Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-04-12
NUMBER AZ.


ihe democratic House has klcSeu Ou
another doorkeeper Polk follows Fitzhugh
the "bIger man than old Grant" into dis
grace, and, sick of Democratic doorkeepers
the House has deyolyed the duties Of the ofiic
upon the Sergeant-at-Arms, The charge
against Polk were that he made up fictitiou
and fraudulent pay-rolls employed doubl
the number of pages and other assistant
permitted by law; filled places on th'
soldiers roll, which the law requires shall b.
filled with men who served in the Union
army, with men who had never been in thu
army, and in one instance with a boy whC
was not born at the close Of the war /; ant
that he had been guilty Of divers othcl
Irregularities. On Wednesday last, Mr.
Frye, of Maine, oyerhauled Mr.. Polk's record
in very telling speech. Taking up the
"soldiers' roll, +" the names OH which are re-
quired to be of men who have been disabled
in the military or naval service of the United
States, he showed, that of the fourteen ap-
polntees on that roll, not a single man was
entitled to be there. First came one Holt.
appointed at the solicitation Of Democratic
members from New England. In order to
secure the place, Holt swore that be was in
the service for three years; and it turned
out that he was simply member Of an in
dependent military company in Boston.
another person figuring on the soldiers rcll
was youth named William S. Dulin,
whose only claim was that in 1869 he entered
the navy as an apOtheeary's clerk William
NJ. Patton came next he had been soldier,
but in the Confederate service; and labored
under ne physical disability. Next came
James Knight, whose disability consisted in
the fact that in 1861 he spraine1 his ankle.
Jacob Foulke, an old but not crippled man.
claimed to have been in the war of 1912.
One Sheellics was member Of Pennsylvania
militia regiment for 80 days, but never stood
face to face. with an armed foe. John Ii.
Bennett was in the Mexican war, but not
disabled in any way. Four or five never
pretended to have been soldiers anywhere,
but were simply good Democrats. Lastly
came Fitzhugh, a yOungster who was not
born when the Southern rebellion broke out
he is the son OF the disgraced dUorkeeper of
the Forty-fourth House of Representatives,
who was a rebel during the war. 10
conclusion, Mr.. Frye invoked the shade Of
falstaf to come DOWN and muster the
Democratic soldiers roll. Mr.. Frye's
speech was terribly damaging to Mir.
Polk and his hackers in the
House. On Thursday, the iebate was cons
tinued by Mr.. Hale, of Maine, and others.
Mr.. Hale annoyed the Democratic side by
holding up their bad management Of the af-
fairs OF the House as conclusive evidence Of
their inability to administer the Governmant.
Polk" q" he said, sis creature of his party.
He is what the Democratic party mide him,
and should not be held responsible for the
inevitable" He described the crowds that
beleaguered the Capitol prior TO the organi-
zltion of Congress, begging for places, and
said 'eyery one of those mcndicants had
to break open the door when
the doorseeper closed it upon them" The
Democratic party was to blSme for all this
trouble and scandal, and they were striving
to make Polk their scape-goat. "If they |
cannot administer the business offices of the |
House, how can it be expected that they can !
administer the various departments Of the |
for the possessio on of which they
Ire striving SO earncstly?" The defence
made for Polk was, in substance, that the
Democratic COngrcssmen who compelled hin
o distribute patronage according to their
wishes are really the persons responsible for
hese derelictions of duty and violations of
aw. His friends presented as a substitute
or the resolution declaring the office vacant,
resolution of mild censure bat it was re-
ected-l25 to 95-and by Il vote of Isl to
70 the Office was declared vacant. Gen. B.
T. Butler maintained his consistency by vot-
ng with the Democrats to retain Polk. The
l0use will have no more trouble with its
oorkeepers as long as it keeps the Office va
ant. But that will probably not be long.
he Democrats would probably save them
elves trouble and disgrace if they would let
ok be the last of the Democratic door
eepers. But, of course. they do not see it.
hey held caucus, Friday night, to nOmi-
ate new doorkeeper, at which Gen.
hields, the Union Democratic soldier, re-
sived 20 votes Maryland candidate Is,
nd a Confederate general, named Charles
'. Field. of Georgia, 60, and the latter Was
omina;et on the first ballot.