The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-02-05
lLGER AGAIN IN CANTON.
,r uIKEs A DEFENCE OF HIS
MILITARY CAREER.


VIII Ns s- -.
o1e,. bot Does Not Tell what IL IL 10 NE.
c,sroS. O., Feb. 4.-Gen. Russell A.. Alger.
- IA 10 be Secretary Of War 10 the McKin-
". cabinet, came here to-day for q two ho"rs'
Ho,h.rence with the Prcsidentcleot Except
w., bs had come TO speak a few good words
.. friend. he declined N discuss his visit.
~. IDENTITY OF tho frieId and the ONCE sought
-. MIN he General would not disclose. When
..,.a ~ he had not como to discuss the oucs-
~. NJ Motley OF the Administration no an
,wered;
.Tb,t IA a matter to consider after Major
uoKinley has been inauRuratcd. There may
:. many changes in conditions which would
inset any line OF policy we might outline In
advance"
,;sn. Alssr also said that tho visit had moth
Ing TO do with appointments In his depart
men, because he had reached no decision on
that subject
IVY time ut home" he continued, ''sincs 1
accepted the secrctsryship last week In Can
ION. has been fully taken up In answering con-
s,,,uiatory kilograms and letters. and I am
Ave or six hundred behind. Tben my bust
mass interests claim . great deal Of my alton
,ion. 90 hat I have had little time to give 10
the consideration of appointments"
A IA we'll known. there was much opposi-
,ion TO Mr.. Ayers selection. espe"ially In New
YORK, and ut one time the threat was made
aha. ~ Gen. Aleer was not laid aside as Cabl-
net material, old stories rejecting on his mil
i,ary record would DO revived. much to the
Embarrassment, Of the administration Ben
.,or Burrows was presumed TO have ouieted
these threats and to have secured promises
that no such tactics would Be pursued. But.
despite this. there has been considerable print
ed on the subject, and thoro was q vague ru-
~ A. .N-Al NhAe ~ q
much annoyed by these stories and had oamo
TO Major Mckinley to nier on the subject
The General said here to-day tnat thtre was
Absolutely nothing IN the ruLor. and dis
eu,sed the story and his war record very free
iy. showing no tenderness On tho topic.
The gravest OF the stories told 10 that dur
ing sheridan's campaign In the Shenandoah
Valley In 1864. Gen. Alrer. then . Colonel In
the Fifth Michigan Cavalry. absented him
self from his command without leave. In the
face Of the enemy. and when there was great
danger, and that the records show that on
several previous occasions Gen. Alser had sim
ilarly absented himself. and that Gen. Torbe.t
recommended his dismissal.
81 have in response to q request but lately
answered the story over my signature" said
the General. and here Is what l said:
MY war record 10 on special service one
winter. Dut III hnbWcr II ihpuhy 4 WIN
ray that l served three years. and participated
In ~siIty-six battles and skirmishes.
~ was never absent from ny command .
moment save whom detailed on special service
one winter by order Of President Lin soln.
when the army vas In camp. except upon &c
count Of wounds received In battle or on sur.
rooms certificate Of disability, and but . very
few days all told under the latter. Wa pro-
NOTED from Captain to Major. Lieutenant
Colonel. and Colonel. serving In three differ
emit engagements. Was recommended several
n ms. i never erU asSea FOR 3 PROMOTION S in my life.
and Major General OF nolqnteers for gallant
commended for promotion was on June lo,
1854, by. Gen. Custer. commanding the brig.
s sinsuish "d'' Sin.eif in in simos. every action in
which our cavalry. had been enkaged. His
g~llantry at G~ttysburg rendered him con.
Ks regiment in a charge upon the &c:
e eoI Naer has SoSns an important part. In
the battle OF Yellow Tavern. which resulted
Ii Il, sn ,s. Ssasa o. q "a; e.. Ts'f ni. sss't a . ssHias; . soo
much praise cannot DO given 70 Col. Aiger for
the ~RAllantry. he displayed. He In particularly
mend him for promotion"
Gen. r. q. sheridan and also tho order for
promotion from President Lincoln. Cen. Al
Ter says In conclusion:
fact that wo wer~ ordered 70 the Shenandoah
Valley and were engaged constantly from that
tember. shows that l could not have had very
much oppoi tunity to disgrace myself or leave
T %s cGm% %,.S al IL 50 sss sh fss,. a i IN II. The rhs, whole sa.
published in the press Of the country In 1891 or
1897. II anything moro were needed l think
graduation being received now from the men
Who served with me IN the field would convince
any fair minded person that whoever attempts
To smirch my record never saw service In
the field and .melled burnt powder.
They should ask the mon who served IN der
o., my life history that l am proud TO leave as
heritage TO ny children 1t is my war record
Smith a trio Of q ci GSlSrsS m e.. I g. s,sHss. Of Of II; G:
,bama, and c. II. Deas of south Carolina came
hs.s sa;; evening to see Major Mckinley.
Individual. but rather to talk over matters in
general. They evidenced much interest in
70 fall to the colored people. The Southern
men said they had twice been elected to Con.
Ss.ss in their respective districts. but had
hsen counted out. That practice Ii ono Of tho
things they would like TO have rsmcdied.
Me cSSnIeerninS their conie,snee with Major
SCuld call Congress in spe ;iai session eleven
Gays ate. he Is inaugurated. The nrst three
to the interests OF The whole country in efiorts
70 improve tho times and arrange the tarif,
10 the exclusion of all other matters. As 10
pitronage. the Major said IL would not be his
policy TO interfere In the matter OF appoint
inents.
IL Is not generally known that the name of
W, seward Webb was presented by Vermont
anu seriously considered by the incomip q
PRESIDENT for q place In his Cabinet. Owing.
however, to the illness In his family and the
salis upoh his time and attention In con-
sequence thereof. IL WAS utterly impossible
tr hin TO accept the Office. and DR.. webb's
iIieho, Zen, I. y. Peck, visited Major lfcKin-
10y ana withdrew his name.
ferrt y, Heath OF Muncie. Ind, q former
neWspaper man and who had charge Of the liter.
NV bureau OF the Chicago headquarters, was
here Today to accept AN ONCE. and toni yht
10 mas every one guessing ~ TO what the D acc
- Is altLoritAtiyely announced that no
hM a conference with Major Nc XinIey in
whish many political topics were discussed.
snu a position OF prominence and influence
vas rendered. and that II would be- ACCEPTED"
~ Heath wiihstands all efforts TO learn
nnat the onice In. IL 10 learned from his CON
Srersation that 1t Is not a foreign post and that
meatries with Il much patronage. To ono man
sald ne Withhold Is tho name Of tho ofice be-
rause Major Mckinley does not wan. IL an
nopnSsd as yet. To another he said he wanted
mon back the ofico seekers who will be after
"m n soon as his place becomes known, There
much lovial conjecture on tho subject, The
must SERIOUS Ru0A9 la that hts rIao. :. T.