The National tribune., 1888-08-16
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
Tas Teek'S Doiags at Tie Ma
G0g2I Capital
A rELTNQUENT BoUaH

A DELINQUENT BolsE
re Eouso Of Represent q YES IL practically
Saiur business by unsnlmsu5 consent, Ihis
results from he TACT that there Is not quorum
present for duty, and Day al dsy but % to
Sc Members appear In their 2. IS Under the
Falss Member Is subject 70 sipline for alb
asDce without leave but they 1ch prefer the
risk Of suy punishment that p NJ be Inflicted
e the public announcement t the Speakers
r.hsfr thar they are constant REUSED for Pc
rieds during which their wae bouts remains
a secret 70 people 10 their res Give Districts,
Rud who, Ia the absence Of a. Verse record,
xaEy assume that they are cese-y confined to
duties in the House.
IL thus transpires thst Of -'a'ly only about
90 Members sre absent in Othre words, about
this number have been excused. snd have di-
reeGsd ther mail to be forwarded 70 other sd-
dresses than Washington. ID. 6.
If this represented the whole list, or even
bali Of It. there would still be quorum on
6uty. Many Members are az the Virginia
Springs, the mountains or the resorts il the
vicinity q New YORK, from which they lit
into the Capital sDOat once g week. They
gather CD their mail unload hssty responses TO
their steRographer, 20 upon the floor OF the
House and shout Nr. Speaker S tine OF two
50 show that they are there, and take the next
outgoing train.
Bills that Rre passed now are coaxed through
a. q rule. They are taken up by unanimous
sorgeUt sn5 debated. Some Member, who has
little bill Of his own which he wants to be
called up next makes sEgW Of resistance and
then Eithdraws under proper understanding.
Those who want certain amendments urge them,
and 81 they are serious about IL threaten 20 de-
msnd q duroum. The friends Of the measure
accept anything. AHohieetIons are Withdrawn,
and the bsIt goes through without call of the
roll, 50 il is not disclosed in the Record who
voted either way.
So the farce goes on. Usually the session is
3 daily l0ve-feast bnt now and then there IS a
TOE, owing TO The accidental presence Of an Oh
sector. Then the House promptly adjourns to
escape the sDaE. ii does rot require quorum
- EcioarR.
This is the kind Of work for which Congress
thrsatens 10 stay here TIL EaiL. Nothing I'M
pcrtBnt can be done and unless public opinion
shall drive the Members back nothing VIII be
done, because every Important measure has
epponents VINO viii call for q quorum.
GEN. GRANTS STAFF.
The visit here last week Of Gen. Cyrus B.
C3nstock Colonel Of Engineers, L. S. Army,
brought Up some memories Of the staff with
which GcE. Grant surrounded himself when
ne aEE promoted 70 the full rank Of General Of
Ebs Army, Jgly >. 1866.
On INC date mention Congress created the
AeW grade OF General, and the same day Prcsi-
Sent johnson promoted Lleut-tien. Grant 10
Sbst raak, and Ma. -Gen. Sherman to Liouten-
Aut-GeceEal.
The aew law allowed the General six Aids
es-CRmp, with the rank, pay ana allowances Of
Colonel. 10 matter what the lineal rank Of
either ore might be in the Army. Grant was
already provided with a Chief Of staff with
she rank Ct Brieadier-Genersl, and he then
appointed Is bis Aids Gen. Comstock, then 5is-
3or Of Engineers; Gen. Horace Porter, Major Of
Engineers Gen. 0rville Il. Bsbc0ck, Captain
Of Engineers: Col Parker, Lieutenant Of Cav
ElFy; Gen. Adam Badeau, Second Lieutenant,
eth Inf AID Gen, Frederick /. Dent, Major,
6th InE
In addition to these. Col. Theodore S. Bow
srs, Assistant Acknowledgement; Col. George
K Lset, Assistant Quarte-master, and Col.
amos Webster Lieutenant, 5th Cav were on
duty st headquarters, the first two In tleiT re-
GpectiVe departments.
