Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-04-05
THE LUST OF OFFICE.
How Tennessee and Alabama Ex.
COngresSmen Dog the President.
C,,aoIaI Na-oh

Herald Washington Special, March q.
There never was perhaps such an un-
| reasonable pressure for Office as exists
now, and the President is in an unpleasant
dilemma from these vexed opportunities,
which involve removals of Republicans
appointed by himself The most promi-
nent and pushing of these unfortunates
are the retiring members from Tennessee
and Alabama. Arnell, OF Tennessee. late
Chairman of the Committee on Educa-
tiOn and Labor, and who affects the
scholar and poet, proposes to locate in the
Federal city as claim agent, until such
time as ne can wheedle the President into
a foreign portfolio or the commissioner
ship of the Bureau of Education. His
colleague, VIM. B. Stokes, familiarly
known as the ''Bald- headed Eagle of the
Mountains" took shy at the position of
Sergeant at arms of the House, but met
with ignominious defeat He proposes
to go the way of all Congressional flesh,
and as dernier resort, becomes also
claim agent, to vibrate between u ashing-
ton and the Tennessee mountains. Pros
ser, also a colleague, is pushing for the
postoffice at Nashville, vice the father-in-
law of ex-senator Fowler, who, being
functus off1cio, can no longer expect to
retain his relatives in office. Mr.. Buck,
of Mobile, who was cruelty supplanted in
Congress by Ben Turner, colored brother
Republican, worried the President out of
the appointment of Appraiser at Mobile.
His name was subsequently withdrawn,
but it was sent in again to-day under the
heavy pressure of the Maine Senators,
Mr.. Buck having originally carpet bsgged
from the Sunrise Slate to the warmer
climate of Alabama. The colored men,
Der from Mobile proposes to fight his
predecessors confirmation to the bitter
end. Ex-senator Warner refuses to part
with his position in the Senate, but ap-
pears daily on the floor, lobbying for off.
cial patronage, in which he is aided by
Senator Sherman. He haunts the White
House and the departments, and is sppa-
rently ObliviOus of the fact that the glory
of his lchabod is departed. 1t is thought
be is pressing himself for the post of
Collector of the port of Mobile-a nice
little plum of official patronsge-to sup
plant one of his own appOintees, a native
and prominent UniOnist of Alabama. The
only real genuine privilege left in Wash
ington to these entdnS teTribIes is the
Avenue street cars, Whereon they are still
deadheaded until the close of the year
1871. They also retain their passes over
the various railroads of the country, but
these are only valuable to return home
upon. After the adjournment of the
present session they will, one by one, be
unwillingly forced to retire from their
household gods of Washington, unless
they all locate here as claim agents and
form gigantic ring with the newly ap-
pointed Commissioners of Southern Claims
to enjoy an absolute monopoly of that
practice. Ex-members of Congress soen
find their level in Washington society.
When they lose their positions, they lose
their importance Nobody cares for them
here. They may have some status at
home, but in Washington they become
valueless relics of the past.