Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-06-11
Good Things From ..s1ack..

'sMAcK." in his letter dated Washington,
June 5, dishes up for the readers of the
Commercial these three choice paragraphs,
descriptive of the way in which the purely
"loyal" serve the country and befriend the
Soldier:
The story of the man who called upon
General jackson for the English mission,
but finding that post already occupied,
compromised after some dispntation. on q
suit of old clothes. Is not so much of an ex-
aggeration after all, when read or told in
the light of the actual events of to-day.
Only yesterday two or three ex-Senators
were scrambling for the position of clerk of
the body of which a year or two ago
they were honorable members. One of
them, Mr. Foster, OF Connecticut, was Pres
ident pro tenn. of the Senate and, e1 o6icio,
Vice President of the United States, until
the 4th of March a year ago, when his term
of office expired. Another, Mr.. Creswell,
of Maryland, was the nominee of his State
delegation at Chicago, for Vice President
under Grant. Both were candidates for
Mr.. Forney's successorship. but neither
got it. The lucky person was gentleman,
who, year ago, ran as the Republican
candidate for Governor of California, but
was defeated. Ones ideas OF greatness and
craftsmanship are not easily reconciled
with that india rubber adaptability to cir
cumstances which will either aspire to
be a Governor or condescend to be a
clerk, as the prospect of success in the one
or the other tempts to the contest.
With most of our latter-day statesmen
an Office is the one thing needfu1 if a good
one, so much the better; If not then the
best that can be had; but an Office anyhow.
Here we have q person whom Forney as
-sures us is zone of the ablest men in Cali
fornia," accepting with heartfelt thanks and
after quite struggle, $4,000 clerkship.
The market for talent and abilities on the
Pacific coast must be sadly surfeited when
the ablest man in California will travel all
the way to Washington for such place as
that. The case can hardly be regarded as
exceptional, however. The departments
are full of men whose adherence to a fif-
teen hundred or two thousand dollar clerk
ship, under which they can barely hope to
escape starvation, shows how strongly a
hold the desire for Office has upon the hu-
man mind. There are lawyers, ex-govern-
ers, and all manner of men, who at home
might earn good livings. and make their
mark as men of merit, but prefer to cor
rode obscurely in those tombs of the living
which go by the name of departments.
Nothing but an abstract and overweening
1ondness for '.holding an Office" can ac-
count for it.
REwARDING THE SOLDIERS.
Much has been said by Congress in favor
of the soldiers, and in reminder of the debt
OF gratitude and service we owe to those
who fought the battles of the Republic. A
couple of years ago both Houses passed a
resolution enjoining upon all employers
he duty of preferring discharged soldiers
the filling of all situations fo which they
were fit. Since then both Houses have re-
peatedly elected officers, door-keepers,
clerks and sergeant alarms. but not SOL
dier has been chosen yet by either, SO far
as heard from. General Burbridge has
been a candidate for Sergeant-at-arms, and
has been beaten by a gentleman who saw
no service in the war. He was candidate
for Secretary of the Senate, and was de-
faated by a politician from California.
There are few discharged soldiers employ
ed in any capacity among the hundreds of
employees about the Capitol, and there is
no chance for one while a Senator has an
uncle, aunt son or brother in pursuit of
visible means of support.
D1sINTEREsTED LEGISLATOR.
Apropos of the great deal that is being
said about the motives of the seven Re-
publican Senators in voting against i'm
peachment. it Is not unworthy of remark
that a great deal of the legislation of Con-
gress is engineered and pushed forwrrd by
members and Senators who are personally
and pecuniarily interested in its success.
This is notably the case In regard to that
vast amount of legislation which takes
place every year in the interest of the Pa
ciic railroad. A great work this railroad
is, no doubt, but its importance would not
be materially lessened If Congressman
were not stockholders to the extent that
they are. Mr.. Oakes Ames, OF Massacbu-
setts. is member of tue House Committee
on the Pacific railroad. He owns million
dollars worth of stock in the enterprise.
So OF other members of the committee, in
the Senate as well as in the House. Under
this state of the case it is not much wonder
that every day or two there comes from
the committee bill for big subsidy in
money or land for an enterprise in which
the Government has already sunk millions
of dollars, which 1t may reasonably expect
never to see again in this world or in the
next. Ishall not be guilty of impugning
the motives of SO patriotic gentleman as
Mr.. Ames. In all he does as a member of
the committee he is, of course, influenced
by no considerations but those of the pub
lie good. He never, for moment thinks
of the million dollars in stock, which he
has at home, nor how 1t may be sffected in