New-York tribune., 1882-02-07
1 WIZ NOLDLER,S FRLEND.

Notice has been served on the senate ana
the country by Senator Voorhees, that Union
soldiers are suffering gross injustice through
the operation of rule relating to new ap-
ponimcnts in the Post Offices at Boston and
Cincinnati, and that Mr.. Voorhees,, who has
recently boss0mcd out with great suddcnncss
as the Soldiers Friend, proposes either
to have something done about IT or
to hold the Republican party rcspon-
sibe for it before the country. 1t was
discovered ry Mr. VOORHEES, some time
last summer or autumn that among the regu-
lations Of the Cincinnati Post Office was one
prnviding that no application for appointment
from persons under twenty or over thirty years
of ace should be entertained, and that this ne
cessarly excluded all the Union soldiers who
served i'm the war for the suppression Of the
rebellion. In pursuance of his new mission III
life TO secure Justice for the Union soldiers, he
Immediately procured to be passed resolution
calling for information by what law or authority
such rule had been approved by the
Postmaster-Gencral. 70 which Postmaster
General James replied that all that he knew
of the matter was that il appeared from the
records OF the Department that the rule bad
been approved by Postmaster General Key.
The reply did not reach the committee how
ever. until too late to be laid before the Sen
ate at the special session in October, and
Senator Voorhees,, hearing nothing from ii, and
being bent on having justice done to his
newly adopted wardS the Union soldiers, re-
newed the other day his call Tor information.
To thia last call PostmaSterGcueral Howe
replies that "there is no regulation of this
ID partment which excludes any person from
appointment on account of his or her aye,
but that the Department does not dictate or
control the appointment by pOstmastcrs OF their
subordinates for the reason that, rs pOStmas-
ters and their surcties are responsible for the
acts of employees in post Offices they may select
them without regard to age and without
consultation with the Post Office Department.
He adds that while he personally regrets
the adoption of any rule which excludes any
Union soldier or sailor from appointment on
account of age, he does not feel warranted in
reversing the lOng-cStabliShcd practice of
allowing pOstmastcrS to select their sUbOrdi-
Mates for whose acts they and their sureties are
responsible, by issuing any regulations which
would restrict their freedom of choice. Mr.
voorhees, would not be appcased however, by
any such explanation. He wants it to go to
is guilty of this "unjHs and outrageous
discrimination - against Union soldiers. 1t
did not disturb him in the least to be informed
tAat the only POstmaSter-General who approved
the act was his Democratic friend Judge Key.
Him he calmly threw overheard aS man who
left his Democracy behind when he went INTO
the Hayes Cabinet and continued to press his
charge against the Republicans. He wants it
understood that over the portals of two OF the
most important Post Offices in the country, Gin
cinnati and Boston, is written mo soldier
need apply" And we presume he proposes to
convince the soldiers that the Republicans are
their enemies and the Democrats their only
true hicnd,
His zeal in behalf of Union soldiers is of
course, commcndablc though We hardly think
that, even with his championship of the PEN
sion Arrears bill and all the rest Of his parade
Of affection for the soldiers he VIII persuade
them to forget entirely that during The war
and when obey most wanted aid and sympathy
he was anything but friend. Most Union
soldiers know demagoGism when they see it.