The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1898-06-02
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Eenator and Soldier at the Same Time.
The Money Cost of War-A
Monument to Tyler.
Especial Correspondence. ]

/
place in congress and commission in
| the army at the same time, started
House File Clerk Walter French to dig
ging for precedents In the first volume
Of Blaine 5 Twenty Years In Congress
he found this statement concerning Ed
ward Dickinson Baker, senator from
Oregon during the first years of the civil
war:
The Oregon senator with his ardent nature
and his impulse to take part in every conflict,
had raised regiment of volunteers, p1inci-
pally composed Of men from the Pacific coast.
1t was known as the California regiment and
was encalnIod near Washington. On the 1st
! of August, while performing the double and
somewhat anomalous duty of commanding
his regiment and representing Oregon in the
! senate Mr.. Baker entered the chamber in the
/ full uniform of colonel of the United States
army. He laid his sword upon his desk and
sat for some time listening to the del ate.
Mr.. Blaine describes a speech which
Senator Breckenridge was making at
the time, tells how Senator Baker re-
piled and mentions the speech of the
senator from Oregon i'll these words:
In the history of the senate no more thrill.
| appearance Of the speaker in the uniform of
, q soldier, his superb voice, his graceful man
ner. all united to give the occasion an extraor
binary interest and attraction.
During his service as an employee Of
the house Mr.. French remembers in
stances where officers in the volunteer
army have held their seats in the house.
A member of congress from New Hamp-
shire who was at the head of regi-
ment, entered the house in the uniform
of colonel, but wore high silk hat
The combination caused great deal of
merriment among his acquaintance.
How Money Goes In Wartime.
Perish the thought that patriotism
can be measured i'll dollars and cents.
If ever there was time when Ameri-
cans counted the money cost of war
with Spain, that time has passed. but
as congress has to provide means to car
ry on the war and revenue measures are
the most important business before both
houses the following facts about the cost
of the civil war may be of INTEREST," In
the four years of the civil war the di-
rect expenditure of the national govern
ment amounted to 50, $50, 900, 000 Of
which 50, 92O, 900, 900 was used directly
for war purposes. Seven hundred and
thirty million dollars Of this was raised
by taxation and the rest was obtained
by issuing greenbacks and interest bear
ing bonds The interest on this war
debt to July l, 1897, had amounted to
50, 664, 900, 900. Two billion one hun
nd five tv 1C11
has been paid out i'll pensions since the
war Thus the total direct cost of the
war has been S7,711, 900, 900. At pres
ent the government is paying So, $780,
900 out each week in pensions and in
interest on the war debt.
A Tyler Monument.
Captain Lamb, representing the Rich
mond district, has been working to Sc
cure some appropriate monument to
mark the grave of former President John
Tyler. Visitors to Hollywood cemetery
are pointed to the spot overlooking the
James river, where two presidents of
the United States are buried, but there
is nothing but a modest headstone to
mark the grave of President Tyler. Ear
joint resolution appropriating $40, 900
for placing a suitable shaft over this
grave, the work to be done under the
secretary of the treasury. The resolu-
ton has been favorably reported from
the committee on library by Represent
ative Cummings, who pays brief trib
ute to the dead Virginian's career.
President Tyler was inaugurated
April 6, 1871, on the death of President
Harrison. He died at the city of Rich
mond ON Jan. IS, 1862, having filled
1he offices of member Of the general as
sembly of Virginia, member of her ex-
ecutive council, governor of the COM
monwealth, representative in congress,
United States senator, member of the
provisional congress of the Confederate
states, vice president of the United
States and chief magistrate of the repub-
lie.
The grave of James Monroe, which is
near that of Tyler, is covered by an
iron framework in the shape of cathe-
dral.
Mrs. Sigsbee Has Ene Challenge.
The family and friends of Captain
Sigsbee have had no little sport over the
challenge sent him by Lieutenant
Caranza, formerly naval attache of the
Spanish legation here and now with
Senior Polo in Canada, which is as POM
pous in character as its sender. Captain
Sigsbee, it will be remembered, has on
several occasions denied having receiv-
ed this challenge, and for a simple
enough reason, since in her husbands
absence it was Mrs. Sigsbee who receiv-
ed it. Thinking the imposing looking
letter might be something of impor-
lance, she opened it, to find the belliger-
ent proposal of the Spanish attache.
Happily, Mrs Sigsbee was not at all
alarmed at the warlike tone of this COM
munication, and, after sharing it with
her family, pasted it in her scrapbook,
where it occupies place among much
other interesting matter, treating both
of war and peace, concerning her hus-
bands career.
New Englanders at Manila.
A Massachusetts man at the capitol
Saturday called attention to the prepon-