National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-06-22
The National Grah-Ran-

Not since Andy Johnson's reign has
there been such promiScuosity ID the
rush for office. 1t has come to be under
stood that the President is impartially
uncertain as TO what he will do in each
case. This heightens the struggle, for
nobody has any more reason to feel dis
couraged than somebody. The appeal of
each applicant appears to be equally well
received, and each sees the gates ajar "
through which he is to march to glory
with his name on Uncle Samucl's pay
roll. The funniest part of the business is
the see-sawing for tho Southern
post-otliccs The average Southern
Bourbon is never sn much at home
as when supporting the Constitution of
the United States" so help him God, on
salary however small. Having within
Them hope that Radikil" rule must
some time end, they do not like to let go
of the old brass Democracy, and
yet they want temporary food and shelter
in the Republican tabernacle. This they
manage by putting forward for the de-
sired poSt-office meek and complaccnt
alleged Republican, who believes that his
enemies are "clever gentlemen" because
they use him instead of fscourging or hang
ing him, as they have felt obliged to do
with some "more extreme" Radicals. 1t
is not uncommon for a woman to be
selected for this purpose. The post
master or postmiStreSS thus appointed is
of course indebted to Bourbon Senator
or member, who has been kind enough
to waive his party feeling sufficiently to
testify at the White House to the emi-
: nent respectability of the person who as
pires to the place, and who has promised
the subordinate places under him or her
to Knights of the White Camelias, Bour-
bons, Conservatives, or whatsoever other
name they may be known by. But the
road of even such as these is not an easy
one. Between the hope and its fruition
there are
More pangs than wars or women have
and places are won and lost a dozen times
before the field is safely held. The thick
and-thin Republicans of the neighbor-
hood come forward and loudly protest
against having the food taken from their
childTen's mouths and cast to enemies.
Then comes the colored delegation, ask
ing why they may not have recognition,
furnishing as they DO most of the Repub-
lican votes. The President is besieged
by all. Each side damns the other and
proves its own claims incontrovertibly.
The bewildered President tells them to
consult the ePostmaster-General.T The latter
functionary, impartially in favor of all
sides, puts off the evil day which shall
compel him to be on one side only by
making it matter for Cabinet decision.
This leads to another storming of the
White House. In vain the President
waves them off. They heed not his i'm
ploring gestures, his weary and despair
ing look, or his irritable speech. What
they want is the post-office.
You may as well go stand upon the beach
And bid the main food bate his usual height;
You may as well use question with the wolf
Why he hath made the eve bleat for the lamb;
You may well forbid the mountain pines
To wag their high tops and to make no noise
When they are fretted with the gusts of heaven;
You may as well do anything most hard
AS seek to shut of the opportunities
Of an enterprising ofice-seeker.
We might follow the wavering battle,
victory perching first on the banner of one
and then on the other-the appointment
made and then revoked. then made
again-but it would become monotonous.
When the Senate is in session, then
single post-office viii people the corridors
for weeks, while duel Of SANDER is
fought between the contestants over the
nomination, varied only by the preSi-
Dental withdrawal Of one after another
of the aspirants. Great is the national
grab-bagl