North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1866-07-11
The Meshoppen Posi.Ofice.

1-.sa..s The Meshoppen. POSl"Dmces s-ssss>esq
. The following statement concerning the
P. o. change at Meshoppen, in THE Couu-
ty, we clip from Columbian, new Repub.
lican Administration paper recently started
al Bloomsbury. The facts were furnished
the editor by gentleman from this County
who, it seems, was posted. Billy Burgess,
the Post Master, at this place, seems to be
known in bis true character by bis. former
acquaintance in Columbia County, where
he played the sneak game.
| CaptainsPEilo NJ. Barr, young man of
twenty-four years of age, and a gallant
soldier Of the war, has been appointed
postmaster at Meshoppen,a "a town ten miles
above Tuukhannock, upon the east bank
of the river. Captain Burr enlisted as a
private, without bounty, early in the war,
in Company b. Fifty-second Regiment
PENNSYLVANIA Volunteers. He served his
term of TIN ee years, when he re-enllsted,
and continued to serve until honorably dis
charged, on the twelfth of July, 1865, at
ter the close OF the war. In the meantime
he had risen, by merit and gallant rvlce,
from the position of private, through sue
cesive grades of promotion, to the rank OF
Captain, to which he was appointed on the
first of June. 1865. When the Presidential
election of 1865 took place he was In 1.-The
service at Morris Island, South Carolina,
and supported Lincoln and Johnson. a.
Meshcppen Township contains two hum
dred and sixty-nine taxables, as certified
from the commissioners office recently =
and of these taxables two hundred and three
are qualified voters of the district.
In the contest upon Captain Burr's ap-
pointment the voice of the people interest
ed was strongly pronounced. Ofthe quail
fled voters and electors .one hundred and
eighteen signed petitions in favor OF Cap
tain Burr, and thirteen others did not sign
for either side. Five of the signers had
previously signed for the opposite party
under misconception. There were also
seventeen additional names for Capt. Burr
of new settlers and workmen, whose names
were not on the previous official return of
taxables. and like additional number of
Young men, etc, not on the taX-llst, but IN
terested in the office. Finally there were
forty additional names of citizens and
voters of Mehoopany and Auburn Town
ships, who get mail-matter at the Mcshop-
pen post-ot1icc. ...f. .. +.
Upon this strong endorsement by the
people, Captain Burr was appointed IN
place of O. Ii. Loomis, who had held the
office since 1861, or for five years Loom
is was drafted during the war, and went
to Troy with a substitutc,bu in some way,
not known to the public, got himself ex-
empted. Being able-bodied and of proper
age, the cause of his exemption remains a
mystery. In other words, like his friend
William Burgess, of the Wyoming Re
publican (who took occasion recently to
abuse the COLUMBIAN, he is drTt-sneok
of the worst type, and very naturally is
opposed to giving up his office, after five
years of enjoyment, to gallant soldier who
has fought as volunteer through the whole
war.
Upon Captain Burr's appointment be
ing announced, Loomis and Osteri!out went
on to Washington, and enlisting Mr. Con
gresham Mercur in their cause. had the
appointment suspended at the Post, Office
Department. BUR- and his friends then
appealed to the President and had the
whole case laid before him, and the PresI-
dent, in conformity with his announced
policy of appointing meritor;ous soldiers
to office, in pro2er cases, ordered that
Burr's appointment should stand good,
and his commission be forwarded to him.
The post office has been called Sterling
vile for some years to crafty the vanity of
a family, Of Radical procllvities, named
Sterling being changed, with this object,
from Meshoppen, which is the proper name
of the village and township as well as the
creek which empties into the river at that
place, The old and proper name is now
restored and family vanity disregarded.
We are glad to record this case of just
reward to a soldier and Of inglorious de-
feat to the selfish men who opposed him.