OF these 40 officers the names Of cuiy three
are now borne on the Army Register, I've are
dead, and two Others are IL civil life.
Brig.-6en. John 4. kaFiIHs, Chief OF STAG
became Secretary Of War under President
Grant, and died here Ia August, 1853.
Gen. Orville Z. BabcOck remained On TIE
Etsf ustii after Grant became President fre-
tanned bv Gen. Sherman. uutii the whisky
ring scandals and was drowned half a dozen
years ago o. the Florida Coast while on duty.
Gen. Horace Porter resigned from the Army
years ago, and has since become prominent in
New YORK in railroad matters.
Gen. Comstock is still IN the service, and on
duty n New York city.
Gen. Fred T. Dent tie brother OF Mrs. Grant
became Colonel. 81 Art, ami WAS placed on tas
retired list in Dseemser, 1883. since which time
be has resided here. be i disabled partially
BY Paraiysis
Gen Adam Baden was retired ia 1853. and
Was ssut abroad a. C0nsul-General at LONDON
bat Still remains OF the Army list under som,
strange ruling, despite tie sta.ute thstdeclsTec
that any Army officer accepting any diplomatic
position should be held 70 have resigned frau
She Army It is hardly Necessary 10 writ
much Of him, for ia one way OF another, good
bad or lad Hcrent. he keeps his name well be
fore the public.
Col. Parker left The Army when Gen Sher
Ensn succeeded 10 the command, and retire.
60 bis hogae il central New York, where b
WEs the Elzd Chic. Of one of tie Indian tribe
Ct the SIX Nations. de was lGlI bloodsS
Indian, end died, Is ] ECcollegt, shout 20 year
age.
OF the other officers, CsI. Bowers was kille,
by the czFs ia November 81 December. 1855 2
Ghe little station q Garrison son il hudson
acFosz The riFe- from West Point, where be Lat
scc0npzuiod Gen. Grant On an Official visit
= was dreadful accident, sud was witnessed
By Gen. Grant AID the otaer staff officers Hitl
Ein-
Col. George x. Lset resigned from The se-y
tQe iL 1862. AID secured lucrative coutEac
uDcer t8s Custom House Iu New York. Wi-er
10 died number Cf years ae0
CO. webster resigned from the Army ia 1S5i
sBd was appointed Register q Wiils here Z
President Gr-ut, q very lucrative Office that
held uur5i Gen. Garfield became President i
visa GGsrEar3 Chief Clerk Of the Treasur
Department lsE 9 time. and i hear has siEl
been &c app lcaut appointment as Capcai
and Assistant GuarterHzs-er ia the Army.
which appointment, under 3 recent law, Ctvi
Sans ere eglb-e. he is stllI q resident Of o.
city
When Gen. Sherman cane here a. Gel
Granite Ggccasso-, be brought the three Office
WHO had asa BIS Aids Is Lieutenant Geueu
Col Lgrls =. Dayton Col Joseph c. ADDER
ried sud Col James G. AilC8g. I'll Of whom ha
served with him through the war, bur to q
coml15-z5e President Grant he reappoiute
Gems. g.-1st8es Porter SD 3 5Cock and .Ao
three remained OF dury 10 complete the detaile
gt6cal report of the operations Of the Wal col
d8Ca5d - e4a Grant
aEE EECFEEIgas EEu1EoTIoE.
4 never zee Gen R6tert Macfeelv Couani
gEry Genera. ~ the Army tlCut thinking
tie circu-s-snals attending Eis promotion
the rslE r. position Dee nog holds
A. Che i ginning ~ tle year 1915 Gen. Henl
nj CiaEze, LIaateuauJ-t5Di and Assista,
Comm i5ssry-a General was 0l duty at Chical
81 Chief -aIllss-ary On Gen. Sheridau'6 sta
Eno BE-. Robert &acfeely YVES Depot C0mmi
mrrQ a tHa same. mimi s-sfn Efa .fffne In 4