New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-09-16
GOSSIP AT THE CAPITAL.
SOME CURIOUS CHANGES WROUGHT BY TIME
THE PRESIDENTS LETTER or ACCEPrANCE-AN
AGE OF " EEFORMn

AGE OF " REFORM"
Washington, sept. 10" when was n boy said
Representative Ford of Michigan, to me the Other
day. 81 ran away and went to 1t was shortly
before the closed and saw some active service.
although not much; was too young. Tho other
day had passed a bill penslonlng tho wife of the
admiral whose flagship ] served Funny, isn't II,
how things round? In those days the Admiral
such q big that he and couldn't breathe
the all the side Of the ship together. Now
/ am On Congress and get pension for his widow
Another strange turn happened In the kaleidoscope
of fate not long ago. when the bill to retire General
Alfred Pleasonon, the famous cavalry leader, camo
before Congress General Hooker one armed
Confederate soldier chamTioncd the bill in tho
House, and Senator Butler, Of South Carolina, who
lost leg In the cavalry fight at Brandy station
fighting against Colonel Pleasonton, was the chief
supporter of tho bill in tho Senate. At one timo
pleasOnton had a reputation second only to that
Of Sheridan dashing cavalry commander, but OF
late years he has been In almost destitute clrcum-
stances. Now the against whom he fought
have TO turn in and Lelp pass bill for his relief
Tho Saturday afternoon concerts on the lawn back
OF the White House greatly enjoyed by washing
tonians. and there is always large crowd scattered
about the grounds 10 listen TO the Marine Band
few SATURDAYS ago | was strolng tho lawn
in company with Representative Laird, Of Nebraska.
and listening to that most inspiring Of ell National
airs, the Marscllalse." q never hear tho sound
of a bugco said Laird &" but that IT reminds me OF
incident that occurred during tho war when
in a Michigan cavalry rc-lmcnt. At Gaines
Mills my regiment beaten back and we were
dcmorallzcd. The chaplain Of the reg mcnt ought
10 have belonged 10 tho Church Militant. lie was
magnificent specimen of manhood-sx feet in his
stockings broad shOuldorcd. with strong. handsome
features. He always rode the best horse I'm the
regiment. and whenever thcrc was hard lighting he
in the front lie that We were beaten
Il
and at once lie drove his spurs deep into his
horses nanks and dashed over to the rec!meniai
buger. In an instant the bucler playing John
Browns Body.o and the other husers Immediately
followed his example. Tho effect was electrical
The wild rush was checked for minute aud men
halted While they lis encd u the familiar tune. The
parson his opportunity, and IN voice that would
have made his fortune as the baritone OF an opera
company, gave us the words Of that famous song.
Men on all sides joined I'm. and that grand old air
sung by thousand voices, and filed tho field
with vast wave OF melody. was the
grandest and most inspiring sight ever witnessed,
and the most striking Of it all the central
fgure-the bareheaded psrson leading the music'
The Marine Band had by this time got 10 Die
Wacht Rheinr when Laird continued; II ever
have 10 lead cavalry charge want to do under
the stimulus OF the buge with Custer a. the
fight at Beaver Dam yellow Tavern. where 'Jeb'
Stuart killed. People have accused Custer OF
rcch,ssnesS and taking desperate chances, and per-
haps the charge Is true, but be could get more out
Of his men than an other commander because he
knew how 10 handle them, and also because It was I'm
his nature 10 fight Bcfors We went into that engage
ment, Custer had the brigade bugers masscd az a
point little way Of from where We were and had
them play two or three military airs. There was no
.tlpIlng Sweetness or .silyery cadencc about that
music. but the metallic tones Of the buelcs did moro
TO nerve us 10 do and die than anything else could
Ia IDtN Ifa Ia o.
as they played it before or since, and the COM
uand was given 10 move there was no power earth
could have held us back IT makes M blood tnso
even now when I think Of ha
very much dissatisfied resident OF the District
Of Columba-d i-ad because h' has 10 pay tNrS
and can't vote remarked 10 m' the o'h'r u'y Vme
in one Of hts most saica lie moods;
Why, sir, the Inhabitants of The District nave Only
once been formally recognized ~ an ohcal document
viz when President lay lor IN one OF his Messages
10 Congress spoLc Of all the world, and the rest Of
manhnd.'7
"Tbat letter OF acceptance which tho President
wrote. reminds me- said senator Vance, of North
Carolina. Of a nan down ia my county, VIII call
bir, Joncs locauso that is not Dis namc-vho after
an absenc, from his native town of fifteen years al
tended dfyip, service I'm The same church I'm which
la had o,ce ,ro,e1,nod lie found I'm IN. pnlplf the
, old ,,oacbor that he had listened IN Gfoon wears
r,os ,o.dc ht. ,r,v to tbe yc..ry AZ tb, conclusion
- 49,. ror,o ,d ov.io- his acouaintance with tbe
,,., .oit.
az. - oeo, ..,a-, .t,co 7 hood vor la, In This
,orv rl,co cf,ccn vcars AGO heard Won preach a
cannon ,ta, have revor torcotton n did me morn
, a.. -. -, ,.,,r t,ort J., st,,,i, ~, ma
and have always wanted TO thank you for 49,
'Ab indeed, replied the pleased preacher
ssuch reward of ry poor labor is very grateful
7 shoun Ike 70 know what sermon f. was. DO
Won remember the tcxtn
well. no. ] can't tell what the text was now, but
n was the greatest sermon I ever heard. 1t just
lifted me M / never forgot that Sermon
Il should really Ike 10 know what sermon if wa,
rcred the clorcyuan much Interested I'm so decided
4 case Of the uowcr Of the pulpit If YOU cannot .
roc,u rho text what ,ras tle subect Of the sermon
" .ueu nov, doctor rs cone from me I forget
a.,