Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-05-27
WAR ON THE WIDOW
Billy Moore, to Save the Republican
Party in Tennessee, Makes War ON
Widow in Washington.
And Worse than that, He .Yexes the Pub
lie Ear with an Attempted Defense
Of his Brutal Malignity.

Baltimore Day: There was some good
among the bad IN General Grants coarse
nature and now and then he did generous
act when it could be done without cost of
money or trouble to himself. One such was
the appointment of Mrs. Wilcox to position
in the postofice department The lady was
the granddaughter Of President jackson
adopted son, Andrew Jackson DonelsoD, and
was born in the White House. She married
Mr.. Wilcox, a representative from Alabama,
who during the civil war became general
in the Southern army. At the close of that
war she was a widow, stripped OF all her
property and with children dependent on her
for support. The attention of General Grant
being called to her case he appointed her to
a clerkship in the postofice department,
which she has since held until within a few
days she was removed at the instance of
Representatives Houk and Moore, Of Ten
nessee, to which State her appointment was
probably credited.
Mr. Moore has been interviewed on the
matter by New York Herald reporter, and
stated his reason frankly. He said Mrs.
Wilcox sympathizes now and always has
sympathized with the Democratic party.
He thus continued: "Mrs. Wilcox came TO
see about the matter after the occurrence,
and asked me if / was in favor of turning
her out. said; 4 certainly am heartily in
favor of turning you out. You are person.
ally as worthy as anybody for the place, but
you are not in sympathy with our party.
Now as there is a widow of Union soldier
who fought for his country, needy and
worthy, / in favor of putting you out and
giving her your place" l knew Mrs. Wilcox
when she was a young miss in Washington
thirty years ago, and / recalled the fact that
she used TO visit the store where l was a
clerk and buy goods of me; but l believe,
and, in fact, told her, that if the Democrats
came into power they ought TO turn out
every Republican office-holder and put
Democrats in their place. If they do not do
this they are fools. 1 do not believe in this
sentimental appointment TO Office. Mrs.
Wilcox was appointed by President Grant,
as l understand, because ne thought it would
be graceful act and because she was de-
scendsnt of Andrew Jackson. She has been
there long enough getting Republican pay"
Comment seems needless. The meanness
of motive, the ungallantry verging on bru-
tally of his declaration to the lady and his
designation of fair wages paid from the Fed
eral treasury for honest work as "Republi-
can pay" all join TO show the character and
caliber of the fellow, who is apparently
ashamed to put his age and birthplace in
the Congressional Directory. He belongs to
the class of men who in times of shipwreck
knock women and children off OF planks to
save their own worthless lives. The diction-
airy of objurgation is filled with words which
fit him, but we pass them by for one which
includes them all and SURPRISES their aggre-
gate capacity for expressing contempt: He
is Southern Republican.