The New York herald., 1877-11-01
POLITICAL ASSESSMENTS

ARE THEY VOLUNTARY" OR oTHEnwIsE-
COMPLAINTS RECEIvED-C1vIL AND UNCIvIL
SERVICE.
In Of the recent civil service order
bidding any government employs 10 take an active
part in politics tho committees OF the different polii-
cal organizations, both democratic and republican,
find II more difficult usual collect funds to meet
tho necessary and legal expenses Of the campaign,
such the printing Of tickets Distribution OF circu-
lars advertising &c II rs alleged, however, that the
old contributions are being exacted from employees in
the governmental under the OF voluntary
donations" the employees being plainly given to
dcrstand that II these voluntary donations are moi
contributed they Will find themselves invountarly
deprived oil their places This state OF things Is
positively denied by the authorities as IL is asserted
by Others. Foremost among those who deny the levy
OF any political assessments whi b they have the
power to prevent, Is Postmaster James letter,
which contains very astonishing statement, in view
OF Postmaster James positive denial has been re-
ceived at the HERALD office. II stated that there was
a fine opportunity for the President 10 enforce his
civil order II he wished 10 do So 1t went on
to aege that October ~ Postmaster James called
al OF his superintendents 10 cabinet meeting' and
that they agreed 10 levy the annual assessment
on the clerks on pay day, Tuesday last, under the
name OF voluntary contribution" One Of the
clerks, who wrote the letter. called upon the HERALD
TO protest against such action
PosTMAsrER's STANDPOINT
A HERALD reporter called on Postmaster james yes
terday afternoon in reference TO tho subject OF po
in tho Post Office employ was allowed to make any as
sessmcnts his suUordinatcs. They were living up
to the spirit and letter oil the Presidents order No
assessments were being made. He had given much
as he could AFFORD TO the General Committee and had
objection TO tho employees donating what they
chose, the same as other cilizcns But there was
such thing INSIDE the Post ONCE political assess
menL Early In the month, some inquiries having
been made by the clerks tho subject ho gave verbal
instructions that no assessments would be allowed
In his department MT. Bannorman, the Post
masters secretary. aitcrward accompanied the
m he rkg In M ka inn
on the subject Some OF them had been solicited for
contributions by the political committees and some
iZations, but the great majority OF them had not
trbuted al all and oid not intend TO do so. Most OF
the clerks had abandoned all participation in any
political societies. and all agreed that assessments
had been levied on them through the department.
DEMOCRATIC DEMANDS.
Political Contributions are beng asked for and are
coming in pretty freely TO the Democratic Executive
Committee, the Presidents civil service does
not interfere materially with their demands An ag-
grieved citizen sends the following letter on the sub
ject:-
10 THE EDITOR HERALD
To-day received circular copy Of which enclosed,
knew that my social position placed mo before tho
ny to LOOK 90 me Tor support and tc re-
fced TO intended 70 demonstr,e my popularity in shat
ever indiscriminaely distributed among the nhsbit-
men al the imDudence Of an organization which il man.
more percmptory than polite oicits contributions
mus, express my thanks to rsmmaay Hail esSias assd
OF the ogal expenses, low hgure
- ""' A'S'' '''' '''A''' ''D ASTirXMS%SS s AM
The gentleman who wrote this letter yesterday in.
formed the that ho had received the circular
mentioned on last saturday. He had never held Office
under Tammany Hall, and was amazed at his Dcng
asked TO contribute the $25 which the circular called
for
MATTER BUSINESS
Mr. +. w. Rhodes, Secretary of the Democratic State
Central COMMITTEE whose oiise is IN the 81 Nicholas
Hotel when asked about THESE political demands,
said :-"Certainly We send out circulars asking Tor
help, and have objections to any one seeing
them. They being sent out TO our people, TO
mon of the democratic party. Thoy are general no
tccs sent TO all democrats without regard to thor be-
ing ofiicc-hoders or not. The contribution s entirely
voluntary. We merely ask people TO contribute nnd
hope they Will do so.o Mr. Rhodes then handed the
reporter tho following circular
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Rooms. ST. NICHOLAS rorEL
NEw YORK. Oct -, 1877. \
DEAR SIR-The Democratic state Central Committee
desires to receive from contribution of s.,
applied toward legal eApcnscs In the present
psign,
Please remit the yonr earliest nence TO
Mr. Lewis Beach, treasurer at the rooms of the committee
as above given. Respectfully, AUGUSTUS SCHELL,
Chairman OF the Finance Committee Of the Democratic
state Central Committed.
Tns circular Is alike IN every respect to the
ceived by "Anti-rammany.n Mr.. Rhodes stated that
in most OF the circulars the amounts we're not filled
out The contribution was entirely voluntary, and
there was no attempt to force anything from poor
clerks by sending the circulars through the heads o
tho various city departments.