The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-08-28
A Confederate Lie.

A Mr.. Durham, who belongs to the Con-
federate side of the National House, has
uttered the biggest lie about the number of
employees in the civil service of the United
States; and being the biggest lie it as natur-
ally finds its way into the Democratic papers
as water seeks its level or whiskey runs down
the throat of an average Democratic poll
clan. Mr.. Dunbam has ascertained from
the Biennial Register that the number of en-
ployes borne upon the civil list of the United
States in 1876 was 1O2,1 In 1859 the
number was 44,526: in 1869, 81 42O7; in 1871,
57,6O5, and in 1873, $1,000.
We exposed Democratic falsehood of this
character few weeks since, but at that time
did not have the exact figures at hand to
show the extent of the imposition. We have
them now, and for the purpose mainly of
showing how recklessly Confederate Demo
crat will lie and how silly Democratic papers
are to publish such falsehoods, we will briefly
go over the matter again.
In passing, it will be proper to remark that
previous to 1873 the Biennial Register did
not contain the names of persons employed
as mechanics and laborers. Indeed, the Reg
isters published, while every state contained
scores and even hundreds of deputy collect
ors and assessors of the intetnal revenue,
contained the name of no one of them. In
1878 the names of United States Commission
ers and the subordinate officers of the United
States courts were not given. In 1875 the
list was made to include every man who got a
dollar for any service or performed service
without compensation. In this book, so de-
lightful for the ardent Democratic office.seek-
er to contemplate, will be found the name of
every Indian herder and or men in govern
ment employ who are not so fortunate as to
have christian name-Owray, Peter and In
dian Henry for Instance. There, toe, will be
found the name of JEFF Davis, who is unfor-
tunate in having two names. Here we, more
over, find the names of Kate Gahagan, Mary
O'Lary and long line of like useful servants
in hospitals and asylums, who, at So per
month, 60 to swell the list of corrupt Repub-
lican officials. In the postal list may be
found the name of John Smith, whose COM
pensation Of one dollar and fifty-seven cents
will not rescue him from the oblivion which
his nomenclature has thrust upon him.
Christopher G. Ottendoffer has the sum of
thirty-eight cents set against his name. He
probably carried mail bag from from the
train to the post Office one day. He had to
sign that long name to two vouchers in order
to get his third of dollar. Who will say
that he OF the long name and small pay is a
| bloated ofice-holder? The official who has
compiled the latest registers says thet be has
got the names of $4,000 employees on the last
two issues never published in any other. He
is proud of the achievement.
Shortly after Mr.. Dunham made his reck-
less assertion Republican member of Con-
gress caused an actual count OF the names in
| the Biennial Register of 1875 to be made.
He not only had the names counted, but he
caused the number in the several branches ol
the public service to be given. We cannot
give this extended list here, but to show the
| accuracy of the work we will add the number
| of civil officers in the several departments o
the government, which is as follows: