The Portland daily press., 1883-05-18
WASHINGTON.
Tho Army of the poromac.

The one topic Of discussion is General
Grants defeat for the presidency of the Sooi'
ty of the Army OF the Potomac. The sixth
and third corps organizations had instructed
their representatives to nominate General John
Newton, now colonel Of the engineer corps
in charge of the operations at He'll Gate. The
fifth corps, in accordance with a pre'arranged
plan, offered General Grants name IL was
greeted both with applause and bitter opposi.
| ti0n. For half an hour the three hundred
members shouted themselves hoarsa in endeav-
| oriDg TO secure the choice of their respective
| favorites. General Grants friends worked
| hard to secure him the honor, but the argu-
meut was effectively used that he never strict
| ~ belonged TO the Army Of the Potomac, nor
| had even asked TO be admitted to active mem
| bershp in the society.
| banquet tonight at Abaer's summer gar
| den, closed the reunion Of the Army of the
| Potomac. About AGO members of the society
| and citizens of Washington, sat down To the
| we'll filled tables ON the quadrangular garden
and from the galleries q brilliant asssmblaee,
| largely composed of ladies viewed the scehe.
! The full Marine band furnished the music
assisted by elee club of 20 singers. At the
principal table we're seated officers of the soce-
| " and distinguished gusts. Among
them were Generals Sherman. Nc
| Bingham aud Van Vliet, Major Maglnnis
and George Alfred Townsend, orator aud poet
| Of this reunion, Rear Admiral Rodgers. Gen.
| Schenok, Gen. Walker. Senator Miller OF
| California, and Judge Edmonds of tha Dis
| trict Commissioners, Commissioner of PEN
| sions Dudley aud Charles Dudley Warner.
! While the guests were taking seats the baud
| played melange Of war songs and during
| the serving Of the banquet rendered the
national anthem and several battle pieces and
4 marches. Gen. Mcclellan made his appear
ance sometime after the banquet began and rs
! soon as he entered some one called cut sIhree
cheers for Little Mac Tnay were heartily
| given, most OF the guests rising TO respond.
1 The old commander of the army OF the
| Potomac bowed his acknowledgment of greet.
ing and teok bis seat next 20 Gen. sherman.
| Tho first teAst The President was drunk
| standing. Responding To the second toast
The army" Gen. Sherman said the regular
army OF to-day is very like oue OF your old
| corps consisting Of two thousand Que hundred
aud sevesty-six commissioned officers aud 23,
| 74 enlisted men. $50 of these officers are
| staff officers aud almost $500 of the
| not -counbatants, 80 that We have only 1000
real soldiers to picket whole continent. An
army, however, is not To be measured in i'm
portance by It's numbers or It's muster rolls,
but By the animus. the soul which inspire II.
! Be it ever so small provided it be true to its
! destiny, true to It's country II becomes Ia the
| time OF danger the proniethean spark which
| gives life aud energy to the whole. It's true
office in time of peace is MT so faueh to do
| police work imposed upon II as to guard the
\ sacred fire committed to its keeping so thst
| when the danger does come this spark may
| kinde flame in The breasts of hundreds OF
| ways rally at tle call of their country and
| compose batallions, regiments, brigades, diyi-
| sions and army corps of obedient self sacrlti-
| clug soldiers, and thus make up army like
| yours Of the Potomac capable of fighti1g great
| battles, winning great victories, enforcing the
| peace and rrscuing the country from The tolls
and trlbulation OF .iobg aud capkered
| pesce.n AS TO the future, We are now yele-
rams. The young look up to US for example
and advice, and We viii be recrsant 10 our
| trusts If we fail to warn them of tue danger OF
too much confidence or too little
precantion. The greatest security of life
and properly, the largest measure of
human happiness are possible ouly where
| the government is a fair representative of the
mass os the people with power sufficient to
protect the quiet industrious family as against
the protligate. reckless dislurber of the public
peace. To be right in a controversy is COM
| paratiyely easy but the object of all govern
ment is 10 enforce right aud since the begin
ming OF recorded time sn army has been found
the best instrument for the exercise OF this
power. We desire to make OF the army body
| of men worthy 10 be styled grand high sheriff
| OF the nation. II is matter OF vital impart-
aDce TO Republican Amerlcs that in our free
| country where parties assume such seemingly
| angry anfagonism there should be maintained
| one body at least toward which men may turn
| with safety as always true and loyal 10 the
! constituted authorities of the nation.
