Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-06-22

Inc following letler from 1OSlWaslef
General Key to special mail agent in Ala
bama, who declined 10 do duty outside of
his State because he conceived that he was
delegated to build up an Administration
party in Alabama, is good plain reading,
and not easily to be misunderstood, while
it at the same time furnishes an excellent
platform for the management OF The post
office department:
Posi- OFFICE DEPARTMENT,
WASHINGTON, June 10, 1877.
Mr.. -, Special Agent Dear Sir-Mr.
Parker, Chief of the Special Agents of this
department, has handed me letter OF
YOURS written to him on the 10Th instant.
You certainly labor under serious misap
prehension in the belief that it was my un
derstanding that you were to serve in your
State only. ] should not deserve the posi-
ton l hold If were to make that or a sim
liar understanding.
The special agents of the depreciation
branch of the service are charged with the
important duty of detecting thieves and
rascals. A stranger is more likely 10 sue
coed in this duty than one who is well
known, hence our agents must onen be
sent where they are unknown, and must
go and he ready to go anywhere and every
where as the exigencies OF the service may
demand. They must Often leave highways
of travel and go into mountains and terri
tories and along horseback and stage lines,
travelling night and day in rain, sunshin t
and storm to detect and arrest offenders.
Not untrequentlv do our agents not sleep
one hour in twenty-iOur.
Yon are alike mistaken in the other mat
ter. You were not appointed TO organize
and build up an administration party in
your Stale or elsewhere. You were ap-
pointed TO do the work of the Post Office
Department. You serve your party best
by doing that work, and shall take great
pleasure in removing an agent and reduc-
ing the force when l discover that he has
time to attend 10 party organization and
party discipline. We must have no greater
force than is necessary TO do the Post Office
work. i cannot, / dare not and l will not
give special privileges to any agent. II l
give you specific territory, must do so for
every other agent. might as well disband
the force as to do this. Every agent must
he a worker. He must not only be ready,
but willing to go anywhere, in ali sorts oil
weather, on horseback or afOot, II need be,
TO do whatever is needed. Like a soldier,
he must obey orders without complaint or
objection or criticism. Truly,
ID. NJ. KEY, Postmaster General.
This letter is very happily and strongly
supplemented by another which Mr.. Key
wrote on the 18th inst, in reply to a COM
plant of some clerks discharged by a re-
cently appointed western postmaster, tnaI
he had employed inefficient clerks in their
stead, and moreover was not himself loyal
to the Administration
"The Post Office in question is well man.
aged. The Post Office is not political in
stitution. If it be true, as you state, thai
The incumbent opposes the policy of the
Administration, he has right so IL do
and It is no cause Of removal unless in his
zeal and activity he sinks the Postmaster
in the politician. II any one, whether h'
support or oppose the Administration, neg
lects his duty by being a busy politician
or makes himself obnoxious by reason o
incOnsiderate and foolish zeal, he ought 4
be removed, but il he attends faithfully 4
his rules and make good and acceptable
Postmaster, he should not he removed
though he see fit to oppose the Administra
lion. The President finds no sufficient
naase Eor a change An the Post once.
d n. KEY f0stmAster General"