Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1883-04-13
WASHINGTON LETTER.
{ From Our Regular Correspondent
WAsmSGros April 9Th, 1853

At a meeting Of the Indiana Republic
can Club, Saturday night, a committee
was appointed to make necessary ar
engagements for the receptioBof Judge
Gresham on his arrival in Washington
As it was thought public reception,
flourish of trumpets, a band Of music, or
anything Of that sort would not be in
accordance with the quiet tastes Of the
new Post Master General, it was decid
ed he should be waited on BY small
committee only aud received in the most
informal manner. Like every other man
whom the public has known little of, and
who has been suddenly PROMPTS to an
important position his character and
past life are running the gauntlet Of ac-
tive criticism. Everybody is 10 haste
to tell everything be has ever seen or
heard about Judge Gresham, As yet
no damaging developments occur, and
few men entering public life have a
record that can better afford scrutiny or
contains SO little that needs to be con
cealed or apologized for He has large
family but no fortune. lie is ever the
medium height, has a broad angular
face, large straight nose, wears an
iron gerey beard and mastaclr, aud a
thick bushy growth of silver hair
When David Davis was a Supreme
Court Justice he sat on the circuit with
Judge Gresham. Mr.. Davis is not Civ
en- to meaningless compliments, but was
often heard to say that Judga&sesham
was a man eminent y fitted to ABORT pub
lie life. Davis also warmly urged Ores.
ham upon Garfield for place in his
Cabinet, and he was once assigned by
Garfield to the Interior Department, but
the Republicans of Indiana could not
agree upon biz appointment. is told
Of hmm that as the war approached its
close, realizing that if he attained higher
honors he would have to make an extra
ordinary effort, just before riding into
the engagement at Leggetts Hill near
Atlanta, he said: "Ilcrc goes for
major generalshiP or bust" He pulled
his hat over his eyes, put spurs to his
horse, and dashed off with his men. la
a few moments he was shot in the ankle
and came to the ground, losing bis sad
die and his maJOr-gcneralship at the
same time He is not a onc-lcgged
soldier, and was not shot full Of holes,
as some Of his enthusiastic admirers
claim. His general health is feeble
from blood poisoning that followed his
ankle wound, but he is still said to have
great capacity for work and as the Post
Office department is so admirably of
icercd now, he will move smoothly in
has new duties.
Phe Presidential party encountered 50
many annoyances incidental to ordinary
tourists that the journey to Florida can
not be remembered with unmxed pleas
ure TO begin their list of inconveni-
ences, on the day of departure as lunch
time drew near and with ap2etites whet-
ted by new air, the travellers we're pre-
pairing to enjoy the elaborate collation.
that had been ordered for the trip with
so much care, to their great consterna-
ton and physical discomfort the vituals
could not be found BY some ones
blunder they had been sent to the White
House instead Of TO the railroad station.
Then, later, conductor who had not
been notified that his passengers were
invited guests of the corporation insisted
upon collecting their fares, thus subject
ing the President Of the United States
to the hNmlllating emphasis of the fact
that he vas dead head. Tn. conductor
was with difficulty brought to terms,
but finally with reluctance agreed to de-
fer collection until the authorities could
be consulted. At night the car coup
ling broke, and the Presidents car was
left miles behind the rest of the train
bafore the accident was discovered. This
delayed the train, and TO surmount the
climax, when they reached Jacksonville
the people insisted on giving the Presi-
dent public reception, the particular
sort of thing that he was flying from
Washington to avoid. He is the FIRST
President who was ever within the bor-
ders Of Florida, and he may expect the
curiosity Of the people to catch a glipse
ofhlm will amouat to panic. He was
much disappointed to learn that his
steps were to be dpgged by newspaper
men, and that his every uprising and
downsitting was to be flashed electrically
over the United States. He had actu,
ally in some moments Of simplicity
dreamed that he was going into retire.
mcnt for few weeks. He selected
secluded island in kissime River for hi
fishing stand. He took with him th,
rules prepared by the Civil SERVES
Commission which be will study care
fully while waiting the fish to bite
is spot accessible only to intruders tina
can swim.
Do'st thou love life?-Then do not souau
der valuable time for that is the stnF life