Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-02-27
A SPICY DEBATE
Over the Remarkable Verdict In the
Swain Case.
WHAT IS SAID ABOUT IT.
Preparations for the Inauguration Festivities
Going BusiIy and Smoothly
Forward.
CLEVELAND SURPRISES PEOPLE.
Special 10 Ae Register.

Special 10 ne He9istfT'
WASHINGTON, February 26.-The spicy
debate in the United States Senate on the
verdict of the Swain court martial, brought
out in the strongest light the sentiments
with which that verdict is regarded in Wash
ton. General Swain was either guilty or
he was not guilty. If the charges were un-
proven he was entitled to complete Vindi-
cation. Ifthey were substantiated he surely
ought not to have been given what would be
regarded as reward OF merit by any active
Brigadier General whose reputation has
never been impugned.
An Able Man.
The officer in question is a very able
man and is known as one OF the closest per
sonal friends of the late President GARFIELD.
But no one seems to be inclined to claim
that he received any more lenient treatment
on that account In fact some of the enc
mics of Gen. Arthur say that the fact above
stated furnished the occasion for the effort
made on the part of the Executive to have
sentence imposed which should be as heavy
as possible. 1t is also asserted that the eX-
preston of the Presidents dissatisfaction
with the final verdict was actuated BY the
save motive.
In the course of the Senate debate it be.
came evident that most of the Honorable
Senators believed that as matter Of fact
General Swain ought really to have been
acquitted on all charges 1t was stated BY
several of them that the Judge Advocate
who prosecuted Swain had entirely forgotten
his duty to look out for the interests Of the
accused as well as those of the Government.
There was some truth, of course, in the sug-
eestion of General Hawley that as the &C
cused was in this case defended by the most
able counsel that could be secured, it was
hardly necessary for the government prose.
cutting attorney to attempt the exercise OF
the dual function with which he is invested
under the law.
There is no question anywhere that the
framer of the military code under which
such trials are conducted ought to be COM
pletely changed and renovated in order that
such farce as the Swain trial may be i'm
possible in the future.
In Active Work.
General Henry W. Slocum, Grand Mar
shall of the Inaugural Procession, is en-
ployed in the active work which is imposed
upon him in connection with the
selection OF route and the
arrangement of the order in which the vari-
GUS divisions will move. He says that he
has experienced no friction anywhere and
is confident of a grand success in the branch
of the inaugural ceremony with which he is
concerned as a man can be of anything in
the future. Gen. Slocum is thorough sol
der, and whatever he does is sure to be
well done. He is the one Union General
on the Democratic side who could
have been trusted with the rather delicate
task of arranging a procession in which,
for the first time, ex-Confederate and ex-
Federal military organizations will march
in the same line, with State militia compan-
les and civic bodies for the celebration Of
q Presidential Inauguration.
The House got rid of the deficiency ap-
preparation bill yesterday and is likely to
come up smiling with its necessary work all
done by the clsoe OF this evening session.
The prospects of the Pacific Mail ap.
preparation of 100000 are not likely to be-
come clearly defined until fiscal action has
been taken by the conference committee to
be appointed on the Postolice appropriation
bill. There is no telling how the fight will
come out. J. A.