South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1883-08-03
Letter from Washington.
From, Our Regular Corr.spesdeai.
WAsuryGroN. ID. C.. July 30

poscucut III government metnOlS, Is
now in full aud complete operation.
to the dismay of some hundreds of
expectant place hunters who thought
they could jump straight from the ex +,
animation ROOM into a iirst.class clerk
ship. The disappointment is all the
greater for these applicants because
they renounced all allegiance to the
several States from which they really
hail and claimed rcsidencc In the Dis.
trict OF Columbia, which already has
some five hundred more places in the
departments than her quota. 1t viii.
be only necessary for those applicants
who gave their preference for resi-.
dencc in the District to rest their souls
IN perfect patience for matter OF a
couple OF centuries, when their turn
will come for hearing. 1t is mat
Ter OF grave doubt "a TO the beneficial
outcome of this civil service business.
Ways will be found, and there are al.
ready some discovered, by which the
vital provisions of the law may be set
ut naught Ey those who see tit to do
so. Our system OF government,
wrought out by our political methods,
is q system of rewards and punish
mcnts, and any Legislation that at
tempts to settle the question whether
mans tealty TO party and zeal in
securing his party's success. shall or
shall not be rewarded. ia menace
to the existence of political parties,
and will not be allowed to stand
For ninety years we have gone on
without any untoward governmental
calamity on account of our civil APP
pointments made because of partisan
activity in many cases, ard because of
loyalty and high patriotism in many
other cases, and the Government does
not seem to be suffering now from the
enforcement of the doctrine that the
spoils belong to the victors. Take
from the voter the incentive to do du.
ty for his party by proclaiming that
ne who fights in opposition, even if
unsuccessful, shall be rewarded with
official places, and he becomes not
only indifferent TO the existence of his
party, but wishes it well out of the
way. 1t is the abuse OF this system
by the republican party, rat, err than
the system itself, that has rendered it
obnoxious.
Mr.. Frank 1Iatton did little
piece of dirty work before he went a
way on his present trip that was very
like good many OF his official capers.
lie reduced three CLERKS from $1,000
positions to places paying 81, 200 and,
Immediately filled the vacancies thus
created by appointing his wife's uncle
to one. his own uncle to another, and
n personal friend to Il third Its un
derstood that all of the degraded
clerks were competent, and Lad been
employed for long time in bureau
in which they had risen by degrees
from 900 TO $1,000 grades. One
OF them Ia described rs n man sliillful
in many things, scholar, n veteran
OF the army, and most faithful OIL.
Ger The injustice OF compelling the
three men OF experience to surrender
their desks and their salaries TO per.
sons who are without experience is so
apparent to any on that il seems
scarcely credible 10 believe that Post.
master General Gresham could have
been consulted in the matter, or. If he
was. that he was truly informed a
bout nil the circumstances. The de,
graded men will be expected to teach
the new corners their duties, and will
probably do most Of the work they
have been doing, ut the same time
that their compensation has been re-
duced. Then, If they be not discour.
aged, and are still inclined to toll on
Tor promotion again, they must rise
through two grades to reach their old
standing. If these injured men have
rs good q case as they are rcprcsen.
ted TO have, it would seem TO be
obviously just the thing for Judge
Gresham to restore them TO the places
they have Sst and let the newcomers
step down-or ont. tits TO be hoped
that the time is not far distant
when this swcll.hcad from Iowa. who
wears the title Of First Assistant p. NJ.
g., will himself he called upon to step
down an out. lie is wholly unfit for
The position. or any other of that i'm.
portance. His manner on tho street
or wherever you meet him seems to
say in lis own choice language. by
God, perhaps you don't know who /
am By the way, it is currently re-
ported that Public Printer Rounds
will have to go before long. lie has
been q great failure.
The brilliant maritime achievements
OF the American navy arc multiplying
all the time. Within three months
IA many ships of our vast naval force
have sailed to- the bottom Of the sea
with astonishing CELEBRITY, while ano-
ther, the Miantanomah, refuses to sail
at all, after an expenditure upon her
of some two and "a fourth millions Of
dollars. The other day the Pinta, a
vessel that presumably goes by steam
although no amount oft can urge her
along, attempted to make the long.
and TO her, iHterminablc voyage from
Norfolk TO New York Whether her
mission was to blow assisted paupcrs
from the lannon's mouth or batter