, 1861-03-16
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER,
ssC1Icago,' Leaves Was1lington--Rea-
Sons Theref0r---The OHce-Seekers
After Him--BarRacles,

he remained from motives Of duty and not
from choice. The 1des Of March were impa-
ticntly awaited as the period of release from
this hot bed CT partisan strife and selfishness-
That period having come, his cogitations run af-
ter this wise: "Why tarry longer in this dist
greeable place? Old Abe is President. He Is
in possession Of the White House and the
Government. The Cabinet is appointed. Con-
gress has adjourned. Spring time is close at
hand. Thnt four cylinder fast press will soou
be shipped from New York, and to get it up
will need your personal attention. Yourprcs-
enee and letters can be dispensed with. Pack
your trunk, buy through ticket, and depart
hence by the next train"
But there j. one other motive for my depar-
ture which 7 viii whisper privately in the ears
Of your readers: I suddenly discovered hul
altogether too many * friends" who besougll:
nv influence" to aid them in getting Office,
They rushed upon me like the mountain tor.
rent In spriug-timc, Scores Of them I had not
seen. heard Of or thought Of for years. They
were from half the States Of the nation. Was
hardly cut Of bed in the morning until cards
were sent into my room. or knocks heard at
my door. was followed into the breakfast,
and dinner and tea tables, and set up with uu-
til midnight. When traversed Pennsy1yani:.
avenue, it was necessary to walk fast, with my
Int pulled down over my eyes, to escape recoe-
milton. Go into "Wi1la-d's," or the Na-
tiona1,' 4" Avenue House, or Washington
OF any other public place, and would be sure
to meet acquaintances from the West who hs'h
"come to see the Inauguration" THY
would grasp me afectionately by t]"
hand, aud say, "How arc you? Tn
SO glad to see you; i was looking for
yoa: didn't know where you stopped;
have not seen you for so long. You recolleet
me don't you knew you in Ohio, when
you edited the Leader Il hive taaeu the Chi
cago TRIBUNE for years; have read your
Washington letters, and admire ~ them"
After some such salrtation as the foregoirg 6
the conversation would take this shape: I
am candidate for the Post Office in my town,
OF the Custom House, or Mail Agent, or Ill
| dim, Pension, Patent, or Land Agent, or Sec
feta1y, Treasurer, District Attorney, Surveyor
| General or Disturbing Agent In one Of the
Territories. soEe Of the gentlemen WHO
| p1umed their wings for 4 higher flight, wants,d
to be made Governors Of the Territories, ard
besought lie to help them obtain certain Ser
atorial influence with which to operate on til,
| Presidential mind.
Many Of the place hunters wanted to he
made heads Of bureaus others would be coy
tented with ST. 600 clerkships, which had bat
little work attached. A great many had come
on speculation They had picked out lo
place In particular, but wanted me to nan,c
over some rich placers, where therr was coed
pay, light labor, and slight responsibility, AID
then 20 with them to Uncle Abraham, OF hr,
Secretary, and help them secure the promise
Of it, before some other fellow shorld step in
ahead and get it.
] would mildly suggest to my "fricnds''
that nothing could do would be Of any ser
vice to them. They would generally reply
"Oh, you are mistaken if you think go. Every.
body knows it was your paper that first
brought ont Old Abe for President, and did
more to give him notoriety. and make him .
national reputation than any other agency.
He must feel under great obligations TO the
TRIBUNE folks for what they have done fo,
him, and doubtless will do anything in reason
that you request; aud wish you would speak
to him good word for me- or want 1ette,
Recommendation from you to him"
The reply was usually after this form: II
will be very difficult to see Mr.. Lincoln
His time aud thoughts are engrossed in the
great affairs Of State, He has neither leisure
nor inclination to ta1k with oface-sceke1s, OF
read letters about Offices. Your application
should be made to the proper Department
and not to the President You md the public
may put one value on the services Of the TR1
BuNE, and the recipient quite another
MY button-holng friends would admit tht
force Of the plea; but would then lay siege fo
letters to the Secretaries If you can't Z,
and see Chase, Blair, smith-as the case misL
be-ggive me strong letter to him. Tell hin
who am, and what have done for III
| cause.
II was very rarely that the lust obseF Fyatio,
, was omitted Buttuth requires that it shoul,
+ be stated that a majority Of the gentlemen ha
never rendered any partisan service, to m
, ! knowledge, beyond marching with q torch
few times, and singing "Oh, amt glad
Joined the Wide Awakes." Not unfrequentl
:, a"friend" would content himself with askin
= for letter to some Senator or Representative
or personal introduction. Others would Is
claim to my whole time, and really cxpee
that would quit all other busineas and gir
my undivided attention to their application!
= Some serVed to the best Of my ability; Other
t fhelped to'a certain extent by "putting theI
e up to the ropea."' But the demands for he'd
j bscame so numerous, so importunate an
: nniseellaneous, that ! resolved to set rid I
: them BY m immediate T. escape from the cit.
NJ. Lincoln and his Secretaries are entitlt
: to the sympathiea Of all humane persons Il
? the mental torture to which they are subjecte
l by the place-hunters. III, private and COZ