Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-10-31
HuMoRs OF POLITICS.


Ge0. A. SheFidan's Amusiug Account
VI How He Failed 70 Ges the new
orleans Collscsorship.
.[From Speech at To,edo.l
In discussing the question of civil
service reform, Geo. Sherman con-
vulsed the House by the following
statement of his effort to secure an
office: II did not see how il was pos
sibie land tried very hard to see)
for Hayes to make success of his
administration, especially in his
Southern policy unless / was appoint.
ed Collector of Customs at New Or
leans. knew there would be q new
Collector appointed, because Presi-
dent Hayes told me SO. He did me
the further honor of asking who, in
my Judgment would be the best man
for the place. To me this was some-
what delicate question, and asked
time for reflection, which he very
cheerfully gave me, (and by the by
that is the only thing he has given me
up to date.) fUprosrious laughter.
81 knew how important the Collec-
tor of New Orleans was to the busi-
ness interests of the city. l felt tho
government should have man of in
tegrity in the place, who should also
be of good moral character, as well as
ofmore than average ability. Iknew
the Collector should be representa-
tive man and a Republican. / spent
two OF three days in prayerful delib-
Grafton upon the question, and at last
reluctantly came to the conclusion,
that, perhaps, all things considered, 1
came nearer filling the bill than
ANOTHER MAN IN THE STATE
who was likely to be appointed
Shouts and cheers I was deeply
anxious for the business interests Of
the city. had no doubt OF my integ-
rity. Laughter. My moral charac-
ter was--well, it was as fair a moral
character as Q somewhat tropical man
could develop in very tropical coun-
try. As for ability, l knew pos
sessed that; upon this point / was
unanimous; l might possibly have
had shadow of doubt upon some
other questions, but upon this point
! was solid. Great laughter q
knew was representative man, for
! had once served in Congress with
great satisfaction to my constituents.
1t is true l did not servo long, but
that was not my fault. l would have
been serving the State yet If the peo-
pie would have elected me. [Cheers
and laughter. Twas elected for two
years; ] had hard contest for my
seat. 1t was finally awarded me
about four hours before the final ad-
journment of the Congress to which
l had been accredited. hadn't much
time to make record, but worked
hard voted on both sides of every
bill that came up; yelled "Mr.
Speaker J" every chance / had; /
called one member liar, and told an
other he was fool;I
PUT MY BooTs ON MY DESK,
spit tobacco juice on the floor, ogled
the ladies in the galleries, went into
innumerable committee rooms to take
look at the documents, borrowed
some money and went home. Long
continued laughter.l Considering
the time | had, made pretty good
average "menber record" Several
people told me they actually took me
fer an old member. [Great laugh
ter.
"Considering all things, l think
you will agree with mo that was but
doing my duty to my country in con-
senting to take the Collectorship of
New Orleans. l stated the result OF
my reflections to the President. The
manner in which he received my sug-
gestions was happy and cordial Che
10 a very cordial man, He promised
| to make out at once the commission
Of the Collector at New Orleans. He
did 20, but by some strange oversight
he commissioned man / had never
thought of in connection with the Of
fee. Loud laughter Do you
blame me for thinking the adminis-
tration q fsilure2 The solid earth
seemed to slip from under me. Ifelt
the republic was gone--clean gone
In the distress Of my soul cried out,
Is this what made l27 Republican
speeches for in the last campaign p
Or, to state 1t more correctly,
THE SAME SPEECH l27 TIMES.
Immense laughter.l Can this gov.
ernment 60 on il l am left out p
Alas |! poor country, who will care
AOI yOu NOW tuht i dm UuuIsucu "
the edict Of tyrant, and have no
chance to sustain yon, to say nothing
of sustaining myself? 1 stated some-
thing of this kind to Mr.. Hayes my
words moved him, moved him to con.
solo me moved him to advise me-.
He advised mo either to "pull down
my vest" or "go West" Long con.
tinued laughter which. owing TO the
Excitement l was laboring under al
1.-THE time Of the interview, cannot
certainly remember; but it was ONT
or the other, and (as he is known t.
be liberal MANI perhaps 1t was both
My first impulse, after listening to th'
consoling words Of the President
was to go and take a-a stroll. Ibid
took three or four. They bracet
me up. felt better. L.aughter.l
Il Tus R.onaeo
!, From both City and Countr,
y