Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-09-19
GEN. HARNEY'S BIG OATHS
AN INTERESTING GREMINIsCENCE
OF THE MEXICAN WAR.
His Liberal Reward to a Teamster who
WorSted Him in a Fight-Thornton
StilI a Suppliant-Diaz to be Elected
Church and State in the Mexican
Republic

HoHSeHOIu WOfQ IN the land bV his deeds
/ during the Mexican war, was an invete-
rate swearer. He wore the belt for MANY
/ years as the most versatile and prolific
/ sWearer that the country could produce.
At the commencement of the Mexican
war he was in command of the Second
Dragons. The regiment was at San An
tonic, Texas, preparing to cross over into
Mexico. The wagon-trains were not in
! good order. 1t was found neces-
sary to harness to them
wild Texas mules. There was a great
deal of trouble, of course, in moving the
cOmmissary department. A gentleman
from San Antonio, who was an eye-wit-
ness of the scene, told me to-day about
what occurred one afternoon on the
plaza or public square of that city.
A big lively Texan was making as good
headway as he could with big wagon, to
which was harnessed eight frsky and un-
trained mules. 1t was a load of sup
plies for Harney's men. The mules be-
came unruly. They twisted and turned.
They got the whole thing mixed up. The
driver, the big Texan, could do nothing
with them. The thOroughfare for other
vehicles was completely blocked. There
was nothing to be seen but confusion.
Just then General Harvey rode up accom-
panied by an orderly. A semi-mlitary
coat was all that indicated him to be an
officer of the army. He commenced mis-
usual programme. He began to swear at
the driver. He swOre with more than even
his ordinary ability. There was a marked
tinge of blue in the surrounding atmos-
phere. The object of his wrath stood it
for some time. He then quietly asked his
denunciatOr who he might be? 81 am
Colonel Harney, in command of the
Second Dragons 'Well," said the
Texan, ''if you will pull off that coat and
get down off that horse, | will whip YOU
Hafney threw his reins to his orderly, dis
mounted, and pulling offhis coat threw it
upon the ground. The two went at it. In
about five minutes Harney was the worst
whipped man that ever went into fight.
One eye was closed entirely, and there
was an air of general dilapidatiOn about
his entire presence. He acknowledged
that he was whipped, and asked the
Texan to let up. When he had gotten him
self together little, he wanted to know
who his victor was. The man told him
that he was an ordinary teamster in the
army.
'How much do you get'" asked Har-
ney.
"Twenty-siX dollars month";" was the
reply.
With an oath of very generous proper
tions, Harney said that would not do. Il
have frequently" he said, chad personal
encounters with the men under me, but |
never was whipped before. While in
Florida during the Seminole war | had
plenty of fighting to do besides fighting
Indians. You are the only man that ever
whipped me in a rough
and tumble fight. The man
who has whipped Col. Harney can't
be allowed to work at Il salary of $26 a
month. You must nave more pay" Har-
ney got on his horse and rode to his head
quarters. The next morning the Texan
who had whipped him almost out of his
boots was made master of section of
wagon trains, at salary Of 500 month.
COL. NJ. E. THORNTON,
who has been here for several days, has
had an interview with the President and
with Postmaster General Gresham. He
wants, you know, to be Postmaster at
Atlanta awful bad. He has not been
at all backward in pushing himself
forward. He has told President
Arthur aud the Postmaster General what
a good Postmaster he would make if they
would only try him once. His appoint
ment would, in his opinion, do much to
build up big 'Republcan liberal party
in Georgia. According to all that | have
been able to get together as to the fruits
of his mission they will not be of a very
satisfactory character to him. He will
not be appointed Postmaster at Atlanta.
LITTLE BAD FEELING
has been engendered among army and
navy officers about the loss of the PrOteus
That vessel was sent out under the entire
supervision of the War Department The
only thing that the navy had to do with it
was the sending Of the Yantic as con-
voy. Army officers attempt to put much
of the blame of the Proteus disaster
upon the navy. They say that
Captain Wildes, of the Yantic, eft the
PrOteus before he should, and that if he
had remained longer with her there
would not in all probability have been
such a complete failure of the expedition.
Naval officers who were in the first place
jealous that an Arctic expedition should
have been sent out other than under the
Navy Department. say that the army peO-
pie are trying to make them responsible
for the blundermg of their branch of the
service. Altogether, very pretty
little fight between the army
and navy. has been started.
There have been several angry
little scenes between army and navy Off
CialS of the ''yOu-nOt-I-did-it' order when
discussion was had about the lost Pro
teus. When two professions get to quar-
reling there is some fun for the spectator.
HAD AN INTERESTING TALK
to-day with SenOr Covernbias, of the
Mexican legation. lie said: ''We are
having some political excitement in Mex
leo, for we are much nearer our Presiden-
tial election than you are. All Of the
indications point to the election of eX-
President Diaz. He is the leader of the
Liberals, and the prospects are that he will
be elected by an overwhelming majority.
President Gonzales, the present incum-
bent, is warm personal friend of Diaz, and
is doing all he can for him. Under our
laws Gonzales cannot be reelected until
after five years have interviewed. That is
provision of our constitution. The Lib
eral party is all powerful in Mexico lust
now, and unless the Clerical, or OppOsi-
ton party, is able to scare up some new
and startling mine, it is extremely likely
that they will be for many years tG come
in a hopeless minority. The majority of
the people distrust the Clerical leaders.
for they believe, above all things, that
separation of Church and State is to
be desired. The general impression in
this country is that Mexico is Il Roman /
Catholic nation. 1t is true that the greater
part of our people belong to the Catholic |
Church, but | think we have more COM
pletely separated the church from the |
State than you have in this country. We |
tax all church property. The revenue de- |
rived from this source is very consider |
able. Mexico is learning from her sister I
republic, and is rapidly taking advantage
of successful ventures that have been |
made in the United States, The latest
movement in this direction is |
the remodeling OF our patent
laws, Our government has sent
TO Washington for digest of the patent
laws of the country and its rules of prac- |
tice. This information, which has beer |
kindly furnished by the order f Secretary |
Teller, of the Interior Department, will be /
transmitted as soon as it can be transla- /
ted into Spanish.
'My latest advices from Mexico show /
that the home government has taken some /
very vigorous measures to stamp out that /
terrible scourge of the warmer climates.
yellow fever. 1t was only few months /
ago that "a very celebrated Brazilian phy- |
sician announced to the scientific /
world that he had discovered |
living germs Of the disease
on the tops Of the graves Of persons who
had died of the yellow fever a wear before.
These germs he declared were CAPABLE of
transmitting the fever. This fact has now
been generally accepted by the medical
world. The Mexican Government actin,
upon this discovery, has ordered that the
bodies Of persons dying from tue yellow
fever shalf hereafter be cremated. By this
means we hope eventually to eradicate |
the fever from our ports, At all events |
the danger Of its becoming an epidemic |
next SEASON IS greatly lessened. AS I
SAID IN the first place Mexico |
is having some political excite /
ment, and all indications point to the /
election of President DiaZ in June next. /