Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1854-12-04
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

ument read The galleries of both Houses
were crowded with the public from an early
nour' and the Hobbies with privileged parties
It's reading in both Houses took place few mo-
ments only before we went to press, amid univer-
sal attention, at too late an hour to permit us to
comment on any one Of its topics or points 1t
was evidently received with very unanimous
approval by the Democratic members of both
Houses. nor did We hear the usual objections
to its views from the ami. Democratic party
men of Congress.
This, however, is attributable only to the
fact that it is by no means . partisan docu.
ment, discussing for the most part topics upon
which American public opinion is we'll nigh
unanimous. ALI praise the moderation Of its
tone as well as the clearness with which the
President puts forth his views The fact that
he seems to have nothing to conceal from the
closest criticism of the American public is
matter of universal remark.
Fancy Koorbacks Encouraged by the mer-
tied contempt with which that gentleman
animals who live, move, and have their being
only in the generation of series of mon
strosities quickly succeeding each other, such
people have frequently paid their respects lin
their peculiar way to the Postmaster General,
against whom they have invented all sorts of
silly falsehoods, until there is, probably, a
large class in the United States who take him
for sort of Ogre, always bent on doing some
thing dreadful, of course. Their very last,
charges him with packing" the post Offices
hither and thither with ''Jesuits !" Those
who know Jadge Campbell personally, will,
of course, laugh heartily over this story,
though as strange as it may appear, there is
class Of persons in our country so ignorant
and prejudiced as to believe that the high
funciionaries Of the American Government de-
liberately set to work to use the trusts CON
hded to them, for sinister purposes of all sorts.
For the enlightenment Of such persons, if there
are any such among the Stars readers. we
have to say that there are, at this time, some
z3,OO0 deputy postmasters in the United States,
most OF whom receive as compensation less
than $50 per annum. Orr in other words that
the favor, 30 far as the Office is concerned. is
conferred by the postmaster, who accepts the
commission in order to accommodate his neigh.
bors, rather than by tho Postmaster General,
who, nomsmaliy only, gives the commission.
We write nominally, because, in truth, the
Postmaster General has nothing in the wide
world to do with selecting, perhaps, ninety.
nine in every hundred postmasters appointed
in his name. The selection of deputy post.
masters is the duty of the First Assistant Post.
master General. The way in which it has
been done, in ninety nine cases in q hundred.
under all Administrations since Jackson's
time, is as follows, viz A postmaster dies, fails
to discharge his duties satisfactorily or is ask
ed by the friends of the existing Administers
ton to be removed on political grounds. The
Postmaster General has no knowledge of the
proceedings in the case, which arc in the
hands of the First Assistants Clerks of Di
vision. Those officers keep list of men to
be consulted with reference to removals and
appointments in each Congressional district in
their respective divisions
If the Wings are in power, it is the Wing
member OF Congress from the district and if
q Democrat represents it, then his competitor,
or the best known or most responsible Wing
politician in the district. When the Democrats
are in power, of course the parties consulted
are Democratic members and politicians The
Assistants division clerk writes letter to the
member, signed by the Assistant Postmaster
General, setting feTth that a vacancy has oc
Cured IN, or that new appointment is asked
for, the Office named, and that so many citi-
zens recommend A, and so many B or other
wise setting forth the circumstances under
which the advice of the gentleman addressed
is asked. In nine instances out of ten the &C.
ton Of the Department., in the case, depends
wholly on the reply of the person 80 addressed
it being found by experience that it is far
safer to rely on the judgment of one man of
character well known to the Department, who
is notified that the duty of making satisfsc.
tory and proper selection is virtually devolved
on him, than on any and all the partizan petit
tons and representations which may be for
warded to effect the action Of the appointing
power. When the reply of the person 80 con-
suited is received it is sent to the proper clerk
of division in the appointment Office, without
being read by the First Assistant, and the case
is then ''made up"-that is, the clerk bundles
together all the papers upon the case, and
writes on the back of the wrapper a I" brief"
setting forth the name of the State, county
Office, and incumbent; whether the latter be
dead or resi- yned, or whether his removal be
asked; the names of the candidates, and by
whom and how many each may DO recon.
mended. The cease is then placed on the
First Assistant Postmaster Generals table,
who usually reads only the brief made by
the clerk, and writes under it the words, CAD.
point A" or B, or C, the person whose ap
pointment has been recommended by the par
ticular gentleman who has been consulted by
letter.
If the contest for tho Office is severe, (which