The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-03-09
DOORKEEPER p0LK'S CASE.
ruy MN VINO BO.isTED THAT NE MD
t"tOifnER on CONGRESS.'
,.mocratic Oniciai who Too Closely Fol
,o,yed Republican Prccedent- Illegal APP
,o,ntments and Jobbery In once -t"nfed-
crate. Put On the Union S"id'ers' h"'-
,,,b,tnu for District Hing Pnvcmcnts

,'onb,,na for District Ring P",c"ents.
w,.rINaroN March :. The Democrats Of
,, Hone, Of Repre- cntativcs appear to have
,,.elnd bad LUX. or something worse, in their
H.t.n " Cd Doork ccpnr to whose oili'o is at
,h.dt no largest ratronag" Of that body. In
H., last Congress they elected two: first. fit1-
,,,h who proclaimed himself u bigger man
~. old Grant and Wa dismissed for his
+, f.h leuor: and nest Patterson. who brought
t.arcdt upon himself and the place which he
o.upi,d. The abuses under Patterson were 50
e,-rari Stat the ~ was PASSED limiting the
rYnl.rof appointments and lNing their pny,
b. tha. te previous excuses should not be
.nauu.l
when Congress came together ut the special
.e...on in q tohcr. there WAS Il scramble for
,he prarkccpcr- Office. and John W. Polk of
Missouri WIS chosen 10y "a bargain uctwccn his
hackers and those OF other aspraniS. He had
l.,nud. f,atcd candidate two years before. AMI
taI learned the methods by which SUCCESS IS
u.l.Uyathcvcd at Washington in scrub race
,or oli.c. H. had also served rs n deputy
s.r.eaui- Mt arms and had tried his hand rs
lblyisi with scmc profit In addition TO these
merits. his chief claim for recognition was thai
ofhavins been Confederate soldier.
There is not the least difficulty in conducting
hs p9orkeepcr's office with I'm honest and
,apablc chief The law defines the duties cx-
riirit.y. cnssifos the subordinatrs and rcgu-
Ltstrpay. leaving no margin OF discretion
or implied power. And the appropriations
nndc hv the Inst Congress. after cutting of
notorious extravaganza were more than album
dant fnr every proper need OF the II ,use. They
dbluof however. sat sly the enlarged views "
Polk, who s"t out 10y deciding for himself that
te for,e WIS insufficient. and must be- incrcas-
o. 81 f..tts a. l... ~. 4
thcoA Republican prcccdcnts. and confidently
d .I.lt|l CHAT lc had u corner ON Congress"
and that the Committee OF Accounts who pass
upon extra appointments. would obey his
+ ib er~i surrounded himself with Ring II
patriots who had -ombiu"d Tor his election. and
ihsy ptrr"led out the choice patronage. res"rv-
inr fhc .niaindcr for tho d'lcgat ons from the
din rent states. OH were multiplied with,
oui restraint. Messengers. lnbor'rs. pages, and
tn like warmed around N" Hous" and the
llbhios. until on the eve Of the adjournment for
lhr holidays. resolution WAS passed granting
t3siN for Illegal appointments. and II Is be-
li"yrd ~ that sum will not cover outstanding
dues. Mon and boys were employed without
bong put on tn" rolls nj all and others were en-
rolled who did no work. Then some would be
appointed Tor fortnight, to le succeeded by
rrw names On the same roll; There is roll Of
army. h"r"tofore held sa'ted and even that WIS
prosuiuted 10 the grossest personal ana parti-
Th'-e scandals filled the air. and on the
IL of February Mr.. Baker Of Indiana brought
the subject helor" the House on the nfidnvtts Of
twl PERSONS. with whom Polk hal broken faith
and dismissed without cause, except To give his
daughter on" OF the Va ,nncics thus created, and
o. rniNu another employee whom he required
g. contribute money IL make NJ "A deli ion y in
PROMISED salary. An investigation WIS or
Reform. which has now concluded It's labors
niter "a mouth = -sion. The ilIst witness had
h''n ana u''iNr friend # Polks election. Here
Il al eNirNt ir'r his testimony;
cnAiolS OF CORRUPTION.
Iugham Cprvrll -n+. Tn and examined.
Q-Nou are the gentleman wlu na.ir go. charge read
g. oth.' DAY u ia, House aains, NJ Folk the Door.
