The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-11-13
THE WASHINGTON CORRESPON-
DENT.
HIS POWER AND INFLUENCE IN OFF,
CIAL CIRCLES.

CIAL CIRCLES.
The Position of a Journalist ON Questions
ot Patronage and other Matters oi
Public Importance.
EBBgTT HOUSE, Washington Nov4.
The following is q copy Of part Of
LETTER
recently received by me from an estmable citi-
zeh Of Louisiana. whose personal acquaintance
I have not the honor to enjoy: but whose moral
character and intellectual standing are amply
avouched to nae by his statement that he Is "a
regular subscriber to the daily DEMOCRAT:
Dear Sir-Although stranger to you person
ally. have rehd after you and Of you until |
feel sufficiently cognizant Of your position in
Germs Of our people to warrant me in making u
request. The request make Is not based upon
any personal interest Of my own or,private in.
general interest TO the community in which /
live. ] know you well enough to make re-
quest Of the latter sort, though would not pre-
sumo to make one Of tho former nature.
Here follows
REQUEST
that / ask the Postmaster General to remove q
postmaster in u town of some importance up
Red River. and suggest the appointment of
another person. The letter bears the signature
of gentleman known to me as one Of the most
prominent planters in that regionl
The tone and dietion of his letter sufficiently
attest his breeding and culture and / hardly
needed his assurance that he had 20 interest in
the matter. except 81 general one for the welfare
OF the community in which he lives. / have
complied with his request, and have received
the assurance that due official inquiry will
be made. But would suggest to my friend
=, E,, 4.II, cnIln
well as more influential ttention to the needs
Of his comm unity in such matters by address,
ing himself in future to the Representative
from that District. the
HON. j. d. ELAN.
As the letter in question is only ono OF q num-
ber that have been written to me, not only from
Louisiana. but also from Mississippi, Texas and
In one case. Arkansas and as it is impossible for
me either to reply individually or In oil cases o
take the action requested, would respectfully
submit few remarks in this correspondence.
This sort of thing probably has its origin in
the fact hat. last spring. | was led to make
something OF
A CAMPAIGN IN THE PoSTOFFICE DEPARTMENT,
here anent the st. Francisville Postoffiee. But
that was peculiar case, and, moreover. / acted
DEMOCRAT, the letter Of which was that should
lay certain facts and documents before the
authorities here. The letter of these instruc-
tions was observed by me, and | also gave a
liberal Interpretation TO the spirit Of them on
my own hook because [ was personally aware
of the unfliness and incompetency OF the per-
son whose removal was sought. But / by no
seek to establish for myself the reputation Of a
partnents or supposed to possess Influence"
with the powers that be- Had my early ambi-
ton taken that chute should not have adopted
THE VOCATION OF JOURNALISM;
but should have studied law or entered the
by the usual gradations Of boss ballot box
suffer. delegate to county convention. alder
man. member of the Legislature. etc.
another direction. | now find myself. after
some eight years of public activity. hated by all
officials wh9, have anything to fear at the HANDS
who feel safe In their records. The only public
men who are my friends are those who hope to
get into office at the next election.
During the week preceding the late contest
over
THE ORGANIZATION OF THE HOUSE
I was fairly beset with friends" who mysteri-
and Of whom have since received no tdinga.
/ think saw in the public pr ints that one Of
my friends was elected to minor office in the
House Of Representatives, but have not been
able to see him since. except once. and then he
was surrounded by q bod guard Of applicants
for place. eight ranks deep and impenetrable
us the Macedonian phalanx or square Of Eng
Col. COL pix. I am in hopes to renew v bis valuable
acquaintance some time during the vacation Of
Congress next summer. after he has made all
OfthiS appointments.
| have been led into this trite depression by
way Of enforcing upon the readers Of the DEMO-
GRAFT the fact that il they desire the exertion Of
'infinence' here for any purpose whatsoever
am decidedly the man whom they should not
apply 10. have been
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT
too long. and have deployed an Indifferent
quality of plain English with too little respect
for persons and stations to have much inf1u-
ence" left Of the sort that imparts weight to a
request for an appointment or other Executive
favor. Moreover, ike to keep entirely clear Of
entanglements OF that kind. for it might easily
happen that, having asked a favor yesterday at
to criti ise or denOunce the head thereof TO-
morrow-a conjunction which would hardly be
that should characterize the intercourse Of gem
tlemen. | am employed at fair rate Of COM
pensation to furnish the DEMOCRAT with facts
for the million Unfortunately that occu patton
sensib liies Of those in power. for whose es-
pe;ial benefit l suppose the old saying. that
the truth should not be spoken at all times"
was expressly framed.
Whenever my valuable counsel is sought in
MATTERS PERTAINING TO PATRONAGE,
as recently in the case Of the New Orleans col
ectorship, II is always given from the lofty
standpoint Of man who has no interest In the
premises and expects that his advice will be
gently but firmly disregarded. [ may, indeed,
entertain an opinion to the effect that much OF
Which hi my distinguished counsel IS sought
as We'll as 10 the uniformity with
which it is not followed when given
But, if 50. the opinion should be respected as a
sacred confidence between me and myself, and
not dragged into publicity. It shoul d be suf-
ficient for those desiring postoffiee changes IN
| Lou siana to know that have I'D influence oi
| the sort they desire to be exerted. and that
| take Ill reasonable pains to prevent mYsel
| from acquiring any such influence. ThsRe il
| about tue same relation between imDartia
| journalism and influence with the department!
| here az is popularly supposed to exist between
| holy water and birthstone in stass of com
bustion. A. g. B.