The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-11-02
SECRETARY cox 10 FIIE coNOREsslONAl
COMMITTEE.

SECRETARY cox 10 FHB CONGRESSIONAL
COMMITTEE,
[c9pyI e
DEPARTMENT or THE INTEMOR,
Ks WASHINGTON, D. q, July ~, 1870. :
DRAR Sra In accordance with YOU
request / forward herewith roll OF lllG
oficert and employees Of tlllS department
In doing 70 Ibeg 10 repeat what l said 4
yourself and Mr.. Plat, vIS That Ia my
efforts to bring about an improvement o.
the civil service In this department, lh0ld
Il to DO absolutely essential thAt+it should
bO understood by the clerks and employees
that they hold their places subject 10 70,
mOval for lack Of efficiency or Integrity
and that no subscriptions " political funds
or show 81 political zeal viii secure thelI
retention II capacity OF industry DO lack
ling.
Mr, Plat assured me, and I understood
you 70 agree with him, that tho llSt was
only desired In OrdertO give your commit
tee the opportunity 10 Invite such as fell
entirely FREQ TO do 80 To Contribute 10 sup
port tho work your committee Is under
lnking, and moi TO impose any tax upon
any one. Knowing aSI do that many o.
our clerks have all they can do 10 mako q
bRrc existence out Of their salaries,
should bC entirely unwilling 10 have the
application put upon any other basis
even II l did not think, as | do, that any
compulsory assessment would 10 q pollti'
cal immortality and produce infinitely
moro mischief than benefit We can dc
more real service 10 the Republican party
BY raising the standard Of qualification
among civil employees and putting each
clerk upon his merit alone Tor appoint
ment or promotion, than by the expendi
lure Of many times tue amount OF money
they could possibly afford to contribute.
Very respectfully your obedienl servant
J. D. Cox, Secretary.
Hon. j. w. Clendcning, Secretary Con
grCNSIonal Republican Committee.
SECRETARY cox TO THE PENNSYLVANIA
tCOpy.l
DEPARTMENT. OF THB INTERIOR,
WASHINGTON, D. G., Sept, 8, 20, !
SIR IL am In receipt Of your letter Of
yesterday (mHrked PERSONAL, wherein you
request that permission 30 granted your
Committee to call upon tic Pennsylvania
In this department tOE the purpose OfsOllCit.
ing purely voluntary subscriptions from
those feeling able and willing 10 give IOr
the MD Of your association.
Permit inc 10 say, In reply, that this Is
the third application Of this sort received
by ME from your association, and that 70
each have returned the same reply, viz
That the permission was granted, with the
sole condition that the subscriptions
should be really voluntary, and that the
association should not attempt In any
manner 10 visit any penalty or hostility
upon any who may leel unable to sub
scribe to their fluids, or who may choose
another channel for their aid. Hati.
YOuare not mistaken In assuming that l
feel u very deep interest in tho success Of
the Republican cause throughout the
country; that beg to assure you that it's in
the interest n the cause thAt | have OPP
posed every form Of assessment upon tho
salaries OF officers Us mode Of FNIsing
funds for political purposes
sincerely believe the attempt malO
lhiSyGAT To levy such assessments hAvO
already hurt the party many fold more
than tie assessments, ir collected could
helpit. 2.s.
The Republican party b appealing to
tho country 10 suppOrtit for The honesty
and economy ofUIr administration, among
other things l regard nclYil service ~.
Form which shall put the employees Of
the departments, intcspcr;t to the matter
Of your letter, upon the rule indicated By
Mr.. Webster, when Secretary Of State In
1871, as being essential to an honest and
thrifty administration Of this department,
and / have deeply regretted to see what !
regarded III n danger OF losing the sub.
stance Of political success for the shadow.
The Republican party will preserve It's
power and prestige only by continuing to
be the party Of the right, and needs 10 be
exceedingly cautious u Innovations In.
wrong directions, like the ono ! havo al.
lnded TO.
Very respectfully, your Obeaicnt ser.
want, J. D. Cox,
Secretary.