The National tribune., 1897-05-20
CHANGES IN THE ARMY.

Brig. Gen. James W. Forsyth was nominated
Major. General bg the President last week. lie
takes tho vacancy caused by the retirement Of
Gen. Wheaton.
Gen. Forsyth was born in Ohio, Aug. 26. 1884.
aud was appointed cadet ut the Military
Academy. He was appointed Second Lieuteh-
ant, 9th Inf. July /. 1856; went TO the 18th
lnf. in May. 1851, and soon became Captain.
He was brsvetted Maj Or Oh Sept. 20, 1863. for
service in the battle of Chickamanga, and on
April Z. 1864 WAS promoted Major and Assist
ant Adjutaut-General of Volunteers Seven
days later he was advanced to Lieutenant
Colonel and Assistant Inspcc;or-Generai, and
became Brcvet Leutenant-Coionel Oct. l9, 1864
for service at Cedar Greek. lie was promoted
and brevetted for gallant conduct aud meritori.
Gus service several times. reaching the position
of Brigadier-G General of Volunteers, May 49,
1865, aud being mustered out of tho volunteer
service, Jan. l5 1866, and appointed Major iii
the 10th Cav. Regular Army. July %, 1866.
Gen. Forsyth was one of McClellan's staff
officers, and Sheridan's Chief Of Staff during
the Rich mond campaign. While Sheridan was
at the Headquarters of the Department OF
the Missouri. at Chicago, Gen. Forsyth Was his
Aid, and he went with Sheridan to Europe as
Aid during the war between Prussia aud
France.
Upon his return he was assigned to the West,
and did some gallant fighting against the Sioux
campaign in South Dakota in 1891.
Through successive promotions he zbecame
Brigader ON the 9th of November, 1894 Gen.
Forsyth retired within a few days after con-
frmaiion. Gen. Brooke and Gen. Otis both
ranked him, and III this appointment is found
the FIRST step in plan which Will result in the
creation within very short time OF thrcc
more Major-Gcnerals. two of whom will retire,
as Gen. Forsyth did in order that his sue
cessor may be appointed and retire nnder
Major-Geueral's pay instead of upon that Of
! Brigader. Gen. Bliss will be promoted next,
followed by Gen. Otis and Gen. Brooke, who
now is entitled to the rank OF Major-General.
Gen. Bliss nomination was sent to the SEN
ate on May II.
SOLDIER SUES THE GOVERNMENT.
case which attracted considerable atten-
tion was before the Court of Claims last week,
and a decision is awaited with interest. Nor
| ris keim, a Union veteran. was discharged last
year from the Pension Office, lie claims. on ac-
count of his political faith. lie brought snit
| for salary, alleging that his discharge was n
| violation of the Revised Statutes aud the Civil
! Service law.
1 The Governments claim was that he was lis
| missed for snefiicicncy. The case was regarded
/ as "A test upon which all the old soldiers who
were dismissed from the Government service
| last year may base their claims ior reinstase-
| ment.
Mr.. John C. Clancy, who represented the
| claimant, made al elaborate argument to show
4 that the Civil Service law had been violated in
! the dismissal of his client. who he said, in ad-
dition to being an efficient clerk. was entitled
TO special consideration because of his service
| in the war.
Mr. John G. Capers. who represented tho
| Government. cOntended that tho court had no
! Jurisdiction in the matter, and that neither the
/ Revised Statutes nor the Civil Service law gave
| the court any power to pass upon tho acts OF
! the heads of Departments when acting III u
purely administrative manner. According TO
Mr.. Capers the heads of Departments had the
| exclusive right TO pass upon the question of
the efficiency and desirabiity of the employees
under their control.
Judge L. Il. Smith closed the argument for
the claimant. He held that tho court had full
jurisdiction in the matter, aud that it was
clearly the intention of Congress to limit the
powers of heads of Departments In the reduc-
| ton aud the removal of clerks. As an indica-
ton Of this limitation he cited the statutes
giving preference TO ex Union soldiers aud
| sailors.
VETERANS IN THE CITY.
Capt ]. v. Admire, 65th Ind, Kingfsher,
Okla Capt. Admire is editor of the Kingisher
Free Press. . leading Republican paper Of the