The Republican journal., 1877-06-21
An Excellent Letter from Postmaster Gen


1t must be confessed that the admins
tration, in some of its departments, is
doing excellent work towards puritica-
ton Of the civil service. A conspicuous
instance of this is the decided letter writ
ten by the Postmaster General to a spe-
cial agent of his department, recently ap-
pointed in a southern state. The official
complained that he had been ordered to
hard and disagreeable work, when he sup
posed his duties were to be confined to his
own state, and to aid in building up an
administration party The following is
the Secretary's reply
PosToFFICE DEPARTMENT.,
WASHINGTON, June Is.
Mr.. --. Special Agent Dear Sir-Mr. Par
kcr chief of the special agents of this department
has handed me a letter OF yours written to him on
the 10th inst. You certainly labor under serious
miSapprehenson i'll the belief that it my
Outstanding that YOU were to serve in your state
only. | should rot deserve the position hold if
| were to make that or similar understanding
The special agents of the depreciation branch Of
the service are charged with the important duty
more likely to succeed in this duty than one who
is well known; hence our agents must often be
sent where they are unknown must go and be
ready to go anywhere and everywhere as the ext
gences of the service may demand They must
often leave highways of travel and go into noun
fains and Territories and along horseback and
stage lines, travelling night and day in rain, sun
shine and storm, to detect and arrest offenders
Not unfrequently do our agents not sleep one honr
in twenty four, You are alike mistaken in the
other matter You We're not appointed to organ
ize and build up an administration party in your
state or elsewhere. You were appointed to do the
work Of the Postotfce Department You serve
your party best by doing that work, and shall
take great pleasure III removing an agent and re
ducing the force when discover that he has time
to attend to party organization and party disci
pine. We must have no greater force than is
necessary to DO the poStofiee work. | cannot, |
dare not, and will not give special privileges to
any agent If give you specific territory must
do 50 for every other agent | might well dis
band the force to do this. Every agent must
be worker. He must not only be ready but will
ing to go anywhere, in all sorts of weather. on
horseback afoot if need be, to do whateve is
needed. Like a soldier, he must obey orders
without complaint or objection or criticism.
Truly d. NJ. KEY, Postmaster General.
1t is hardly worth while to inquire who
or what the official is that makes such
honest and straightforward talk as this
He is an honor to the country, and should
be honored by the people Such rules
and such enforcement of them have been
long needed at Washington, where the
practice has been to serve the interests Of
the party in power and to sacrifice the
public service.
The benefit which would come to the
country from the enforcement Of Gen.
KEYS wholesome ideas would be i'm
mense. 1t would reform and purify the
civil service, by driving out the party
hacks and removing the useless barna-
cles, and replacing them by active, hon
est and capable men. There is always,
after I; change Of administration a dis
gushing scramble Of caucus packers and
small beer politicians for places, of the
duties of which they have not the slight
est comprehension.
And the Democratic party can furnish
its full proportion of this class. 1t will
be a fortunate thing for the country if q
reform in this particular shall be started
by Gen. Keys ringing letter, and shall
progress until not only this admnistra-
ton, but those that follow, shall recog-
niZe the public demand for reform and
shall so quicken official and public con-
sciences that no administration will dare
permit a renewal Of the old abuses