Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-04-28


RETARY LINcoLN's TIME-THR NEW sECRE-
TARY APPEALS TO THE PREsIDENT-A PRoBA-
BILE EXECUTIVE ORDER.
There are strong indications of trouble brew
Ing In the War department, growing out of a re-
newal of conflict of authority between the Sec
retary OF War and General Sheridan, and 1t is
understood that an order by the President will
be forthcoming upon the return of the Secre-
tary OF War, which will prescribe the limits Of
authority of the lieutenant general in exact
terms, SO that similar difficulties will be obvi-
ated In the future. This conflict of authority
between the Secretary Of War and General
Sheridan Is nothing new, but it was supposed
that the whole matter had been permanently
settled. Some little time before the
close OF Secretary Lincolns administra-
what he considered the unauthorized
assumption of power by Lieutenant General
sheridan in issuing orders to the army without
War, and he felt compelled to call Gen. Sheri-
dams attention to the matter. The well-known
nep independent nie disposition of the latter rem
dered MIN loath to recognize any higher
authority than his own. in connection
with military matters and very sharp
cluded by Secretary Lincolns final letter to the
dividual authority extended in controlling the
effect if the lieutenant general insisted
HacrasarT IN assuming % the prerogatives OF the the
OI war, the interference OI tlo
When Secretary Endicott assumed the
duties of his office he became cognizant of this
pleased that Secretary Lincoln should have
taken the necessary steps to nip a growing mis-
htH ing IN the bud placing the
a new Secretary to act in such a matter, which
action might be misconstrued upon change Of
administration. From what can be learned 1t
appears that Mr.. Lincoln's prompt action did
not have the desired effect, and 1T is understood
that the new Secretary has called upon the
President to interfere in the matter. Just
what the expected executive order will contain
cannot be learned, but it is understood to be a
radical one, which will effectually prevent a re-
currence of the difficulty. The immediate
cause OF the renewal OF the conflict Of authority
between the Secretary of War and Gen. Sheri.
April 9th, directing the change of stations Of
the 9th cavalry with the 9th cavalry; the 18th
lery with the Sd artillery, the changes to be
made not later than June 1st. This order was
issued by command of Gen. Sheridan without
having directed or approved it. 1t would
be presumable that the Secretary had
been bee consulted in making the import
pense, but for the fact that the Secretary was
absent from the city between March 2sth and
ably prepared. Orders OF this character issued
before General Sheridan assumed command of
the army invariably contained the expressions,
"with the approval of the Secretary Of War the
following transfers ordered or words to
that effect. The order of April 9th not only in
changes, but sends the I'd artillery, stationed
in this vicinity, to the gulf states il the spring.
ing on account of the unacclmated condition
of the men. 1t is whispered that the inadvisa-
bility Of making that change Just now as ex-
coupled with protests was instrumental in
bringing matters to head.
Tho o,,sl x.vTH~o ~
ciatiOn."
1t was stated in THE STAR on the Oath that
the merchants association had sent twenty
rum" bills, owed by clerks, to the Secretary for
collection. The item was written "twenty-
nine" bills, and the "nine' was enormously
printed "rum.' E. w. Thomas, manager of
the association writes that it is an association
of leading merchants Of the city, combined for
their mutual protection.
He says in this connection: GAS the population
of this city is largely composed of government
employees, the trades are debarred the usual re-
source at law, l. e.. attachment of salary, ETC.,
and the exemptions are SO liberal that the
their moral responsibility. AS an Illustration
OF the hardships of the trade, would state the
well known fact that each one who is being
urged to settle his account, thinks his case a
hard one. and the merchant should give him
more time, and wait for his money. Now were
this the only account the merchant had out he
could wait, could lose it entirely, without in
jury to his business, but when we come to the
facts, we find the merchant has twenty, fifty or
one hundred just such accounts. On each ac-
count the same plea is made, that it should be
the exception; the average OF these accounts is
$40 Small average) from which you can see
the merchant must sustain a loss, wait for.
not the sum Of $50, but $500, 81 900 or 81, 900,
with no better prospect of getting it later than
now. Some merchants can stand this, but as a
rule it is his creditors, with whom he has to
settle for twenty cents on the dollar. 1nmy let
ter to the Secretary l stated that the parties
hp6 inH or i,Cfo n 1vp,0
satisfactory, but that they did not seem dis
posed to take advantage OF the offer. l did not
be acceptable 1t is disagreeable to the mer-
chant to report q case to the head of a depart
ment as it is to the party reported, and it is
times made, that the bill is out of date, for bill
to be out of date, several years must have
elapsed durdg our dgh which time no money passed
said bill; as the legal obligation is destroyed in
such cases, the moral one Is, and always re-
mains in force until the debt is settled"
Affairs i'm West Washington.
RIVER PIRATES AT WoRK.-Capt. James H.
Libbey's wharf, reports that between 10 o'clock
last night and early this morning some person
or persons stole from the cabin of his schooner
clothing, etc. valued at about SIS. Capt.
Wheeler resides at Berkeley, Norfolk county,
Virginia.
white, who was recently kicked on the left leg,
below the knee by q horse, was removed to
pr1videnee i'd hospital, where the injured limb
sH1PpING NEws.-Schooner L. c. whitmore
cleared to-day with 500 tons of coal for Fall
River, Mass.
DEATH OF AN EsTIMABLE LADY.-Mrs. Ann
E. Parkhurst died at her residence, No. 1857
32d street. this mOrning,in the 77th year of her
age. She was member of st. Johns z. E.
church. and was greatly esteemed.
The GEORGErOWN MEDICAL COMMENCE
MENT.-The thirty-siXth annual commencement
of the medical department OF the Georgetown
university is in progress this afternoon, in
nounced in yesterdays STAR.
CANAL lNTEREsTS-The Baltimore SIM to-
day says: president Baughman, of the C.. and
o. canal, who was in Baltimore yesterday, said
he had sent instructions to Mr.. a. c. Wilson
the collector of the canal at Cumberland to
pending the threatened trouble among the
miners. The rumOrs of a strike in the Cumber-
land region for fifty cents a ton for mining from
May 1st are said to have deferred vessels from
any event. be temporary shortening of the
orders for the delivery of coal there by canal.f
TEMPERATURE AND CONDITION OF WATER AT
7A.M.-Great Falls. temperature, 81; condition,
3S; receiving reservoir, temperature, SS; cOndi-
ton at north connection. 33; south connection
tfon at infuent gate house, 80; effiuent gate
house, SO. Low tide in the river to-day at
p. m. High tide at 9p.m.
A. S. Trude, acting for Mayor Carter III. Harri-
son, has entered three heavy damage suits in
the circuit court,-one for 5000, 900 against the
Chicago Inte7-Ocedn publishing company, one
for 100000 against Edwin Lee Brown, and
one for $4OO, 900 against the Inter-Ocea and
suits were based on fourteen libeious charges In
which Mayor HarrisOn's private character was