New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-06-09
The Patronage of the CustOmhOuss.


quiries as to the proposed policy of the
collector in the distribution of the patron
age of his Office. The collector made the
reply:
New ORLEANS, June 4, 1877.
To Hon. T. B. Stamps. President of the Representa-
tive COlored Mems Union:
DEAR SIR-Your communication of the
second instant was handed to me on that
day by Colonel Lewis, when the business
of my Office prevented me from making a
suitable reply.
You begin by stating that you have
failed to obtain O personal interview,
which, although think was not intended,
reflects upon my courtesy as gentleman,
to say nothing of my duty as a public 4
officer. You have made mistake. have |
been in Office less than three weeks.
During that period l have been inter
viewed by several thousand persons in
quest of positions, not only at the Gus
tomhouse, but on the streets and at my
private residence. Superadded to this, l
have received daily visits from the report
ers and members of the press, and from
some Of the leading men of both political
parties, all of whom will testify that they
have been courteously received.
1t has sometimes happened that inter-
views have been delayed or deferred, ow-
ing to the pressure of official business.
Besides this, have opened, carefully read
and indorsed some 1900 or 1000 written
applications for Office, large proportion
of which are from men of your race.
To examine, classify and tabulate these
| for convenient reference would occupy the
time of an accomplished secretary for at
least one week. From the rate at which
applications are daily made, it may be
| reasonably estimated that they will in
Greece to the number of 5000 before the
! Customhouse appointments will be gen.
orally made.
These facts will suggest to you that a
large portion of my time has been de-
voted to personal interviews, and to con-
sideration of the question OF the patron
age of this Office.
To keep pace with the popular demand
upon my attention, out Of the six hours
intended exclusively for the business OF
the Office, two of them, from to P. NJ,
have generally been set apart by me for
the reception of persons interested in
the appointments expected to be made.
fear that there will be much disap.
pointment on this subject. Assuming
that there will be about one hundred
places (many of them far from lucrative
at my disposal, and that there will bt
three thousand applicants, one only ou
of every thirty can succeed. Assuming
further, that about half the applicants
are colored men, and that the offices viii
be equally divided between the two race
there will be about fifty places to distri
butte among them.
You will not fail to perceive from thi
estimate how comparatively insignifcan
is the patronage of the Customhouse
and how far short it will fall of the popu
lar demand, particularly when it is con
! sidered that the compensation in man
instances ssless than may be earned b.
a the honest laborer in the city or or tn
plantations in the country.
Having called your attention to tn
subject of applications and patronag
generally, l now proceed to notice tn
7 main points of the communication. If
T understand it correctly it has two objects
! First, to know what / intend to do fo
the colored meu who desire Office, and
0 secondly, to urge me to delay no Longer
" but to make my appointments immed
= ately.
) In reference to the oolored people, m
y views are we'll known and have been ofte
: publicly enunciated. The President,
~ regard for the rights of your race, woult
:, l am certain, never have appointed me
& the Office hold if he had entertained ar
doubt as to my orthodoxy on this subiec
The colored people have my warmest syn
$ pathies, and their conduct during the la
,r war enlisted my attachments in their b
10 half I am disposed to aid in protectir
A them in all their rights as citizens.
recognize the civil and political equali
. between them and the whites. ente
# tain due regard for every right and pri
l. ilege accorded to them by the amen
n ments to the constitution and the laws
); the country.
For the distribution of the patronage
F" the Customhouse shall act according
t. these views, and see that the colored el
IS ment is properly recognized ard repl
sented. / have stated this so often, n
a.. only in casual conversation, but authC
u itatively to the reporters of the press, til
a. 1 was naturally surprised at the dout
le implied in your communication
10 You urge me to make my appointmer
- Immediately. 1 am certain you wou
IL not do so if you knew you were askil
a. me to disregard my duty, and violate 1
g. oath of Office. You will consider tha
ia found the Office completely organic
and in working order.
s. Many of the subordinate offices we
K filed by experienced, competent and he
e. est men. In a partisan point of vie
many of the incumbents were as good I
publicans as those who desire to take tht
places. 1 thought, under the circul
to stances, it would be but a simple act
of Justice on my part to examine careful
into the personnel of the establishmei
"a in order to ascertain first who should
ID out before determining who should COZ
e. in. thought it required no great ap
~ tude Or capacity to perceive that suct
plan was the only just and feasible or
9 under the civil service policy of the Pr,
ident.
ID In this view think l am sustained
Of the Treasury Department at Washingto
a You are aware that commission has be
" organized to examine into the affairs
a. the Customhouse, particularly as to :
u reduction of the force, pending viii
h prudence would dictate that no chang
should be generally made. The create
oI of this commission added to the 9th
be reasons have given, justify me, you mu
is concede, in pursuing the course ha
- adopted. am compelled, therefore,
disregard your appeal, and must deeli
y to act precipitately and without retieetio
g. You may probably not be aware of &
t. fact that / did not seek the Office Of q
,v lector, but that it was conferred upon I
without any solicitation on my part up
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