The next toast, 'The Navy" vas responded
10 by Rear Admiral Rodgers
The next toast Was the tine Army Of the
Potomac" 10 hich Gen. McGisiian was to
respond. As the name OF their old commander
| was announc.d aud he 70 addrtss them
| the veterans sprang upon crairs aud broke in
| to cheer after cheer For two or three min
/ u,es the clamor was deafening. TIE men
pounded the tables, sta nped with their feet
and shouted themselves h0sTse, and viewed
| from the gallery during The spsce of time the
bauqnettpg room surging tumuituons
| sea Of heads, arIns, napkins. hats, aud even
! cruches with which the owners were wildly
! gesticulaiug in their enthusiasm and excite
meut
Gen. Mcclellan stood calmly bowling during
the tainult aud when it showed signs of les
sening stiiied IL entirely with waive Of his
hand. In voice of deep feeling and speaking
| in measured tonee he began his greeting TO
| his old command. Every voice WAS hushed
and every ear iisteHed closely 10 hs sentences.
! Khe attension given him VAS only broken
when the veterans endorsed bis statements at
| intervals with applause which was In wise
| stinted. He said: Ia days long pas and goue
/ fOsever, when we were yonng sud strong, fnl
| OF life aud hope with the future all before
| there were sach relations be that IL
| seems TO me TOO cold and siiff aud formal for
me to address you simply as Mr.. Chairman
| gentlemen. Very many, perhaps most OF yon.
| were with me when ia this very city | assumed
command.
! OF thai mass Of brave men unorganized aud ur-
instructed who compose the nucleus OF what
| afterwards BE- ecsme became The Army Of the
then we're more to me than dear comrades,
| more than brothers IN arins. You are as my
/ very children.
This was McClelan's opening an IN this
1 strain be proceeded TO the close.
Gen. ii. H.. Bingham followed Gen. Nc
| Clellan also ~ response to the the toast The
| Army Of the Potomac, and paid eloquent
| tribute to that army and It's tifst commander.
Tee remaining ioasts responpsd to as follows:
''rhe Loyal Legion" Gen. Robert q.
/ Scheuck.
Grand Army Of the Republic, Gen. W. W.
! Dudley.
sweethearis and wives" Charles Daley
The volunteersp, Gen. Frafcis A. Walker.
| 'fhe Press. Capt. Isaac H. bromley.
| The City of Washingtop," Hon. j. B. Ed
munds.
The speeches were not concloded until a.
Sickness Of a Star Route Juror.
Owing to the ilfpess Of juror George h. SheT-
| iff, 10 Drogress was made ia the Star route tfi-
| al to-day.
Secretary Chambers Return.
Secretary Chandler has returned from New
| Hampshire.
The President to go to New York
The President viii leave for New York
| Wednesday next
An Indiscreet ONCE Seeker.
/ Texas office-seokers are fertile Ia resources
| An attempt has been made 10 secure the remov-
| al Of Mr. Haynes, Collector OF Customs at
| Brownsville There have been several appi-
| cants here for The place. Que OF them called
| at the Treasury Department yesterday and
offered the Stcrefafy's messenger a bribe TO
| overiear what the SecIetary said in CONVERSE
| tioD with Congressman Oehiltree rs TO the re-
| tention OF Haynes The messenger reported
| the offer 10 the Secretary of the Treasury, and
whatever becomes OF Mf. Haynes, this particu-
larry jealous applicant will not be appointed.
Tribute to Gen. Garfield.
The deaf mutes Of tho Uuiled States have
raised subscription Of fourteen hundred dol
lars IN sum ranging from cent TO one dol
lar for bust If General Garfield. This bust
was unveiled yesterday az the Government
| Asylum al Kendall Green. General Garfield
was one of The most enthusiastic Congressional
| supporters oi the Institution.
The Case of Sheridan.
State Department officials say that notwth-
| standing contrary reports nothing whatever
has been done from W ashington to secure the
| arrest OF Sheridan any Of the alleged irish
| conapirators, aud that 80 far the State De-
| parttnent Is concerned the United States Is IN
statu quo. Bul whether not the report is
true that q warrant bas been issued for the al
rest OF Z j. Sheridan, ii is perhaps not gener-