The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1858-03-27
80 IA. :!s "a

8KBICLB8 OF WASHuN0yN LIE Es
.sfAs fslnsval from oAce isa terrible ca
lsdisy. His only squalled BY the praetios
OF putting passengers, mariners ashore upon i
sone desert island, without bread or wa
ter. It is, in fass, ,ssrooasg the passen- /
gers from the ship Of State. The dismissal
Of clerk, .i4blISS nnah here than /
elsewhersJ n cletk q ~ nm diecharged /
by one S1srchahL ny, u ~ etarecter be |
far, obta5n enployment lf6 anosAer; but
the clssa diSnsseed ~ politieal nm con-
formiy, i = helpls1s 9 il DE wefs aban-
doneds IS - a. as if.:Sis horse hid been
stampcded Is 4he Lame 1tscado. He can
do soothing, bat appeal tqthe compassion Of
his antagonisk asui that = about - wise as
If in the Supposed stampede he had whiled
away his time in running down the wild
horses Of the prsiriss. d The mereies of his
ANTAGONISTS are like those Of human beings
during civil war. The dismissed clerk is ft
for nothing else. lie has been settling ac-
counts, registering land warrants, copying
correspondence. There 10 no such work
wanted outside the Departments. His skill
Is Of no more account to him, than that of
q skatemaker in the hottest jungle in Ben
gal. s
But though the salary stops, the market
basket must go on. Children are to be fed
clad and taught. The discharged clerk
walks the inexorable streets. lie quits the
ter a frantic wife, who Historically reproach-
es him with all his political errors. Why
does he not 60 away? Alas! he came here
at first inst because he was unable to sub
sist whore he was. The place which knew
him once, will know him no more, for 1t had
been filed by another. He had not the
means TO live in Washington, nor to get
away. Perhaps, in his desperation his wife
writes to her friends for aid, and he turns
ga gent" This comprehensive profession
requires no capital except q tin sign and
place to hang It. 1t is the chrysalis condi-
ton of the removed clerk; under this, he
may lie until that delightful day, when HI
shall again burst upon the Department ra.
diant With the gorgeous hues of renewed
official existence. During this period Of
darkness, however, the disembodied clerl
holds mysterious converse with members Of
his political faith. 1t is done stealthily ant
at night, and the spark Of hope which glim
mers in his bosom, derives some fuel from
their enthusiastic anticipations. Socially
the removed clerk is political patriot, ant
but for the connubial resources to which VI
have adverted, or perhaps, but for som
friend who keeps a syphon in the public re
seryoir, he must have changed his polite
or starved outright.
The system of party appointment has man.
and great evils. 1t is true that all Offices il
which any thing is left to the discretion 0
the incumbent, should DO filled BY thos
who agree in opinion with the appointing
power; but in the merely mechanical sta
lions, filed by writer's and accountants,
competent officer is of fur more value tina
an impotent partizan. In this respect "
are rcjOiced that new era has dawned up
on tho wives and children of the clerks
Politicians were once under the error thu
the patronage Of the Government brough
strength to the incumbent party. They ar
now satisfied that the responsibility exceed
the advantage. They are convinced that
immune an active political retainer in a
official monastery at Washington, is to ii
upa Watchdog and unkennel pack q
hounds. The dispensation of office is tt
coast Of fever of every new Administration
every one takes the infection, and few eve
recover entirely from its invidious and ms
lignant effects. The net for the regulatio
Of official service introduced by the Hor
Mr.. Hunter, provided for the systemati
promotion Of the clerks according to tbei
qualifications and term Of service. Hence
forth there will be college of clerks, an
we hope they will aspire to qualify them
selves for advancement, and that the publ
will hear less of them and their troubles
DeBow's Weekly Press. ~- a. &C.,. =.