Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1869-10-28
Moral Leprosy of Govern
ment Officials.

The Washington correspondent
of the Baltimore Gazette writes:
Every day develops new evil
dence of the moral -leprosy which
pervades nearly every department
of the Government In this city,
Federal and municipal; and the
more you learn the more you Won
der at the apathy and disinterest-
edness manifested by the people
in permitting such men to retain
Office as now form a majority in
the Legislative and Executive
Departments of the Government.
The dispensation, of the patronage
oi every descrition appointments to
office, giving cut contracts, all are
made sources of income. The
head of one of the most impor.
tant bureaus has his son with him,
who holds no position, and yet is
as regular in his attendance at the
office as any Of the employees. All
app icants for Office in this De-
partment find Unnecessary tosecure
the influence Of this young man
to insure success. 1t is remarka-
bic, too, that none are successful
who neglect to see him pending
their application l give this
case as an illustration of q
practice that prevails in every De-
partment and every Bureau, ex-
cept the War and Navy; in all
there are just such "middlemen. !"
These men receive the fees, and,
Of course. divide. Thus, we find
men in Office with q salary Of 3d.
900 a year, and who were poor
when they entered upon its duties,
living at the rate of six and eight
thousand, and at the end of three
or four years erecting a magnifi-
cent dwelling at cost of $4,000
or $4,000, for which they pay
cash. These facts are notorious !;
they are not "hidden under a bush
ell, but brazenly confront you at
every turn.
The same system prevails at
the "other end of the Capitol. -
Senators and Representatives have
their agents; and when an Amer
lean citizen comes here on "busi-
ness before Congress" or with a
recommendation for official posi-
ton, as soon as his business is
known land there are always par
ties at the hotel on the lookout
he is advised to see Mr.. So-and-so,
who has unlimited influence with
the Senator or Representative
whose services it is important to
secure. The party is seen, an ar
rangement is made, an interview
is secured, and if the job "pays
well, the citizen accomplished his
purpose. But if not, after much
delay, and the using up of all his
available cash, lie leaves Washing
ton, cursing the town, the people.
ana particularly the "Philistines'
into whose hands he fell.
These Radical Senators and
Representatives, believe tie
whole concern" belongs TO them,
at least for the present, and they
are making hay "while the sun
shines Another use to which
they put "Uncle Sam" is to make
him take care Of their poor rela-
tons. One Senator and ex-Cabi-
net Minister (who, by the way in
the last ten years, from nothing,
has accumulated over 81, 900, 000,)
has three near relatives, a father,
son, and daughter, in the employ
Of the Government-two in the
Interior Department aud one in
the Treasury. The husband of
the daughter is also Government
Clerk. and the husband of anothei
daughter holds a like position
Here we have five members of one
family supported by the Govern
ment. This is only one of many
instances where almost whole fam
lies are provided for at the re |
quest of Senators or Representa-
tives; and while these have been
kept in hundreds of deserving
men have been dismissed, and
their families reduced to suffering,
merely because they were obnoX-
ious to these very Senator'S and
Representatives, who desired their
places for their own purposes
This is but one view of Radical
corruption. We may look "be-
hind the scenes" again, and tell
what we see.
DR.. Foster left here, suddenly,
one night last week. without pay