The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-03-28
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
The Weeks DOings at the Ma
tiOnal Capital
pnosrrcrTYE PRoMoTIoNs.

rison and Secretary Proctor in the matter OF
Army promotions. The limit OF age that the
statutes fix for retirement viii sheiye Brig
Gen. Gibbon April 1891, and Brig Gen. David
S. Stanley June !, 1892. These two are general
officers Of the line. Brig.-Gen. Richard {.
Dunn, Adjutsut-G General Of the Army, viii be
90 years of age May % next, and, therefore,
goes cOmpulsoTily upon the retired list. fancy
there viii be little growing from the Army, or
from tho newspaper men here who know him,
when that time comes. Next that robust old
daisy of the service Gen. Grants Old-tlme
ohum), Brig Gen. Robert Macfeely, the Com
missarv- General Of Subsistence, viii succumb
to the statutes July ]. 1890. / told in the
"Gossip" long time ago how Gen. Macieely
came here years ago TO urge upon his ola
chum Grant the appointment of Col. Clarke
as Commissary- General, and Of how President
Grant turned the tables and dealt out the APP
pointment to Macleely instead of the brother
officer he came here to Washington to serve.
In the Medical Corps Brighten. John Moore,
Surgeon General, viii retire Aug. rs, 1890, and
everyone who knows anything at all about
the Regular Army knows that Col. Jedediah ii.
Baxter, the senior Of al Others in the Medical
Corps after Gen. Moore, viii be q strong candi-
date for the Surgeon Generalship; but be IS
yet so young IN years that . Of his juniors IN
rank would be retired for age when he becomes
Ga years Of age. Brig.-Gen. William b. Roches-
ter, the Paymaster-General, viii retire Feb. 10,
1880. Brig-Cen. Samuel B. HoiabiTd, the
General, viii be 81 years OF age
June IS 1880 and that date will settle him for
future active service, unless war or some spe-
cial legislation cones to interfere. have no
ak to grind that the QuarteTmaster- General
has a stone for but I would like 10 say that IN
many years OF observation, military and jour
nalistic. / don't know who has better admins
tered that great supply department than Gen.
Holabird; the Army viii miss him.
Now that have told Of the coming vacancies,
let me say a few words about filling them.
First, / should pr0pheSy that Gen. John c.
Kelton viii be the next Advertisements;
that Gen. Beezman Du Barry viii be the next
Commissary- General that Gen. Charles ID.
Tompkins VIII be Quartermaster-Gener that
Col. Basil Norris (the chum Of Gen. Grant will
be Snrgeon-General. and Maj. Thaddeus ii.
Stanton VIII succeed Gen. Rochester as Pay
master General.
For the Generals in the line I have an idea
that that gallant old veteran, Gen. Charles ii.
Smith, Colonel of the 18th Inf, will succeed
Gen. Gibbon, and on bis retirement for age IN
November, 1891, lac viii be in turn succeeded
by Gen. Edward Hatch now Colonel of the 9th
Cav. Gen. Stanley viii be retired for age in
1891, and have fancy that Gen. August '.
Kautz, now Colonel Of the 9Th Inf, will sue
coed him.
/ have never been employed regularly in the
"propbct line, and l dare say that many of
the readers Of this screed viii not be willing to
i
written here is just what l would do II the
misguided people Of the United States should
be idiotic enough TO make me do the hard
work that the President has to do.
CHARACTERISTIC OF THE MAN.
President Cleveland's leave taking of the
White House was characteristic of the man.
Since John Adams clapt his hat on his head,
mounted his horse and gallOped off 10 Biadcns-
burg while Jefferson was being inaugurated.
l-rh hoor
part Of q retiring President toward his success
or. Ii is true that Cleveland acted conrteously
toward Gen Harrison while the two were in
public, and the eyes Of the people were on
them, but there the courtesy ended. 1t has
been the custom for the retiring occupants Of
the White House to make everything pleasant
for the incomers, and leave the mansion in
good shape for their successors. President Ar
thur was particularly careful about this.
Weeks before the Inauguration he wrote TO Mr.
Cleveland, inviting him and his sister, and
such friends as they wished, 70 come on 10 the
White House and make it their home as his
guests. When Mr. Cleveland did come on
President Arthur showed him every attention.
he accompanied him TO the Capitol TO be inau-
gurated, sat with him on the reviewing stand,
and after the procession had passed entertained
him and his friends with an elegant lunch,
which had been thoughtfully prepared, as was
tie custOm with Mr.. Arthur's predecessor.
The White House was then cOurteously trans
terred 70 its new master. In the evening Mr.
Arthur, his sister, and several members of the
Cabinet and their families attended the Inau-
guratiOn Ball. President Harrison and party
received nothing like this at Mr.. CleTeland's
hands. The new President and party sat for
hours on the reviewing stand under the drench-
ing rain. They had had nothing TO eat since
their breakfast at the hotel. When at last the
review was ended, they made their way to the
White House TO find the doors locked, the fires
all out. the servants no one knew where, and
not mOFsel Of food IN the whole place 1t was
q dreary homecoming. To cap the climax,
there was no carriage in which TO 60 anywhere
else, and no public conveyance was obtanabIe,
for they were ali bHsily employed by the inn
mense crowd. at last philosophical citizen
Of Washington learned Of the condition OF
things. and at once sent his carriage TO the
President Food was sent from hotel. fires
were built and with much trouble the Presi-
dental party managed 70 get their dinner and
prepare for the reception at the Pension Build
ing in the evening. Neither Mr.. or Mrs. CIeve-
land nor any Of the Cabinet people bonored
the Inaugural Bali with his or her presence.
THE MILITARY SECRETARY.
When Gov. Alexander Ramsay, of Minnesota
gave tone TO the War Department by his wise
administration Of the Office Of Secretary Of War
he introduced feature that through custom
bids fair to become fixture, by calling to hi:
aid an Army officer who could advise him upon
matters OF technical military detail with which
he was not familiar. The officer he called here
was Col. Thomas Francis Barr then Majoran
Judge-AdvOcate, who had then been for year.
the loved and trusted staff officer of Gen Alfred
Il Terry. The effect Of the detail was soon
felt IN the service, although such position
was never known before, except during the
civil war; Tor Gov. Ramsay handled army
matters N a manner calculated TO make
q soldier think that the Secretary had
been long III service himself Mr. Lincoln
who succeeded Gov. Ramsay, was wise enough
10 retain Col. Barr at his side, and probably
thus saved himself from making more grievou!
mistakes than be did, though he did very vel
in that line as it was. Mr.. Endicott-who had
an anCestor-cailed handsome Capt Dan Taylor
70 the duty, and Temanded Col. Barr to Chicago,
but instead of keeping Capt. Dan at his side, he
put him IN "a little dark room and sent for him
when he wanted especial work done. Can't
Daniel Morgan Taylor was rather more mill
tary clerk than military Secretary and tho
Massachusetts, statesman would have been wis,
had the Captain been closer at his side at time
when various officials we're working their littl,
games. Col. Barr is learned in the law and il
military Jaw especially is as high authority ID
Col. Winthrop or even Col. Lieber He has al
eminently judicial mind, and has also tina
enFiable quality of thorough impartiality tina
enables him 10 thoroughly sink himself anf