The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1876-09-15
WASHINGTON LETTER.
az, You Don't Know This, YOu Don't
know Anything About Politics."

"A n,, You Don't Know This, YOu Don't
KNOW Anything About Politics."
n From our Regular Correspondent
WAsuINGroN, September 0, 1876.
Several years ago, when life at the
national capital was new to me, | was
4 houored with the Acquaintance of "A dis
4 tinruished looking gentleman, who, |
4 learned, had a large claim against the
Government, which, 1t was SAID, would
he allowed in few days. | Gelt flat
tered as we'll rs surprised when, early
in cur acquaintance, he had 50 much
confidence in me as to ask me for II
little loan, and was almost disappointed
when he said only two dollars. How
ever, when, in two Or three days, nc
proposed to honor me in the same way
agaiu, had become an older and more
e%le.t.ueei II "a, and found NJ * use
Or rot Comply iug with ii. request.
IsaW cut little more Ofh,M tor muuths,
until one sunday morning | read ~
tine paper that he had been arrested
ON HE previous nigh, ard Wds in jail
fly thpI. Of uuuG.. ! found hin ia 3
most yitiahie CyNditiou, shaking from
the effects Of 10 ( dissipation, aud ~
fl nv that ht,it@ted to shake bard,
Win HIM Hnviug Just been admitted
TO the mar, | appeared Tor him Oh die
following day ~ the police court, auu
before m1ht hat HIM safely lodged In
tie National huuGtic Asylum, Whcrc
b. Was quite willing 10 20. He Was
insane ouly In ,ha chronological Sense
OF tie word. Afer had taken halt
n dozen pawn tickets from him, and
redeemed has elects from almost as
many pawn-shops, | lost sight of nay
patron for more than year; indeed
had quite forgotten him, uAtu one day
q boy brought IL note to my Office
which read; "Cume 20 the corner OF
Ninth and + street. Important. j.
G. CO.. had not the slightest idea
Whoj. q. {, was, but thinking il might
bc som" beauu!u. princess, J went
When found my lunaGc, | Wla dis
appntnlru he was Away SO respect
ahl,, not 10 say dtiHgUg, when sabor
that il was ainuSt impossible TO treat
him like any other deUd-beat He told |
NE Of his entire reform, bright future, |
and houndleSa gratitude toward his |
friends, Of his innbilily to pause in his |
eagle course until he had done some |
thing handsome for me. ] waited pa |
tiently for him to ask tor the custO-
mary little loan, Int he did not ask it |
on this occasion. Yesterday he came
into my Office looking very much as
/ had seen him in Jail; he pretended
that he was sober, and might have de
ceived me il he had taken something to
disiufcot the smell of bad whiskey. He
said "You know Senator Conklin" |
told him did not. "But you know who
he isl ! assented. He continues:
"Sepatnr from New York, personal
friend of General Grant, has more in
flueuce at the White House than any
other man, General Grant wanted to
make him president"
This was becoming mouatouous aud
i admOnished him to come To bust
ness. He appeared Il little panied at
my want of pOlitenCss, bat went on;
"Senator Coukling is n personal friend
of mine, have known him for twenty
wears, and next week | am TO have,
through his influence, the manage
ment of the operative department OF
the Bureau of Engraving and Print
ing "Nou know how | am about
my friends" said he, tapping his emo
ti0nal breast impressively; 81 shall dis
miss one hundred of the present en-
ployes, and give the places to those |
who have stood 10y me through the |
night. Now make out list of your
friends that you would like to place in
Office" told him that | could not |
believe that Senator COnkling and the |
great party OF progress aud moral Ideas
would, in these perllous times, ana be
fore the election, give such IA sol "a
himselfany office, nor, onsiierlng the
high price of Independent voters, did |
think they could spare him hve DOL
lars of the funds that been ground OUT
of the scanty earnings OF lemale clVil
service employees. Drawing himself
up with inehriate dignity, he hurled
this sentence at me: "Aod uoh
know anything about politics. some
men talk ABOUT understanding the
South when they have only heen to
Virginia. Virginia is not the South
I've been all over the South, rye
been in New Orleans, M0ohe'
Florida, Memphis, everywhere
| live In Oneida county, New
York, but | understand these
Southern matters. why the editor OF
the National Republican aud | have
been on sprees and slept together
when we were drunk; but, sometimes
on know, am Il little hard up
ave the prospective Chlet or th'
,ureau of Engraving and Printing
Senty cents, and he went his way.
have given this little episode
hich ia ia character with many that
amen in Washington, because IT Is
nth, not fiction, and because think
noints moral aud adorns tale
man who knows ANYTHING ABOUT
DIitics Mt the national capital during
presidential contest can be lgAoFaIt
the fact that Southern outrage lhtet
ligence and campaign lies are manu-
featured by the gross by just such n''-
reputable bummers, men VINO Wou'o
not he credited to the amount OF
nickel in any community where ihey
are known. They work WITHOUT
enthusiasm and without malicei II Is
their living; they are part Oh lne
party machinery. They may he seen
hv the score, this minute, arCuud lne
Post Office Department, ana oppoSi'e
the office of Zachary Chandler. II the
Presidential candidate of the party OF
moral ideas il elected, they VIII De
prosperous, and wear good clothes II
Mr. Hayes is not elected, they VIII 20
to the aims house OF to the devil II
YOU don't know this you don't kno"
anything about politics. I, D