The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1872-08-06
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NUMBER "a

should probably haze wi held Whel
the San Domingo scheme was pending,
two gentlemen in somewhat intimate sre'
lations with the White House, came 70
me each zone separately soliciting my
support tolthe ptejectr and telling me
that Icould Iiaye al the patronage i
wanted if / would aid the President
In January last, haring been SANDER
ell by the Administrator press and
tainted on the floor of the Senate con.
cerning the motives Of my opposition,
7 inquired of one. Of these gentlemen
whether his remarks concerning the San
Domingo scheme and the patronage
were authorized by the President. l
quote the languageaof the reply referring
to this subject: a
''Regarding the conversation you re-
fer toin your note, remember ait was
with the knowledge and consent, and
after had had conversation with him
{the. .Presidcnt) that called upon you
and had the conversation you spoke Of
My impression at this time is that the
President desired your support for his
San Domingo scheme, and wished to be
on such terms with you that your sup
port should be obtained do not now
remember any particular language used
at my interview with the President, and
would not hazard doing him an injGs-
tice by attempting to quote from mem
ory, but the impression made upon MT
mind by the interview was fixed and
distinct" s
The statement seems to indicate that
l had a good chance for more patronage
than l wanted, had l concluded to serve
the President at the expense of my cons
lvfctions of duty., II enc Of us was III
the market, it was not l. How far such
attempts were carried, others may be
better able to tell than myself.
But the abuse of the patronage ap-
peared in its most hideous form. when
the nomination for the next Presidential
term became matter Of urgent inter-
! est. In the meantime the demand for
civil service reform had arisen with SIM
gular force from the people, and found
a voice in the press and on the floor Of
Congress. 1t threatened to- become
popular cry, and could not with safety
be disregarded. The President took it
| up, and reform. was promised. A com
mission was appointed,a gorgeous array
of rules and regulations drawn, the re4
form was solehply and with aggrand
flourish announced TO commence onsa
| day certsin; and now look at the condi-
tion of the civil service! General But;
/ ler, one of the Presidents fastest friends
declares that civil service reform is o
humhug. The General does not sur
prise me, for this civil service; reform IS
certainly humbug, as great as General
Butler can make it. -, a,.,., ..s.-.v
Show me the oldest man amongIs.A
Does he remember a time when the civ
il service of the country was more com;
pletely political machine than it is
now? Does he remember a. time when
the service appeared more like thor
oughly drilled and disciplined orsahiza-
ton ofspolitical agents than to-day p,
,, Does he remember time within the
whole range of his recollection when
the public interest was more shameless
" oYerruled by. political exigency Pr
Some fine ago the President, forced by
the public cvoice to make a show Of de-
ceney, permitted it to GO out that his
brother n-law Casey. the. Collector of
Customs at New Orleans, notoriously
one Of the worst officers in the service,
had been requested to resign. The heart
of the country was touched Ebysso 'un-.
heard of a thing as the dismissal Of a
brother. in,law. z 1t was joyous sur
prise, for nothing seemed now impossi-
BILE. Well, it turned out that nothing
was impossible, for, as if to, make mer.
ry of tire public, a few days afterward
it was announced that a, delegation of
politicians from Louisiana had urgently
requested the President to retain his
brother in-law, Casey, >in office, The
President succumbed. Of course. with.
out q struggle, for he has no policy to
enforce against the will of the people,
The notorious Casey is Collector of
Custom in New Orleans Today, and the
Coineuy vi uiSiVSiS uotiou appodiS 40 q
mere mockery of the public conscience.
Why is Casey retained in spite of his
tad character2 Is it merely because he
is the Presidents brother-in,lav 2 That,
undoubtedly, is great virtue, but Lou
isiana politicians know another reason,
Casey has filed the custom house with
the managers Of political organizations,
white and black, collected from all parts
of the State who draw pay from the
Government, although their principal
and in some instances their only .occus
patton, consists in running the political
machine in the Presidents interest un-
der Caseys direction, and Cassy's re-
moyal would throw the whole machin.
cry into ptter confusion. And thus
Casey stands there ilnpregnable in his
office, proud monument Of civil ser
vice reform. s As.s stA s~ ~