National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-03-04
Directions for oaaee-seekers.

volunteer few words of instruction. A
long familiarity with the science of
badgering, learned in the school where
sit the badgered, enables one to give many
valuable suggestions to those who are
fresh in the business 1t touches the
finer sensibilities of our nature to see a
young, inexperienced, and trlstful nature
leap into this ocean of strife at the outset
of a new administration, intent upon get
ting one of the offices which he sees, or
thinks hesees, afioat in the distance. With
what manly strokes he presses forward
toward his object. The angry waves dash
over his head, the current seems to take
him farther from his goal, and ever and
anon one of the offices he fain would
reach is borne off by some lustier swim
mer. Yet still he struggles manfnlly.
But we leave metaphorand hasten to the
practical.
Young man-you of the clear, bright
eye and bounding step, strong in the JUS
tice of your claim, and as confident of
success as you are earnest in desiring it
lend your ear to the teachings of expert
ence, for of such wisdom is made. We
do not advise you to remain and prose-
cute your office-seeking enterprise; we
simply give you an outline of the meth
DDS by which, if you stay, you must
mount the hill Difficulty.
There are but two roads by which sue
-cessful offiee-seekers travel, viz:
1. Influence. -
I 2. Importantly.
Bythis we do not mean that the ap-
pointing power is only exercised in be-
half of travellers On one of these two
roads. Many are chosen who have not
been office-seekers by any road. To the
man who abides at his own home, at
tending to his own business, and seeking
no official favor, sometimes comes call.
He has been recommended to the PreSi-
dent or to Department by Senator or
member because of his fitness or high
character. These do not come within the
circle of office-seekers.
Your true office-seekers come to Wash
ington to seize and carry away offices.
They come either with power or cheek,
or both. They
"Come as the leaves como when summers ended,
Come as the waves come when navies are stranded"
They mostly do not get away with that
for which they came. Here and there,
however, you will see the beaming smile
denoting the success of its wearer.
Take, for example, one who hopes to
secure his office through influence. He
has voted in the Legislature for Senator,
or led delegation from a county in a
congressional convention, or he was the
favored friend of such prodigy of power.
He knows that if he remains at home his
chance will only be equal to others SINH
larly situated and of equal merit. Swell
ing with Importance and desperately de-
termined on knowing whether or not he
is to be rewarded for his services, he
moves upon the Capital. If he had the
friendly confidence Of the Representative
whose aid he seeks he would not so likely
be on hand, for then he would have
trusted to his friend. In the majority
of cases he comes to demand, not to
request. He reminds CHS member"
of his jealous and valuable SER
vices. He secures the promise of
assistance. Hetracks his patron to the
Department, and nags him to repeated
visits. He hovers over him at his resi-
dence and infests the corridors of the
Capitol, lying in wait for him. He
watches his own antagonists, and reports
every rumor to his unhappy Representa-
tive He sends in his card and compels
his victim to leave his seat to hear him
tell of some new device by which " the
other fellow" is seeking to circumvent
him. This involves another trip
to the Department. 1t all ends
in a desperate endeayor by the
badgered Congressman to rid himself
of the nuisance by securing the appoint
ment Failing in that, the unhappy man
has to endure the spur and whip of his
prosecutor until Congress adj
iourns and the train leaves on which he
journeys home. Never until that train
moves away from the depot does the true
ofice-seeker really give up the hunt or
abandon the thought that he can drive
his Representative to some superhuman
effort which will compel success. Proba-
bly, Senators and members are thus bad
gered by an average of forty or fifty each.
The mails bring the daily prayers of hum
dreds of others who want Office, but can
not be personally present to solicit infu-
ence.
If the man of influence has a hard time
getting place, what shall be said of the
man who has no influence, and who re-
lies exclusively on cheek and importu-
nifty? Vain would be the endeavor to de-
scribe the office-secker of this class.
He is nightmare, terror, an evil genius,
a shadow on your wall, beam in your
eye, a thorn in your flesh, felon ON your
finger, Il walking pestilence, destroying
angel. He requires neither introduction
nor invitation. He knows you because you
have been pointed out to him. He will de-
mand of youa letter to any one you know.
He will enter unbidden your office
or your house. He will push into your
presence at dinner or slide into your pew
at church. He forms his own opinions as
to who is influential, and demands ser
vice of them as though they were his
employed and salaried agents. He man.
ages to have reports circulated in the
papers that he has been rendered the
place he is SO assiduously seeking, and
drives dozen people distracted by i'm
portuning them day and night to go to
the Department, because he knows that
"a word from them will give him the
fruition of his hopes.
In short. he is shameless, brassy
tramp, invading the peace of strangers to
IL