Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-02-23
"Make a Vacancy, or l Will

During the late administration of Grant
there CHANGED to be young man in one of
the departments, who, like so many others
then and now, had entered on that horrible
declivity which begins with the gilded tip
pling saloon and ends-who shall say where?
He was capable clerk, and his sprees and
shortcomings were condoned for the sake of
the memory Of his honored father, Senator
-. But the road was sure; and in
time with discharge in his pocket and a
drunkard's record behind him, step by step
he passed the down grade of dissipation, un-
til wife, children and friends cut loose, and
the quondam gentleman slept in the parks
and lived on charity. He was abandoned by
all-all save the angel of mercy lowering
near, though unseen. A temperance re-
form movement claimed him as a trophy
and he began the upward struggle Wife
and children came back but who believes
in reformed drunkard ?" 1t was a
struggle for years to find bread for the little
ones, but he fought bravely, and, disap-
pointing those who looked for his failure, he
held on, and even saved others from going
over the precipice President Grant, who
had known his father, heard of his struggles
and sent for him. Congratulating him on
his reform, he said al want to help you ;
what can do ?" 81 want work." was the
reply. "You shall have it, Where would
you prefer TO go-in new scenes or old p"
The young man said " Send me, sir where
left blackened record. 1t may encourage
others if l regain good name, and | would
be more useful in my former position. The
president wrote note to the secretary of the
department and handed it to the young man,
who left, but ere long returned with an anx-
iono fana NTba o,,t orl
that my application would go on file |" The
president, with an ironclad expletive, said {;
" You can't put your wife and children on
file, can you ?" Writing another note and
handing it to him, he said Give this in
person and bring me an answer" Armed
with this missive he confronted the awful
presence beyond the baize doors and met an
impatient refusal. "What shall | tell the
president 2" he calmly inquired. "That
there are no vacancies" When this was de-
livered at the White House, the imperturb-
able Grant, biting the end of cigar, seized
red ink pen and wrote across the face of
his former note: "Make a vacancy, or |
willp "Take that and bring his answer |"
Yet again did the young man return unsuc-
cessful. The president obtained temporary
employment for his friend, taking him in
person to another department, and awaited
the cabinet meeting the following day. Here
the president seemed as quietly imperturb-
able as sphinx. AS the members left the
room, the president followed Secretary -
to the door and said: "By the way, Mr..
Secretary, whom would you recommend for
your successor" The astonished gentleman
replied, and, passing into another depart
ment, wrote hasty resignation and sent it
in. He was relieved of his portfolio the fol-
lowing day. That young man made excel
lent use of the faith shown in him by this
wonderful judge of character, and rose to
position of eminent usefulness and respecta-
bility, which he occupies to-day in one of the
largest cities of our land. So did the friend
less stranger win his place and the honorable
secretary lose his, because the warrior chief
had traced his course in lurid characters,
not with sword tip, but with pen, Make
vacancy, or will" and now, as of yore, to
say was to do, and the man who would
fight it out on this line" ETC., undeviatingly
kept his word.-National Republican.