Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-03-27
In,rusiou. on the President.

OF late years a novel and mischievous
practice has sprung up in Washington in
the nature of calls on the President for all
sorts of purposes and on oil kinds of pre-
texts. It had its origin in the kindheart-
edness and desire to oblige that was O part
Of the nature Of President Lincoln. Sim.
liar qualities in the character of Mr.. john
son, and his we'll known regard for the
masses of the people, have prevented a
discontinuance Of the practice under his
administration. But it has grown to be a
great evil, and it ought to be stopped. 1t
works badly in every way. The Presiden-
tial office is not, as some people seem to
suppose, the mere occupancy Of a large
mansion in which to receive visitors and
the enjoyment of a salary Of $4,000 a
year for expenses. The indispensable la
bors Of the Office are numerous and per-
picking ; its cares are weighty the inter-
ests to be considered are so comprehensive
and various as to require laborious inves-
tigation, close thought, and searching
scrutiny, all Of which are incompatible
with the constant interruption caused by
visitors. But this sort of trifing away the
Presidents time is not the only kind Of
Fostering intrusion to which he is subject.
He has of late years been annoyed by
%serenading and congratulatory visits
These affairs are painfully frequent in
Washington. but in former days the Pres
ident was exempt from the nuisance.
There is q large number Of people in that
city who have but little to do and 50 much
time to do it in that they are all the while
on the lookout for some excitement or
sensation. A serenade to some illustrious
nobody or to some public man who would
a great deal rather remain quiet, or a spon-
taneous meeting on any pretence, is among
the commonest events in Washington life.
The consequence 10 that public men are
often compelled suddenly to make mean
ineless or i'll. considered speeches on i'm
portant subjects, which they frequent re-
gret. It is an invariable sequal to these as
semblages nowadays, that some ono bawls
out, Lets 60 to the White House :" and
this suggestion is always adopted, and
away the crowd goes, to break in upon
the privacy Of the President and annoy
him when already worn down with work,
by demands for q speech. A few even
ings ago, this was done by q serenading
party Of politicians, and the President re-
fused to appear, and the general public
applauded him for It. It 10 to be regret
ted that he allowed q similar party Of visi.
tors to draw him from his seclusion on the
evening of the 22d. Speaking to such a
crowd by so responsible IN Ofdcer a. the
President, is q serious and sometimes en-
barrassing business. He runs great risk
Of being drawn into some thoughtless re.
mark that may lead to trouble. Every
word he says is sure to be put into print,
and to be weighed and criticised and often
misconstrued by his opponents; yet any
fool or knave in the crowd may at any
moment yell out a question, or a remark
that will place him in q false or embarras-
sing position. Mr.. Lincoln wat annoyed
and troubled a great deal in this way.
And this is sure to DO the fate Of a part Of
Mr.. Johnson's speech Of Thursday night
last, Just because Of the introductory re-
marks he unwisely allowed himself to be
drawn into, and that were aside from the
main purpose of his address.
This whole business should be stopped.
The President should be allowed at least
as much privacy as is accorded to the head
Of any large business house. A manu.
facturer, a merchant, q banker, or q prin-
cipal in any such establishment, has his
private office for;such important affairs as
demand his personal attention, and no one
is allowed to intrude or him unless his
business is Of an important nature. Ordi-
nary transactions are attended to by the
assistants, clerks, statesmen and others in
the public rooms. Surely, the President,
with the affairs Of thirty millions of peo-
pie pressing upon him at . time like this.
should be allowed the same privacy, and
he should let all these of1ciouS and triAing
people understand at once that he must
have it.