Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-11-22
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.


cKAncuS -Inere arc MOI low pofoons WHo
have got it into their heads that individuals
have right to demand employment in the
public service. The idea Is emphatically
French; having its origin, at least in modern
times, in the practice Of the French Govern.
ment in making work for the unemployed in
times Of a superabundancc of labor over the
legitimate demand for it. 1t may be well
enough for an European Government SO to do
under the circumstances in which those Gov.
ernments exist, and with their respective peo-
pies situated as they are. We question the
propriety Of the application of that system,
however, on this side of the Atlantic where
the leading principle Of the government is,
that it is to interfere as little as possible in
the individual affairs of the citizen, and to
tax him as little as possible-and especially
not to tax one citizen or class Of citizens
for the benefit Of others. Our thoughts
turned to this subject last night, on incl.
dentally reading an advertisement in the.
Star, wherein an individual addressed to us,
day or two ago, lachrymose jeremiad be-
cause some superintendent Of a branch of the
work on the extension of the Treasury had
felt il to be his duty to deny to the complainer
what he claimed to be merely his right, viz
work at the cost of the Government. lie
pleaded his service as a volunteer; the fact
that he has a son in the naval service of the
Government; that he is q mechanic of thirty
three years standing; and is getting too old to
Or o1sauhara 70 oaak
Now, If service as volunteer is to entitle
one to employment here under the Govern
ment, Uncle Sam must increase his demand
for labor of all sorts at this point, as there
are quite one hundred thousand ex-velunteers
in the United States. If any other of the
reasons on which this complainer POUNDS his
claim to place under the Government, be
held to involve fair title to it, there are per-
haps three or four millions of people equally
as we'll entitled to monopolire public employ
ment at this point. So the principle is one
that will not work practically. The truth il,
the only rule that should govern-in such mat
tiers is-the superior fitness of the person seek
ing employment for the discharge Of the duties
on which he seeks to be employed. When that
rule is departed from, there is no telling where
its violation i, to end-to what point of special
favor and extravaganza in the use of the pub
lie funds it is to lead. In the particular case
to which We refer above, we learn on inquiry,
that the complainer, without asking employ
ment or leave so to do, picked up hammer
and pair Of stone chissels and set himself to
work upon a block of granite. As the super.
intendent was short Of hands, and was hunt
ing everywhere for more just at that time, he
was allowed to continue to work for few
hours to see If he was competent to do what
was required Of a granite cutter emplo we'd on
the foundations of the building. Though per-
hap' good marble cutter, he did not prove
such granite cutter as the superintendent
desired, and he was notified Of the fact. But
alleging his right to employment from the
Government, the testy old gentleman refused
point blank to give up the tools and vacat,
the place in which he had installed himself.
So it was found necessary to send for police
officer TO eject him. Hence his resort to the
Star, advertising columns, by way Of getting
q vent for the natural indignation Of q free
born American citizen, on being refused his
rights under such a government as ours.
So the world uags here, at times, as on the
other side of the Atlantic.
The Proposed Combination. our
respected neighbor Of the Inteliiesneeg is i'm
agining it to be the easiest thing conceivable
to organize the House through a combination
between the Know Nothing. and Republicans.
the Albany State Register TX. NJ indig.
nantly denounees the New York Tyi6.us's
published terms on which the Republicans
will consent TO vote with the PHILADELPHIA
platform men. In truth, it will soon be fourd
that the condition of the opposition in Con.
gress embraces quite as apt an illustration Of
Barnum's 90 Happy family as the New York
Democracy did in their fercest cat-and.doe.
fight days.
The Senatorial Canv ass in Pennsylvania,
and Col. Forney.-Ths present brief visit of
Col. Forney to his home in Pennsylvania has
occasioned among the Washington writers for
the Northern press gossip and rumors almost
without end. He had scarcely purch ased his
ticket at the railroad station, on the morning
OF his departure, before the lightning bore
away positive statement that his editorial
connection with the Union had ceased. That
fal'ehood having been exposed and denounced
the industrious fabricators Of Intelligence from,
Washington have constructed another, a little
more plausible, but equally destitute of truth.
They now say he is in Philadelphia seeking
the votes of the members Of tho Legislature
for himself for Senator. In this there is not
shadow of truth. Every fact in the case is
the reverse. While yet in Philadelphia, i'm
mediately after the brilliant result Of the De-
tobsr election, to which he contributed largely
BY his constant and effective labOrs, pro6,rs
Of support for that high dignity came In hin,