The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-06-08
MERRICK'S PLAIN TALK.
His Letter Resigning the wellsboro
Postmastership.

PENNSYLVANIA APPOINTMENTS -
WHY HE REFUSES TO Contribute
TO CAMPAIGN FUNDS.
philadelphia Press.)
WASHINGTON, June 1.-The follow.
ing is copy of Major George w.
Merriclls letter to the Postmaster
General resigning the Wellsboro post
mastership;
WELLsBoRo PA, May &c, 1882.
Hon. Timothy o. Hoo0e, Postmaster
General Washington, ID. c.:
| herewith have the honor for the
reasons following to tender my resig-
/ nation rs postmaster at Wellsboro,
Tioga County, Pennsylvania.
On the tweuty-fourth day of May,
at Philadelphia, I received from the
Independent Republican Convention,
the nomination of Secretary of Inter
! nal affairs for the State of Pen nsylva-
mia. | then gave but II qualified assent
to that action for the reason that l
thought it my duty to first resign my
Office under the General Government.
That duty performed, 1 shalls uncon-
ditionalIy accept the nomination and
thenceforth do what I honorably can
toward the triumph of the objects of
that Convention.
While | hold my commission from
President Hayes of civil service order
no. l, colebrity-I feel that my part in
the Convention would probably meet
your approval in being in conformity
with the views contained in recent
letter by Hon. Frank Hatton, First
Assistant Postmaster-General to the
Postmaster of Cincinnati, Ohio.
The objects Of that Convention meets
my earnest approval, and l can CON
ceive no good reason, so far as they re-
late to the state CT Pennsylvania. why
they should not meet the approval OF
the Department. In its broader
aspect, however, I can readily see how
it might incur the disapproval of the
Department.
In the platform adopted, 1--WE dc
y
trcnage" and "spoils" out of public
oiliccs; we denounce the boss rule
which, when tamely endured, makes
leaders into autocrats and reduces the
mass of citizenship into political bon
dage; we demand instead of insolence,
prescription and tyranny of bossism, ,"
the free and conscientious exercise of
private judgment in political affairs,
we declare our purpose td take up the
work which fell when Garfield fell,
and we deplore the overwhelming
evidence presented to us i'll Penu-
sylvania that the calamity of his as.
sassination has been followed by an
overthrow of these reforms in the
hands of his successor.
III other words we hold that the per-
version of the Civil Service-the bust
ness OF selfgGvernment--frOm the
the principles OH which business, pub
, lie or private, ought to be managed,
into sort Of lottery or vast gambling
= establishment in which the officers oi
the country are used MS prizes to be
bestowed by rule not even approXim-
atiHg the fairness of chance but by
pure faroritism' for past or expected
services, centrally Of an unworthy
character, is a thing no longer to be
simply dcp!ored but resisted.
The recent fragrant Instances orthest
wrongs in Pennsylvania are easily
:. lraccable to their sources at Washing.
ton, where "Camcronism" tinges the
whole field Of appointive power. IN
p Pennsylvania the term stands for the
! head and front of the whole infamous
: spOil@ system, aud CamerOuism in
Washington is more odi0us than in
{ Pennsylvania, because more dangeY.
Gus.
! These pniticm crimes. for such thov
. are, liavearoused the hostility, and will
arouse the determined opposition oi
riEht-nlnde1 men everywhere
f W hen one OF the two seats of Pennsyl.
Vania in the United StateS Senate rep.
rc@rutS nothing Gut dull autucratiC
pcrs0,aIism instead of the people ot
the state, and the great State itself is
nothing but an imperial satraphy y
handed down from father to son, is il
not time for the people to ask why
= they shall not be represented by tipG
United States Senators?
Has the Chicago conspiracy "drawn
II prize in the Lottery of assassination
by which its accidental power is to be
soidiied? The rule understood to be
adopted by the Hon. Frank Hatton in
the Post Office Department is TO tweed
ont halt-breed5." If this is the Dead
Sea fruit to which we are invited a.
the result of the lalnented Garfeld's
death, should it surprise us ii the slain
cry aloud from the earth?
The revolution against these evils is
but initial in Pennsylvania. Like
condition produce like results
through many States. The people will
not take up arms there is better
| way, but if the eylls of misgovernment
thus 20 on there will be such sowing
of Dragons teeth that even the pOljti-
cal sugacity of Stalwart Administers
tion may be surprised at the crop that
will spring up.
Politics must have foundations, but
"pOliical society is fluid not solid, and
any particle may become the GENITAL OF
II new movement. What the true man
dreams to-day may tomorrow become
the resolutions of cOnventions.n Men
profoundly move for just cause, with
pure motives and the courage of their
conventions may defy the calculations
of autocratic demagogues, though ell.
| trpnrhpl i'm mower