The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-06-26
Fear kSundred Clerks ulsolaAxHed 1seEn
tlAe War DepREsment.

I telegraphed you some time ago that
q list of clerks doomed for the official
guillotine had been made out by the War
Department authorities, aud that ct no
distant day, the victims would be sem
fenced to execution. To-day, tho death
warrant was publicly announced, or at
least its existence became known, and
the number was so great as to startle
even the most apprehensive among the
shakers and quakers. Think of over
four hundred clerks, at one dash of the
pen, deprived of their cosy little bertha
That is the number. 1t is the largest
batch at one sweep ever doomed, per-
hsps, under any administration. Secre-
tary Rawlins, it seems, decided upon the
step before leaving for Connecticut, and
some of the to-be-removed officials de-
clare that he delayed the promulgation
OF the order purposely until after his de-
parture, 80 that he might be spared the
appeals for Reinstatement that would
naturally follow. Rawlins is tender
hearted man, and could very poorly en-
dure such entreaties.
He would be sure to break down and
cave in, if compelled to meet the storm
of complaints and prayers that would be
directed ut him, consequently, he did
meg State, and leave his subordinates to
meet the means and sighs md impreca-
tions. News of the affair leaked out
sometime this morning through clerk
who secured o private perusal of the
order, eand it may be imagined that
there was soon u big sensation oil over
the dingy old War Office. Clerks were
noticed whispering to each other, at first
very quietly and mysteriously, then more
loudly, then they were observed dropping
out in groups into the corridors of the
building, and even into the streets, to
discuss the terrible mandate from the
martial Tycoon. Many faces that were
yesterday happy looking and smiling
were suddenly clouded with gloom and
sorrow. In such cases, there are always
some who will talk cheerfully.
"Well, my dear Jim, my trunks are
packed anyhow. No use crying, You
know. Laugh and cheer up, old fell
low"
"All very we'll for you to talk, Joe;
you haven't t any family, but have"
"Pshaw! don't believe the thing can
be carried ont; why, the War Depart
tnent might as we'll be closed up at once.
If that order is really executed, there
won't be enough left to do the bust
ness"
"Rawlins will suspend the execution,
you may be sure He can't be so foolish
as to insist upon such an outrageous pro-
ceeding."
'It is not Rawlins work at all. It's
the work of that id Army of the Re
public. John A. Logan aud Jim Thayer
are at the bottom of it. suspected they
were at some devilish trick when I saw
them hanging about here so much
lately"
"That's why Rawlins went away, too.
He was forced in the step. and then was
afraid to face the music"
In such ways did the clerks talk over
the matter among themselves. Their
customary resorts for liquids and solid
refreshments were deserted, and at least
two noted beer establishments in the vi
cinity of the war Office had good reason
to bewail the unpopular order. The
stamps were rarities in those establish
ments. The order is said to be substan-
TALLY as follows:
"Ordered, That the general service and
temporary clerks, and all other clerks
employed in this department and not au-
thorized by law, be discharged from and
after July Is, 1869, and that the same be
furloughed for thirty days, commencing
June Is, 1862"
The effect of this order ia to reduce
the force of the Adjntant- Generals office
from 200 to about is, and all the other
bureaus in about q corresponding style
From the Quartermaster-G Generals office
83 will depart; another Office will be cut
down from 40 to exactly one clerk; still
another, having It's clerks, will be clean.
ed out completely-head, tail and body.
The pay department will suffer with the
rest. Among the dismissed undoubtedly
will be great proportion Of very eff
cient men, who hive not only fought,
bled, and become mutilated in the war,
but who have been trne followers and
believers in the most radical tenets of the
Republican doctrine. Onelegged and
one-armed 6 ,.diers are not even spared
Indeed, it is said while some Of the un-
touched officials are competent. deserv-
ing nnd reliable men, in every way, still
many more of them are old fossils aud
ancient fogies, who have done little else
for years but draw their pay. One Of
the to-be-removed clerks hnmorously re-
marked that nobody would be left except
the antiOunted dncks whO daiIy wend