American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-08-29
AMERICAN TELEGRAPH



II Many years ago there was among the Secre-
taries of Departments one W1LLIAM II. CRAw-
FORD, and we believe his name may be still
found among the national records, if it is not
remembered by some Of the pahiarchs of the
present day. s.~
On certain occasion a Senator of the Uni
ted States called at the Department to sec this
Mr.. CRAWFORD, and, taking q lighted cigar
from his mouth requested the messenger to
conduct him to the apartment of the. Secretary.
{ Yes, sir" replied the messenger, but first
throw your cigar into the stove" g shall do
no such thing" exclaimed the indignant Sena-
tor "Then / cannot take you to the Secre-
tary's room, 7" said the messenger. The Sena7
tor threw bis cigar away, followed the messen-
ger, entered the apartment Of the Secretary
in towering passion, and made a serious
complaint to Mr.. CRAWFORD, who replied that
the messenger had not exceeded his duty and
that if he had acted otherwise than as he did it
would have cost him his place!
This was some time ago. Things have sadly
changed for the worse. We believe there is
not a room connected with all the public offices
of the Government that is not at least occa-
sionallyl fumigated with tobacco smoke. Dig
nifty and polteness are banished, the comfort
of many persons is disregarded, the safety of
these offices and their papers isjeoparded, and,
of course, the labors of the smokers are re-
tarded-for, say what you will, a cigar between
the teeth or fingers does not facilitate the
labors Of a clerk. ~.
We are not at all in favor of placing gentle
men under constraint, and would on no account
abridge any freedom or privilege that comports
with what is right in fact and right in appear
ance but we cannot see how smoking tobacco
can be justified on either ground and as real
gentlemen do not drink to excess, the right to
smoke cigars in public Office will include the
less annoying practice of drinking whisky and
water at every desk. This practice would be
as likely to be. tolerated in many private
counting or Office as that of smoking
cigars.
In the Treasury Department, the space above
which the great spiral stairway ascends has
been converted into one vast noisome spittoon,
where the saliva of tobacco, the ends of cigars
&C., accumulate in such manner as to almost
defy the sanatory efforts of the careful laborers
This is all SO staggering and rufhanly in ap-
pearance, SO incompatible with the dignity, de-
corum and agreeableness that should prevail,
and so likely to impress every visiter with con-
tempt, instead of respect for the places we have
named, that it should be reformed by the au-
thority of the President and Secretaries, if not
by the voluntary resolves of the many who
offend against the laws of politeness and pro-
priety.
We have advocated the elevation Of the clerks
in many Enthusiastically between them
and the officers placed above them-the restric-
tion Of the appointing and removing power
The institution of tenure of Office, &C. We
shall therefore not be deemed disrespectful or
unlind in intention when we urge the neces-
sity of the correction of abuses practised by
themselves.