The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1863-12-16
Correspondence.

| WI DEAk SOlL IL Is u Keen oaDOatn nlgn
we'll worn away. Through the lattice the
struggling moonbeams" misty rays struggle
cherries and uninviting. Bully winter la.
been growing sharply down here, and summer
birds arc non est. I'm about the only relic Of
greenness in Jones county. I'm not in the
most amiable Of moods, tonight, and you'll
make Christian allowance-do you mind
Wouldn't write to night, but I'm advertised to
leave Wednesday. and 60 'pistle" you now
Got letter from the Government" yesterday
or at least from some interesting representative
OF the same, concerning a matter in which
am much interest. Doubtless you cultural
out "What Of that 7" A good deal, Colonel
Have you ever done business with the "Gov.
eminent ~ If not, in Gods name, never at.
tempt it. Let it do its work with you, but new.
er, as long as you have shirt to your back,
attempt to do business with it. Not once,
twice, nor three times has that laconic cuss at
Washington advertised me that my "business
was under consideration" but six times has
that outlandish vagabond written me that same
thing. fell to musing, COL, and you shall
have the result.
"YoUR BUSINESS Is UNDER coNsIEEpArroN."
Every Administration in the world-whether
it be the Executive Of the State, or corpora.
ton board, or a committee, or an individual
| ''dressed in little brief authority"-has a
greater or less store of dilatory phrases to
which recourse is had for the purpose Of an.
swering urgent applications, putting off the im
patient, satisfying the clamorous, and giving
to all petitioners the idea of..unceasing labor in
their cause. At the head Of the phrases for
answering everything and everybody, the sem
tence surely deserves to be placed: "Your
business is under consideration" Admirable
phrase Admirable for the very vagueness
of its defnitcness and the very defniteness of
its vagueness. Laconic, too as brief rs could
possibly be desired. 1t is eminent'y an admin.
istratlon phrase. Unparalleled in its arpca-
bility, it adapts itself to everything-lurnishcs
full reply in itself, or an admirable backing to
any objection or excuse-accounts for the most
protracted delay in any kind of business under
the sun-ride, this ''Rebelion"-is an answer
to every question. and the only answer to some
questions. All committee rooms echo with it
all council chambers resound with it. 1t is
sentence, in short. which should be engraved
upon the threshold Of all government offices,
and the seats of all government officials, in Or
der that, should the latter be absent, and the
former closed, the anxious applicant need not
call again for the answer he would most as.
suredy receive.
But the more closely we examine the full
bearing and import of this combination of
words, the more admirable it must appear to
us. An individual inquiries, How is my bust
ness going on" and l IAN official somewhere,
reply, sit is under consideration" "Undey
consideration p Observe the satisfactory am.
biguousness of the words. Had said under
mig consideration" or under any ones "consid-
eration," should have reduced it at once to
the value of unit; but now not only am in
cluded, but everybody else who works with me
the entire body of which am member is
clearly designated. There is nothing whatever
to prevent your imagining the heads of govern
ment engaged in the matter; even foreign
Ministers arising at midnight to engage in it.
The applicant, if novice, of course concludes
aaministra ton engrossed with his memorial,
employed upon the means of redressing his
grievances, Or granting his petition. What can
satisfy him if he be not content with having
every wheel of government turning for him
and for him aloue =?
"Under considerations" You are not left
word to say-objecton you can make none
Had you been told, sit has been considered"
you might naturally have asked, "What was
the decision Z" or had it hecn said, s'It shall be
considered you might request, with all due
humility. to be informed at what period it was
thought possible it might come your turn to
engage the attention Of the body to whom
your business has been submitted. But it is
quite another matter now. The words used
are. ut is under consideration = that is to say;
at this very moment every effort is being put
forth, every nerve strung in your behalf the
attention of every one rivets upon you, and
you alone. What would you have? You
stand with open mouth, completely arrested,
fixed to the spot by this answer, unable to a..
ticulate more at the very utmost than ali "Ah.'
"a little prolonged it may be-and you can
but bow politely and retire, as fully satisfied us
your temperament or your knowledge of the
intrinsic value of words, as spoken by govern.
ment officials, permits you to be.
"Under consideration" Youmay have these
words repeated to you for twenty years success
sively, but, ask, with what show of reason
can you camplain of the cool, cautious, DELHI
arate inquiry into every circumstance of your
case. or Of the length of time employed in the
investigation OF your business What is it
you want "That it should be considsred."
Well, have you not been told this is precisely
what is being done You have absolutely
nothing left to say. If not completed sooner
it is because it is impossible to proceed more
rapidly, and do the thing well. Surely you
would not have it slurred over? And you can.
not in conscience require that your case should
be "considercd oltcner than airays.
Most valuable phrase What tiresomc cir.
cumstances, what troublesome explanations,
what framing Of excuses, are spared by it to
authorities in general Officials may slumber
as sweetly on the few words as in an easy chair.
The phrase is the very ottoman of power, the
downy pillow Of bureau cracy whence it may
meet every proposal Of amelioration, every
expectation Of improvement, every desire for
new order Of things by "A few words-the
4 true talisman of Stgtu 0uO-eit is under consid.