. state to The committee, d. inaa, and clearly MS
ON the evening of tho si.tu pct,mi.r Ia,t Ia me
n".h'el.rs , , VIZ Pom invited me owe t. hs
t".in'-s went over there on cnierins VA. met
aehe tlie subject Of the interview bs .a,ins ihat lie
l ur unpleasant duty t. perform asking M, iur y
. what Do yog mean by your positioni Any po.
i'e mean nat be asked your resigna,ion Of that
-, that bee Va, Obliged +, ak me make mi. sacrifice
D. sua 20 VI, .nch tai hc nnst r'duce hi, force
r4fian that l held l asked him 10 that wa. lis only
to boar as u n had hs u" et and
or s Place 1 0 on i se sroana u es s.
ana a tiag Ijis mr. dio1es bu he o,sh ns !
..or and he aid No. !, viii be W. i.i,i.' RJ /.
fA iic neu aid. after nr!her conversation Una, he
" n,g ,fi-. that there were several schemes
r ,,rie R,~g that about the ,un aud substance
.'he lusersauon There was great deal more said.
On. N.a. D. fN. substance ct it
b. Nr 80 What mpaini had been made BY Nj.
gS your a dae S i0 Whaiey a t., S men
DO Ion say n9w under y9uT oaih mat
a.l i., It the term Ring and said could pat you ia
' -l0a -.ale hat positively here' A-T~ ar
Nu appeared the second accuser. VI. A. Duffy
~ p'In-y. vunia. to whom Polk mad promised
Nnn W the best places for his influence. in case
q Success, His experience was quite reiresh-
T." ponevin referred TO is Folks assistant and
Nars 65uIy sworn and examined:
one tune ne e Whe s hs. ' BEEN T pei ' in ~
,rltscntauv.- about matters ~ the Doorkecp.
pr a- ia, IN your own way the story Of your
81, rfc-'nt con.ress. and your di~,harse 4 :
fr lNiA or i7ih Of Oci"her | cannot say which,
NN' sworn Ia as assistant superintendent oi the
Nr Xxx ,nca told me. cannot put you IN
IT, riuou ii-iit away. you had better ait a r. "
lnn The Moor any do s',lne service th'te
VI pona,' came TO me And in,isd ms d, DOWN
''' Wee great trouble about that position OF A..
y Nf rrint reut Of the document room, the hn9,
.d a. t.ci rish' a. bacon a. p my helTe.
N'ul. nc Bacon. had worked against him. Mr..
-IiI That be- didn't anything about sparks.
Mr. N.,.,n wa. The man that nsde w. HIM ap.
-.-f that effect our conversation then ceased |
".N' on che Moor again and worSed around. waiting
81 lid receive pay m the position from the ume wa,
'N 100 on srveral nights alrrward we hat several
fWs the National Hotel IN MI
F. iu. They asked me questions about my
hN f1 irrinim the duties al tie orce aud
IHt-f ming me. they seemed satisfied that
t' t'~ - perform them II was Put there Next
Ni. nn the door again. and II continued that way
N''. our iafs. until Mr. rolk mot me On tile
H.n All Duty. an greatly embarrassed, YOU
ur. Nou can help me- to settle all these ar
'- 20 ma can make the appointments Tor me
N''N -fifs DON'T SIX uu to resign. but am placed
'f"f Nah puIuon and snail make you Just AS good
."N |uIi Well said # can't he = help 10 my
NNntht ana nIuryi am satisfied II you viii "
w. uHayin oncrd me the position NJ nle clerk NJ
v 90 tNttr Tie SAID he was authurlAd by Mr. folk ~
49, rat tho were willing To do ANYTHING 20 re-
'' n Fas ~ the present difficulty with the Illinois
l.II' Mr. lNunNin nffr red me mat position aud he
i b." would mike u 81 ~ II was only ~ ~ posi-
u'" US ttN. uud a-ked him how he could make
9nA be- .md W,h can make
r'i0 have teen here several wears ami don't see
ht tusi esu do II WrllH said he YOU NIX thi.
'l u.it Ini tiat vii ho hN.d all right Then Mr.
b p ne 70 ~ ped me the position o. clerk IN the fold
~ an hui told Inn u would not look well 10 have
"l'N i.s.f4Iuiu A. cuot OF the folding and an
fim# VanAn a. chici clerk, and he said II
fnHfflN,r Then ih'y offer ne the position 4
g. 5000 y there was also Pennsylvania hlling that
lI'f. aml iiut want 20 TAKE his place Finally II
tH Gowns n position on the floor on the west side
ni VI Polk h,kcd me n wouldn't relieve him a
.fa- m'ui aud said that 1t would be a favor that
Nid never Doe tory ~ o. and he further said shall
tH'. gar salary sl.~p" | then Sad. " have got
i.a' Nfu'i Dee able act ~ page says he, " That
NN me ilng You should have told me that before
'. hN can b. there with you. That would make ~
w. sAiar t0s2tpO year,