Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-05-19
LIVELY DAYS AT WASHINGTON
The Army Reunion in the City and Races
on the Track.

WASHINGTON, May 1s.-The week has
been pretty bustling and lively. The Grand
Army reunion and the races have given
an exceptional week to the city for this
dull season Of the year. The races. ex-
cept the rainy first day, when the thor
Oughbreds-nineO or so-ploughed around
the track and covered themselves with
mud as we'll as some glory, were fine. Very
good time was made and much money
taken in at the gate. In fact the races
ard the circus have become to be the
things in Washington. While the races
were fast, it must be SAID that the Grand
Army business was rather slow. The vet
Grams did not pan out in anything like
the numbers expected. There
was not meagre approach to
enthusiasm. The parade was a dismal
failure, except wherein it was relieved BY
detachment of United States Artillery
and two really good local militia compa-
Dies. About all that could be said of the
reunion was that il reunited a limited
number Of eX-UniOn soldiers. They SEEM
ed bored. There seemed to be hanging
over them a WOnderment of what theV
were doing after all. The majority of the
veterans were local. That is, they were
AT least clerks in the different depart
ments. The number of visiting reunion
lists was but small. Not a single hotel was
put 10 any trouble TO give every man
who called for it a separate bed There
was a poem read by George Alfred
Townsend in the National Theatre, and
an Grafton by Martin Maginnis, who re-
presents the Territory of Montana as a
Delegate in the House of Representatives
IOWnsends poem was good and his deliy-
cry was very good. Townsend is a smart,
bright, Dickens-like man. The Grafton of
Maginnis was really eloquent, without
any aSsTrit upon the tail feathers of the
bird Of freedom or any latter day pathOs
over unknown graves. When a man on
such an occasion as he was called upOn
10 handle, is capable of restraining him
self from spOliating the national
bird, and from weeping over the
graves of the -''unknOwn," he will
rise TO the dignity of an orator
without any other requisite. But when
Maginnis left the bird unruffled and did
not touch the graves of the unknown" :"
and at the same time made a splendid
speech, there should be no stinting of the
praise. But the veterans had a good
time. They saw one of the finest cities on
the globe and took an excursion down the
Potomac river. They had fun down the
river. 1t was particularly announced
that no ladies would be allowed on the
excursion boats. The veterans spent
day on the water and saw lager beer flow
more cOpiOusly than they ever witnessed
the Outspilling of human gore.
There is continued talk of ex-senator
Thurman, of Ohio, as the Democratic
candidate in 1884. The talk is getting
widespread, and has the advantage of all
other political wOrd-swapping on that sub
ject in the fact that it is not the result of
any professional "bOom" or systematic
working up. Ex-senator Thurman does
not get interviewed, nor does he announce
anv set of principles. But he acts as if
he were "a man whom he thought was be-
ing considered. There is no bigger brain,
nor more pure man in the country than
Allen G.. Thurman. Of Ohio.
Writing about this mental war horse
reminds me of an incident of the last ses-
sion of Congress. You know that when
Thurman and EdmundS were in the Senate
together they were the very best Offriends.
Their friendship was the community of
giant brains. Well, one day last. session
Edmunds was in one of his bad dmoods. He
was whipping his colleagues on both
sides with the nOn-pOlitical hand of a
schoOlmaster. Senator Vest. of Missouri,
came out of the Senate chamber and went
into the clerks room. rs Edmunds still
at itE'' he was asked. He is"
was the reply, land that is
all that have got against
Thurman. Edmunds IS OF cOnsumptlNe
family. and has il in his system. If Thur
man had not taught him to drink good
whisky. he would have been dead five
years ago" Vest said this jOcularly and
without meaning malice. But the fact is,
that few years ago Edmunds had most
distressing cough, and several members
of his family, one brainy daughter, have
died from inherited consumption.
The National Board of Health is pre-
pairing 10 expire, except that they will
cling on to that $4,000 for salaries and
travelling expenses, from and after the
first day of July next. They do not get a
whack at the 100000 epidemic fund.
They are practically out in the cold blastA
But what they have enjoyed has been so
very palatable to them that they have
unanimously decided to bob up most Sc
renely at the next session of Congress
and try TO lobby future existence and
some more ducats for themselves. The
National Board of Health is very big
scheme. POTOMAC.