The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-04-13
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent ]

w ASHINGTON, ID. u, APP H. 1000
the new postmaster general is a men
calculated to npress his individuality
upon any position he holds ana ;
frierids say that nc will be pos master
general in fact, as well as in name. EX-
cepting the unusual opportunity II 'eri'ed
by Mr.. James the office IS aot one Iii
which tie OCCUPANT can ready make his
mark, or achieve especial I stlnction.
But it is expected that for - that Judge
Gresbam's ability and positive character
will manifest itself The usu~' statue of
the postmaster general in the cabinet may
be inferred from his plate at the cabinet
table; he sits below The SILT, and is the
very farthesL person from the president
Mt the head of the table. 1ne friends of
First Assistant Post master General Fran K
Hatton now say that he never really
wanted the higher office, for Tie obvious
reason that, being practical politician,
he prefers the making of 10000 appoint
ments, which he has in his preseLt posi-
ton, while the postmaster general has
only about 1000 of the higher class. The
postmaster general usually lies on his
oars and lets the first assistant do all the
work; not that he is. not tremendously
busy all the timc--a cabinet officer who
had minute to spare would expect to be
inpeached for Incompetence they
are N oSt of them principally busted about
doing nothing
General Butler, or Governor Butler us he
prooahly prefers 10 be called, won his big
case in the supreme court, by which the
Washington Market company escapes
paving over 800. 900 claimed to be due
the city. But the governor did not win
his political case over in Rhode island.
BY many he is thought to be the greatest
lawyer in the country. He has been great
general in great war and he was for
many years great pOwerin congress. One
would naturally think that Gen. Butler
would be willing and anxious 10 settle
down into dignltied retirement and enjoy
the honOrs of governor of the great com
monwealth. He does not need money,
he does not need fame and certainly no
work of his now can add to the latter.
Why, then. does he take every big law
case that is offered him? You give ii up?
1t is because he has been such great
worker all his life that he cannot now in
his old age live without the excitement of
work. We see him in Washington every
week or two in a law case. He does not
care for money in a misery sense, but the
excitement of a trial is what he Graves.
1t is the same passion that anmates an
old race horse, though beg you will not
understand me as comparing Gen. Butler
to retired race horse: He is a great
worker and as systematic man as Charles
Reade, who describes himself in his
Terrible Temptation. General Butler
always keeps at his elbow short hand
writer and a clerk or two. Every letter
or document he receives gets his personal
attention, and every one contains its own
case Inc letter contains in shorthand
notes its answer on its back, and is filed
away. The General never destroys a
letter, aud he is always prepared TO an
Swer for every day in the year that has
passed. You will never hear of bis COM
planning and excusing himself for the loss
of documents or for bad memoiy. He is
SeMper pdrdtuS. He is a good deal more
than millionaire; is nearly sixty-Seven
years old; has a residence here, one in
Lowell or Gloucester and one in Boston;
he has one of the finest private libraries
in the world; one of the best yachts in
the country, and he has horses and dogs
galore. He loves books and is a ripe
scholar; he has perfect health-physicaI
ly and mentally ten years under his age
and is governor of Massachusetts
Speaking the other day of the devices
to prevent grave rObbercs prominent
official referred to the myst .ry surround
ing the tomb of Abraham l. lcoln. Several
years ago an attempt was made by ave
robbers to steal the body. Elmer Wash
iof of ho
the time the attempt was made He put
men on guard at the tomb for three
weeks. and one dark night, by the aid of
bulls eye lantern, the thieves We're
caught in the very act of violating he
grave. The attempt made great sensa-
ton. This attempt has never been re
peated. The grave is not guarded so far
as any human eye can see. Yet it is pro-
tected. Secretary Lincoln Sid the other
day that he was absolutely certain that
the remains of his father could never be
stolen. After the first attempt secI're
means of protection were employed The
secret of MS security is only known to
three people. 1t cannot be ANYTHING in
the way of elaborate workmanship, for
in a place like Springfield any prolonged
or difficult work in a cemetery would
certainly attract attention. Neither could
any very heaN ms sOnry work be put ~
by only lree men. Secret explosives
might become impaired in t ne. and wor ID
endanger, in case of a" dent, the tomb
end its remains. When the friends of the
late General Garfield think the guard over
his tomb has been maintained long
enough COlOne, Rockwell win be intrusted
with the secret of the protection of the
tomb of Abraham Lincoln And, nv the
way, what exaggerated and sensational
statements have been printed about this
guard. 1t has been said the coffi1 is
opened every me the guard IS relieved,
ld that the soldiers are going mad from
the. horror of their work 1his is all
unit ne: BY order of the secretary of war
the coffin has never been opened since
June, 1889. The guard is constantly
being changed, so there is no cause for
complaint. Al it amounts to is service
de the vault two hours day for a
single entry. 1t costs the government
nothing. 1t will be maintained so long as
Colorel Rockwell deems it necessary.
Dom PEDRO