The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-03-18
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspor dent.l

"A
recently about the methods of Presi-
dent Arthur in the matter ofappoint-
ments to Office, and by some he has
even been accused of procrastination
and lack of nerve. But it is more
than likelytthat the complaints are
chiefly originated by those who are
seeking places and who become inn
patient if their demands are not
promptly recognized. When Gener-
al Garfield had been month in the
White House he was very nearly
worn out with the persistent boring
of office seekers. The color had all
left bis face, and the lines of care and
worry were clearly marked there.
Indeed a more striking change is
seldom seen, and it was noted by all
who saw the President in those days.
The pressure upon him for place was
unprecedented, and civil-service re-
former though he was, he had too
much good nature to properly resist
it. He did not realize that all re-
form of the civil service must begin
with the President, who is the ap.
pointing power, and that if he fails
to properly resist this pressure, it
will go on if it brushes him. Presi-
dent Arthur took the difficulty in
hand very firmly. He resolved that
worry and scramble should not kill
him, and that the views expressed
in his letter of acceptance should be
the rule and guide of his admins
tration as nearly as possible.
Of course it is considerable part
of Presidents daily duty to fill
places which haye become vacant,
and which need to be filled at once
in order that the public business shall
60 on. About this routine work no
one complains of him. He gets
through systematically and prompt-
ly, and on method or plan about
which there is no concealment.
About those great appointments
which have political significance ard
importance Mr.. Arthur is more eau
tious, and 1t is here that the impa-
tient office seekers grumble at him,
hut they have not moved him from
his evident purpose to 60 on with
care and take his own time, as he has
right to do. Naturally the Presi-
dents course in this matter is much
discussed here at the Capital, where
place hunters congregate and all
sorts of ambitions have their focus.
Men like Sargent and Chandler, who
set their friends on the President for
weeks to secure them Cabinet places,
are impatient of delay and grumbIe
at Mr.. Arthur. People who do not
want Office, on the other hand, like
his method.
The appearance in print of the let
ter written by General Garfield to
Secretary Chase in 1868 has created
quite sensation here, and it is re.
garded unfortunate that the publlca-
ton was made. General Garfield at
that time was chief of staff to GeDer-
al Rosecrans, who commanded tn e
Army of the Cumberland. The let
ter criticises the policy Of General
ROsecrans as one of inexcusable pro-
crastination, and the writer express
SEES his intention. if the inaction con-
tinued much longer, to ask to be sent
somewhere where he could be part of
working army. General Rosecrans,
who is now a member of the House
from California, says he very much
regrets the appearance of such let
ter more on account of its injury to
the memory of Garfield than his own
account. The point made is that,
occupying confidential relations to
his superior officer, writing such a
letter, whether its charges were true
or not, was breach of faith and sub
ject to court martial. There appears
to be little if any doubt of the gen.
uineness of the letter, and the friends
of the late President are not pleased
that it has been made public, He is
not here to defend or to explain, and
the inevitable result of the publica-
ton will be to stir up bad feeling
and to give currency to gossip, idle
and otherwise. Already gossip on
the subject has commenced and it is
asserted that at the time of General
Rosecrans removal from the COM
mand of the Army of the Cumber-
land General Garfield, who had then
come to Washington to take his seat
in Congress. expressed great regret,
and was loud in praise of Rosecrans
as an able military chieftain, After
wards, it is alleged, President Lin
coin when informed of General Gar
fields expressions remarked with
much surprise that it was principally
on account of General Garfield's
statements and representations that
| ID ncaora nc hoA haaK