The National tribune., 1899-01-19
CHAT OF THE CORRIDORS.

June last was received at the Navy De
partment last week from the makers, and
placed on exhibition in the office of the
Secretary With the exception OF the
steel blade and body metal of the scab-
bard the weapon is composed entirely OF
22-karat gold. Although not yet settled,
it is more than probable the sword will
remain in the possession of the Navy De-
partment and be on exhibition in glass
case until Admiral Dewey returns to this
country and takes personal charge OF 1t.
| The Secretary of War has appointed
Mai. j. IL. Ashcraft of Paducah, KY, a
CommiSs Toner of the Shiloh National Mill
| tary Park, vice Gen. Don Carlos Buell.
deceased. Mai. Ashcraft enlisted in the
Union army at the first call for volunteers
| in 1861 and served with credit in several
notable engagements, including the battle
of Shiloh, and was honorably mustered
out at the end OF the war as Major OF the
| Goth Ky.
Judge AdvOcate-G Gen. Lieber, of the
United States Army, has given an opinion
in which he decides that soldiers OF the
war with Spain may be buried in the
| National Cemetery at Gettysburg. The
question was raised by W. Yates Selleck,
| of Philadelphia, and was referred to the
Governor, who in turn asked the war
| Department for an opinion. Secretary
Alger turned the matter over to the
ge-Advocate General, who rendered
decision.
| Ex-Lieut. Gov. Underwood, OF Kentucky,
has had a talk with the President about
National care for the graves of Confed-
crate soldiers. The talk was a pleasant
one, in which the President spoke OF the
stems which have SO far been taken. 1t
lis learned that the President has re-
ouested Representative Cannon to insert
an appropriation in the proper approprI-
alton bin for the purpose OF preparing all
the facts relating to Confederate Gene
teries their location and condition, and
the number Of dead. Senator Allison has
also been requested to insert such an
appropriation. This appropriation will Sc
cure all the facts, which will be presented
to Congress with a message from the
> President urging the necessary Perma-
, nent steps.
AS anticipated in previous issue,
Hon Joseph II. Cheate, the New York
lawyer and wit, last week was nominated
as Ambassador Extraordinary and Pleni-
potentiary OF the United States to Great
Britain.
i Speaker Reed recently refused to sign
the pay vouchers OF the Representatives
who are officers OF the Army, pending the
report of the Committee on judiciary.
/ fsF
i The Second Assistant Postmaster Gen
eraI has ordered two trips week from
u Miami, Fla, to Habana, in addition To
those of the Plant Line, which will make
five mail services week between this
country and Habana.
Gen. Wheeler appeared before the
House Committee on Pensions the other
day and made a fervid appeal for a
special pensio ion bill giving to the widows
and relatives of those who fell at Santi-
ago and other battles Of the Spanish war
an amount commensurate with the gal
Iantry OF those who lost their lives. Gen.
Wheeler spoke OF the sacrifices and hard
ships through which cur forces had
raised. and in particular recited the
briiiiancy OF their move up san Juan
| Hill He paid high tribute to the officers
whose widows and dependents it is PRO-
posed to pension at sum greater than
that allowed by the general pension law.
Jonathan Ross, OF st. ,Johnsbury, Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court of Vermont
has been sworn in as successor to Sena-
i tor Morrill,.
Jonathan Ross was born in Waterford
the public schools Of Waterford, fitted for
college at st. ,Johnsbury Academy, and
graduated from Dartmouth College in 1851
He studied law in Chelsea and was
admitted to the bar in 1886. He was for
three years in the Legislature. In St
Johnsbury he practiced law until 1870
when he was elected to the Supreme
Court bench. He was elected to the Oh iel
Justiceship in 1880.
An appeal was made to the House
Committee on Interstate and Foreig
Commerce last week by a large deleea-
ton, drawn from nearly all over the East
ern States, asking the Committee to make
, a report to the House on the bill intro
duced by Representative Rixey, OF Vr-
gina, for memorial bridge to Gen. u. S
Grant across the Potomac River. The
Committee was too much occupied with
the Nicaragua Canal bills to give much
consideration or hearing TO the delegation
or To the bill. Chairman Hepburn
promised that If the Committee could find
time it would go over the bill and order q
| report on it. The delegation filed 18th the
Committee petition signed by all its
members and by number OF Congress-
men praying for an early report.
Gen. Eagan's Indiscretion.
Commissary Gen. c. p. Eagan furnished
a sensation before the War Investigating
Commission last week when called ,Ipon
TO testify as TO the quality OF the beel
furnished to the Army last Summer lie
used such incorporate language that il
may turn out that he has gotten himself
into trouble. In replying to the statement
made by Maj.-Gen. Miles that the beef
had been cured by the use of chemicals
which are poisonous, he stigmatizcd the
stories as "a black lie, and used o;heI
offensive terms. The Commission re-
torted in a dignified way by returning II i'm
the typewriter report of his testimony
, for eXpurgation Of the offensive passages
Gen. Eagan belongs to the oflici al family
of Secretary Alger, and is not subject to
the orders of Gen. Miles, and, therefore
the latter so far has had moth ing to saw
, about the matter. The abusive language
OF Gen. Eagan has been everywhere con
demned in official circles, both at the
War Department and at the Capitol.
r Gen. Eagan in explaining To a reporter
the cause of his 0utburst says that he
r C onsidered that he had been charged
practically with poisoning the soldiers by
, giving them beef that had been cured by
the use OF chemicals as an experiment
He felt himself aggrieved at this charge
and therefore gave way to the strong Ian
guage which he used. Whatever may be
he merits of the controversy the opinion
is unanimous that he is purely in the
wrong and that his words are detrimental
&c Army discipline, and tend to hold us
up to the ridicuIe OF fore ign Governments
Gen. Eagan on Monday returned his
statement revised and with an apology to
the Commission, but claiming much prov
ocation.