Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-09-10
THREE TOPICS AT WASHINGTON.
Arthur's Presents, the Court Martial
Cases, and Democratic Activity.


WASHINGTON, Sept. 9.-The baggage
which the President brought back with
him from the West did not make a very
imposing array, but contained great
variety of things. There were a trunk and
three boxes. The trunk contained blue
flannel shirts, other knock-about wearing
apparel and some good and fashionable
clothes. The boxes contained almost ev-
erything that the wild West affords. In
dian mOccasins, beads, buffalo robes, bows
and arrows. blankets, and all, were
there. An address which was
presented to him by the Spokan Indians
was among the other relics. 1t was
blocked out in big SpOkan characters and
symbols. 1t was done with the Juice of
the ink ball which comes from the oak
tree ana what might be supposed to have
been the stump of an amputated leg used as
a pen. Many other curiosities We're found
IN the boxes 10y the Presidents servant
when he opened them. The collection.
which the President had himself picked
up, We're not arranged in any order or
labelled. But every present that he had
received from the Indians was carefully
marked with the date and the name of the
place where it was presented, together
given. The President directed that they
be carefully preserved. The only gift re-
celVed by the President from Indians
which he did not bring back with him
were the two ponies given him by the
ShoshOnes. They were intended as Gift
for his daughter, Miss Nellie. The Presi-
dent, however, before leaving his ''chil-
dren,' made arrangements to have the
ponies shipped to Washington.
A NUMBER OF CASES
Of courts martial of officers Of the army
are now awaiting the action of the Presi-
dent and Secretary of War. They will
not be handled until Secretary Lincoln re-
turns. The officers and their friends con-
cerned in these cases are very uneasy
about Secretary LincOln's probable
action, as many of the sentences are
those of dismissal. They don't expect
much mercy from Mr.. Lincoln, and are
not liable to get it if they did. The fact
Is that the present Secretary of War is
very unpopular because of the manner in
which he handles court martial cases. No
influence can prevail upon him. 1t has be-
come to be almost an accepted fact that a
sentence Of dismissal will stand when il
reaches the Secretary. No amount of
pleading or the presentation of ''eXtenuat-
ing" circumstances after the trial has
any effect upon him. No matter
may be socially, he, like the Republican
party, must 90. Although he has been
known i'll one or two instances to miti-
gate he was never known to wipe out the
offense by wholly disappearing the SEN
tence of convicted man. In the matter
of the offenses Of drunkenness and dupli-
cation of pay accounts he is stonily Obdu-
rate.
THERE Is A GOOD DEAL
of quiet canYassng going on among GER
tain citizens of the District of Columbia,
who are dissatisfied with the present gov
ernment by commission and who want
an elective form of government They
agitate this question every
once and awhile but only work
earnestly when there is a Dem
Ocratic majority in the House.
They know that one of the fundamental
principles Of the Democratic party is that
every man should be allowed his vote
that there shall be 10 taxation without
representation. They have strong hopes
of being successful at the next session.
They have quietly had number of meet
ings Of late, and have agreed to put to the
front in the movement leading Demo-
cratic citizens, and to use every endeavOr
to secure an elective form of government.
They will be better organized
than they ever We're before i'll
similar movement. They base their hopes
in securing a favorable result upon the
fact that there is such large Democratic
majority in the lower house. 1t would
seem, however, that while the greater por-
ton of the population of the District is
not pleased with the commission form of
government, yet they prefer it to turning
the 'cullud citizens from Virginia and
Maryland-whO would be imported for
every electiOn-lOose upon the polls.