The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1885-12-27

den into our thoughts Of those that have long been
DUST of incidents passed away ages ago. You think of
one whom perhaps you loved, or who loved you,
over whom the long tangled grasses wave,
whom no pain can rack nor sorrow reach down
where his heart Is asleep. In every household there
is mother to whom will come again the terrible
agony that wrung her heart when she looked through
tear. dimmed eyes at the cold, wet, open grave,
wherein In moment more they would lay the baby
that had never before known chill, which she had
warmed SO tenderly in her bosom ever since 1t
came, only few short months before, an angel Of
God sent from the other world while on a
visit oh 1t Is 80 little, and whose arms will take
II 10 mothers embrace on the other side, or will II
be alone said her womans soul as they laid Il down,
and the cold snow.covered clods ratified on The conn.
lid. God how such thotghs must be sharper than
a dagger's thrust as they pierce the mothers heart!
But Christmas Ia not a time for sorrowfu thoughts
alone, though they ,oW come unbidden, for in our
world we are not permitted long to forget that pain
Is the one universal heritage which has come down
to US from our first mother Families will again be
united that have been long apart, and chairs will
be filled at the mothers table that have told tale
full Of mute pathos In their vacancy. All the world
will he fuller Of The kindness which makes us all
akin. Blessed forevermore be Dethlehems Star.
|
tiyes notice on the Democratic side OF the Chamber
little In the rear OF the centre. small man with
very full beard that shows decided tendency to be-
come white, and when they ask who he is are told
that 1t Is Gen. Wheeler, OF Alabama.
This gentleman attained the highest military rank
that conferred upon one OF his age on this
hemisphere, for he was commissioned lieutenant
general In the Confederate army when he was but
twenty eight years of ago. and by far the youngest
oicer Of his rank known to either Army Navy
on the North American continent, aud younger than
any general officer who has held an equivalent COM
mand the Continent Of Europein our time, except
In the case OF one royal PRINCE Of the House Of
Hapsburg. The Confederacy vas very chary in
creating officers OF such high rank at all times and
never made them except for proved ability and the
most distinguished services In the ncld Gen. Hamp-
ton, though he had been at nearly every battle that
the Army of Northern Virginia was engaged In,
from the first Manassas to the Wilderness, was not
given this grade until the last year Of the war; nor
was Gen. N. B. Forrest, the most distinguished in
service of any Officer In tine western army, made
lieutenant generalun January, 1865, while Gordon
only received this rank during the very last fighting
days of the Coniederacy.
There were twenty two lieutenant generals in the
Confederate army from beginning to end. Gen.
tonestreel WAS the senior when the war closed, and
Gen. Eweii, neieVe, was next. OF the twenty-five
there are still living gstreet Hampton e. Kirby
Smith, Wheeler, A. P. Stewart, d. II. Hill, and
Buckner, Il do not know whether Stephen d. Lee at
taned this rank or not; II 80, he is living at Starke
Vile, Missy or the i've full generals made late In
1851 none remain but Gems. Johnston, j. E.. and
neauregard Ihe later was the nrst general officer
| ever Nominated anu commissioned under the Con-
| iederate government, anu should have been Its
senior general oihcer under the ordinary military
usages, nut the act creating the military establish
ene Oh tue cohieuerate states provided that officers
Ilom the oh"eu sta'es army VINO might accept
confederate commissions, shoulu take rank accord
ing 10 Tue grade they helu IN the United states Army
zen cooper, VINO was AdJutaht General OF the
oh'eo STATES army wnen ne resgnei' the senior
geherai oncer OF Tue ConIederacy, ana placed Gen.
Lee Who ouy p.come iuii coiohei hnout three
moh'ns before MS res'gnatioh) anu Gen. Beau
regard twho was major OF engineers when he
went sonth) NJ the bottom OF the list. Gen. Beaure.
Rard TOOK the srounu mat as ne was the hrst
brlgadier generaithe confederate States ever COM
miss'ohed, anu was holding that position when at
least one OF the ofcers promoted over his head
was YET IN the uhteu STATES Army, ne should nave
oeeh the senior general Anu inc persistence with
winch nc uhaValhey insisted upon what ne believed
WINS HIS ny i's"' ''u"ceu t''c hrs' ulheiehce OF
op'n'oh-which sooh grew ih'o aoreach-that was
rfecohciidoie between him ana ME- Davis.
|
when Scu' Whee!er a'taiheu tue rank Oh iicu'en-
an' general ne WAS Just the same age ~ Napoieon
pohapaf.e was whcu nc t'oh command OF the Army
o' i'iy' anu cohnehceua career 'haS III priiiiancy
MISUNDERSTANDING riushi'l''ary HISTORY Wheeier'
too,is ABOUT the hesht OF Napoleon VINO was i've
ieet tnree ihches III stature' anu III quicHness OF
| movement anu tue I'ch'Iy Win when ne changed
us paus III au ocfsency he Is mol unlike the great
Corslcan III mental characteristics the officers OF
| tue unlted states Army VIII nave no more devoted
anu intehi9ent Iriehu I'D the Cohgrcssionll ranks
then their oid-hme comrade IN the first Dragons,
"foht" wneeler'
"What are you Americans coming TOT" asked
| gentleman who Is member OF one OF the CONT
mental legations here OF the writer, In spirited
conversation wherein was listener, and without
waning lot reply 10 MS interrogation ne SAID, "Yeu
are becoming Europeanzed. not In the best OF our
ways, but the worst When the Vice President not
long ago died MT. Cleveland WAS besouGht not TO
perSohai anu poi'''cai irishds luheral There was
one thougnt evident In the mind OF every American
Citizen and II was one OF great anxiety for the Pssl
dents safety' MY own opinion Is that the popular
Keeling very much overrated the possibility OF danger
wheh READ the extraordinary precautions that the
railway company tby which 1t WAS understood the
President would have Travelled II he had gomez were
taking to insure safety said to my colleague, These
things are sometimes done In Russia or Germany
when the sovereign travels but why In free American
whowould wish to harm the President Does faction
or party spirit run SO high as this would portend7"
Icould only answer that there was no factlona SEN
tment involved, that the opposition to the President
politically was as anxious that he should take no
| unnecessary risk al that time as his own persona,
friends were, and was really the unsettled condl
ton OF The question OF Presidential succession that
emphasized the natural une lslness OF the public
mind, lest the country might be left without any
legitimate omclal head. But" asked my friend,
"the same conditions prevailed under Mr.. Arthur.
lie used to travel everywhere, without any sugges-
tion OF his being In the least danger. The entire
wondered why II was that Cleveland was thought to
be In danger when Mr.. Arthur was perfectly SAFE l
hear thai the front and rear OF the White House Is
carefully guarded now, day and night, for the first