The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-09-02
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
The Weeks DOiHgS at the Ma
tiOnal Capital.
FRICTION IN THE WAR DEPARTMENT.


OF the Department by order OF the President
Id puts Gen. Drum over Con. Sheridan, ana
the latter do IS not like il. IL IS no secret lha'
Gen Sheridan has not been friendly 10 either
Secretary lincoln or Secretary Lnolcoil' Anu
his exercise OF certain functions ellciteu re
bulxe irsl from ca Secretary Lincoln ana lat-
terly from the present Secretary. Gen. Hher-
i6an has frequently protested against The at
titude Of Tie head Of the Department, aud has
not taken quietly the many Sights which, IL
Is said. he has been subjected 10. Secretary
Endicou has never seen ht TO recommend The
designation of Gen. Sheridan 10 act as Secro-
tslv durinr his absence but has heretofore M
variably either placed Gen. Benet IN charge or
given Chief Clerk Tweedale authority TO sign
the mail of the Department. even though 6en.
Sheridan was ia the Department
monument army officer states the case in
this way: Gen. Sheridan is clearly in the
wrong in this matter, though be may be justly
angry ai the discrimination shown against INN.
The law IL very e A picit regarding the appoint
ment of an Acting Secretary of War. aud gives
the President considerable latitude. He has
the mower TO select either the Commanding
General ol tue Army or any head ol a bureau
for surh duty la view of the fact that Gen.
Sheridan would be likely to revoiutionize mat
tiers ii in charge il has Teen considered best 10
select one OF the bureau chiefs 10 act during the
Secretary's absence. i do not see what grounds
Gen Sheridan has 60 find fault with Gen
Drum The order directing Gen. Drum to act
AS Secretary reads daring the temporary alb
sence OF the Secretary of War III the order
had been until the return OF Gen. Sheridan,
then Gen. Drum could do no less than resign
has acting commission. As IL rs, he would he
clearly violating his orders il he gave way TO
Gen Sheridan. il is only the same old fight
which will bc smothcred fora time only TO crop
out again with renewed vigor. lt rs true that
under the present condition of affairs an IN
ferior officer is commanding a superior Aoiilcer.
However. a commission rs only piece oil
parchment with the Presidents signature on H.
and there is no reason why the temporary
commission, signed by the same power, should
not make the inferior officer for the time being
superior Gen. Sheridan should remember that
the President is his superior officer, and can
appoint any man he sees fit 10 be Secretary OF
War, aud chat during the term OF office OF such
appointee ms the Presidents representative, he
is superior in rank to any officer in the army"
GEN. MENTIONS RETIREMENT.
After Gen. John Newton, Chief Of Engineers,
United States Army. had received notice in the
usual form last Friday that he had been placed
upon the retired list of the Army and ordered 10
has home he accepted Mayor Grace's Ofer OF the
Public Works C0mmissiOnership. and later IN
the day left for New York. Adjt-Gen. Drum,
who is the Acting Secretary OF War. withheld
the formal litigation OF the order, however.
until Saturday afternoon, aud tins unusual ac-
ton has given rise to considerable talk in mill
tary circles, and all sorts of rumors Of serious
complications have been set aAoat
Ii is asserted that the order was delayed at
the request of Secretary EndicOtt, who teie-
granhed his desire 10 have the order of retire
ment looked into before the order was issued.
Tlae Secretary WIS informed, II is said, that The
law under which Gen. Newton was retired was
mandatory, leaving the President no discretion
10. had
made. When Mr.. EndicOtt understood this he
had no further obection 10 raise, and the order
was therefore officially promulgated. There
are some officers who do not accept this rs the
true explanation of the affair. They declare
that Gen. Drums order placed Gen. Newton
upon the retired list by order Of the Presi-
dent" aHd that after it had been issued some
body called the Acting Secretary's attention Ia
the fact that the President had not been con-
suited in the matter, aBd the question wa:
raised whether or not the retirement would
hold good la a strict legal sense IL The formality
Of obtaining actual Executive action was
omitted. Then, these officers say, Gen. Drum
bastened 30 communicate with the President
and reissued the order after hearing from Mr..
Cleveland. Ii is understood that Gen. Newton
was cautious enough 10 postpone taking the
oath OF Office as Commissioners of Public Works
IN New York until the next week While this
would DO no harm, Army officers say that il
was not necessary. ii is pointed out that Gen
Newton received has retiring order through The
proper channels from his superior officer aud
he could do nothing but obey, 30 that he wAi
actually on the retired list the moment ht
acknowledged receipt OF the order. As it is
however. there eau now be nO question of ths
legality OF las TetireT0ent or Of MS right "a
accept the Office OF Commissioner Of Public
Works.
sEDGWICR's EscAPADE.
Secretary Bayard il greatly torn up in hi'
mind over the reported performances OF A. q
Sedgwick, who was recently sent 10 Mexico ~
the special agent Of the State Department Z,
inquire into the facts OF the Cutting case
From the published accounts il appears thai
when Mr. Sedgwick reached the city Of MeEicG
the press noted his ARR val the special en v0y
OF the United States. and at the same time an
nounced that Mr.. Sedgwick had unlimited
credit ut a banking house in that city. Thii
announcement secured Mr.. Sedgwick the at
tention of some Of MeXicos young biOOds and
he Was invited 10 a dinner by the Jockey club
Mt. Sedgwick went there IN regulation costa M
and enjoyed himself Immensely. Drink
were tree and Special Envoy Sedgwick wa
In clover lie soon became hilarious aa,
made himself the center of a crowd o
admirers lie was on 4 mission of peace an,
good viii toward Mexico. and beame
with peace and good VIII on every glass tina
was offered HIM. Toward the small hOurs q
the morning the special ENJOYS friends sur
rounded him aud gave him assurances Of thei
undying devotion. They deckcd him out wit
flowers and placed big bouquet in the top Q
has hat. Al about Go a. the inmates of TIA
lturblde Hotel were .cd by noisy Der
formancc There were some 20 or more 9
MeEicos gilded youth singing and shooting
aud they led, as in triumph Mr.. Scdgwick Ia
special envoy. Viva el ambassador Amer
caDOl' they cried, and Scdgwick, deck cd ou
As a Prince, with big long garlands of ever
green, nodded his proud assent. The part
then proceeded through several streets an
carOusua in several houses Of well known reputs
ton, IN one " which they finally left Ihe
prize ia charge of some women Al H. m NJ
SedgWlck returned 10 lis hotel looking al
worse ior wear. but wearing brand new la
A dispatch from Mexico says the escapade
the alleged special envoy Is he talk OF The cit
and members Of the American colony are fu
OF indignation over ihe disgrace brought up,
the American name by nan scccled by N
Bayard for delicate mi-son. Ii the repOr
are true j. Is evident that Dir. Bayard took 40
OF the hot end OF the poker when he sent NJ
Scdgwck on this mission.
CHANGES IY THE NAVY.
Rear-Admiral John III. Russell has be-.
placed on the retired last al has own requ,
after more Than 40 year, OF continuous seryI,
This enables Commodore Waiter w. Queen
be promoted 10 Rear Admiral before hls retii
ment, Oct. q. on reaching ~ years of age al
reduces the number 81 loE5niodOres on the "A
i've list 10 ihe exact nuuber fixed by law A
niiral Queens retirement la October will pT
mote Commodore Ralph Chandler 10 Re
Admiral, Capt. Aaron w. Weaver 10 COmu