The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-01-31

Washington.
Correspondence ofthe Herald
WASHINGTON, Jan. q, 1872
D0~sAA % T" S0n~tor>- rne WnlBs--Omee seek
ers and Once Seeking.

| Mr. Dixon, one OF the Senators from Rhode Isl
and, died this morning. He was a man of souno
sense, and great personal worth. 1t is understood
that he Is TO be buried on Monday, and in that case
nothing will be done in either House of Congress
but meet and hear the announcement of his death
The passage OF the Treasury Note bill will put the
Government in funds again. but there will probably
De another issue required before the end OF the sc
sion.
IL seems to be doubted whether the union of the
wing party IN Congress can be so arranged as 10 EN-.
brace majority of the body. The bulk Of the
wings will probably come in, but il seems to be
generally supposed that some thirty five or forty Of
the more devoted of Mr.. Clay's friends will continue
to stand aloof. Well, they can take their own
course, but the people will have word TO saw about
this matter by and by.
The natural and general craving for ofiice-the
anxiety for public employment, always rife in this
country, was stimulated into extraordinary ctivtv
and evaporation, by the inducements held out to
men Of idlel habits and desperate fortunes, by the
profu sion with which Gen. Jackson lavished the
patronage OF the Government as the reward of par
tlzan service and personal sycophancy and socita-
ton The pursuits of honest and independent in
dustry were abandoned by hundreds who had pre-
vousy been content with the moderate but certain
gain OF agriculture and other kinds of manual labor,
10 follow the precarious and demoralising business
OF ofhee seeking The consequence was the selec
ton OF incompetent and unfaithful public agents.
Defacatioas of every other species of official den-
quency followed, as matter Of course, and the d.
apdation 81 the public treasure was superadded
to the loss of national honor and the destruction of
private integrity.
sc L.
the country, growing out OF the excessive specula
tons OF 1885, 81, and 49, and the idle and vagabond
habits induced by the mad spirit of speculation,
threw into the great contest of $780, large class of
men who fought for the wing cause, and looked to
Its success solely as means of retrieving their for
tunes or acquiring livelihood. For some time after
the election of General Harrison, weeks before his
accession to the Presidential chair these people
began to collect at the seat Of government and by
the fourth of March the whole city was infested by
horde OF the leanest hungriest, mportunate
beggars that ever perplexed and tormented an Elk.
ecutlve. Many OF them had besieged the oldGeneral
when on his way here, in hotels steamboats, stages
and railroad cars, and almost every office IN his gift
was promised, and in many instances, two and three
Deep frequently to incompetent and unsuitable per-
sons, merely to get rid Of their harrassing socia-
lions In the elaon of the old mans heart, he had
not the cruelty to say to any. Offices of great
responsibility and importance, particularly diploma
tic stations, were applied for by, and promised to
class Of men wholly unequal to their duties, and
such as had never before been thought Of in connec-
ton with them The short period between the in
auguratlon Of General Harrison and his death, was
not sufficient to fulfil one twentieth part of the pro-
misses ne had made, and he left legacy Of embar-
rassment, perPlexity, and annoyance to President
Tyler, which he has not yet been able TO dispose Of
! SO much to enable the reader to comprehend in
part, one of the various difficulties which surround
the Executive. On the accession Of President Tyler,
the same ravenOus crew, whose opportunities had
accelerated the death of Gen. Harrison. presented
Themselves at the White House and urged their ser
vices and the premises of the old man. The want
OF harmony and unison between Mr. Tyler and his
Cabinet imposed upon him the necessity oflooking
alter all the prominent. appointments himself,
throughout the extra session this circumstance was
made the excuse for personal Applicant on, and he
was harrassed by a constant crowd Of hungry fell
lows, who were not to be repealed by any argument
less potent than firmly fastened door. But now
that he is surrounded by political family, whose
general views coincide with his own, and tho are
not known TO be connected with any intrigue about
the succession the duty OF receiving and deciding in
the flrstinstance, upon all applications of the first
importance, should be devoved upon the heads of de-
partments AS has before been remarked let testin o.
mails in every case be sent to Secretary-he can
examine them, and when there are conflicting claims
present them to the Executive for decision. If the
President required further information, he might
call upon member of Congress, or some other
person familiar with the circums,aces, upon whose
sincerity and intelligence he could rely In this
way, the public interest would be Just as carefully
guarded, and the Executive saved vast deal of
labor.
Under the present practices, and with the ::bene-
violent feelings of Mr. Tyler, the executive mansion
is run down, day after day, by the remnant of the
same lean and hall starved crew which have been
begging for office, ever since Mr.. Van Buren, left
Washington.
There is no profession 80 degrading, so denora.
Using, or IN which man so soon loses his selfr
spect as office seeking. A man comes here high in
expectation, buoyant with hope, and so loade down
with recommendations, as in his opinion, to render
success certain He obtains interview with a
Secretary, in the first place. and presents his testi-
monials The reply Is, Al present there is no va
cancy, but when one occurs your application shall
NC uuiy CouslucIeu.
Upon this the poor fellow applies to the President,
and besieges every member of Congress that he
can approach, to get his influence. lie dances at.
tendance at the White House and the Department,
until his money is spent, his patience exhausted.
and he in despair. Men are now in this city who
have held on month after month, begging for office.
one day Frightening up with some faint CLEAN of
hope, and the next sinking down INFO dependency,
until their resources are all gone, their spirits bro.
ken, and they unified for any industrious pursuit
The number of applications for offices of every
kind almost exceeds belief. A single instance, by
way OF example, will suffice. A second Lieutenant
OF Marines receives, according to the Navy Regis
ter salary and rations amounting in the aggregate
to between five hundred and six hundred dollars per
annun. The number OF officers of this grade is
twen,y-one, and cannot be exceeded except by act
of Congress. A meriiorious young gentleman, in