration. 1t
appears to be inevitable that bitter
aud in all probability a prolonged
controversy must take place on the
subject OF the treatment of the case
of the late President. There is a
great deal of feeling concerning the
matter here, and, whether justly or
unjustly, great deal of severe criti-
cism of the surgeons who were in
charge. Three of our local physi-
clans have published articles in the
daily journals, illustrating by draw
ings, endeavoring to show not only
that the attending surgeons did not
know what they should have known
but that they were not truthful in
what they have said about the case.
DR.. Boynton who was in attendance
as family physician and relative,
continues to express condemnation
of the treatment as we'll as the sub
sequent autopsy, and altogether the
public is at a loss what to believe.
The article of DIR. Hamilton prepar-
ed for the Medical Gazette and al.
ready published seems to be reassur-
ing. / do not propose to join the
critics, for know how easy it is to
find fault and how difficult to Judge
whether any better could have been
done. / am simply summing up the
current gossip. 1t is said, and on
the authority Of those who had eve
ry means OF knowing, that many of
the statements given out as to the
favorable condition OF the President
and the bright remarks attributable
to him were, to put the most favor
able construction on it, erroneous;
that for thirty or forty days before
his death the President was either
delirious or unconscious most of the
time. These facts, with many 9TH
ers equally strange and important,
will, it is understood, soon be made
public through the medium of those
who stand responsible for them.
To attempt to sum up all the spec
ulation concerning the new Admin
istration would require more space
than my allotted column. If the
preponderance of conjecture among
the politicians can be taken for any,
thing there will be a new Cabinet
entire, and the complexion will be
decidedly Grant. Nearly all the
names mentioned for places are eth
er former supporters of the ex-Pres-
ident or were members of his admin
istration. But it is safe to say that
next to nothing is known concern
ing the matter. 1t is guess work
pure and simple, for President Ar
thur has said absolutely nothing.
Gen. Grant himself, has been men
toned as probable successor for
Secretary Blaine, but l venture to
disagree with that prediction. Yet
the place of Mr.. Blaine will be hard
to fill with any less prominent rep
resentative of the party. Senator
Logan has been mentioned as a posi-
BILE Secretary Of the Interior. No
better appointment could be made
and / am inclined to doubt whether
the Senator would accept. The ex-
perience Of Senator's who have re-
signed their seats to "go up higher"
has not been such as to encourage
that sort of thing. Secretary Sher-
man served out his full term as Sec
rotary of the Treasury but he was
glad to get back into the Senate
again. Secretary Window is said to
cast longing glanceS toward the va
cancy caused by his own resignation
and Secretary Kirkwood is supposed
to think of trying to obtain the seat
for which ex-COngressman James +.
Wilson has been campaigning all
summer. Mr.. Blaine, too, would
doubtless be glad il there was way
open for him to get back into seat he
SO recently vacated. But both the
new Senators from Maine are ambi-
tious men, fond of public life, and
they would hardly make any sacrih-
ces even for Blaine.
Preparations for the trial Of Gut