The Baltimore County union., 1884-07-12

yer making his rounds as watchman
until he is venerable enough to be dis
charged and turned out to grass. The
government is great and generous in
directions, but it has no memory for
the services and sacrifices which have
worn out its veterans. When an en-
ployee gets too old to work he is not
pensioned, as they arein England. He
must shuttle for himself or go to the
work-house.
Some very green claimants appear
here at times. Last winter an ancient
colored man, 70 years of age, trudged
on foot all the way from North Caro-
lima and asked for government. clerk
ship. He could neither read nor write.
He was SO ignorant that he could not
tell what states he passed through to
reach Washington. He had been a
'sPublican nreacher ever since slavery
was sot free," and he thought that this
was sufficient to secure him a soft spot
% doae away his old days in. His in
dignation knew no bounds when he
found that his great services to the party
were unappreciated here.
Some old gray-haired men haunt the
departments with their young daughters,
seeking interviews with the heads of di-
visions, in the apparent hope that fem
inine youth and beauty may find
recognition where worth should be con-
sidered. There are people here who
regard government employment as they
would a trade or profession. As plum
Der always waits for job at his own
trade, so it is with a government en-
ployee. Once an employee always an
employee. If a government clerk loses
his place, he patiently and persistently
waits for another place. He may have
good trade or profession, but he
never thinks of resorting to that. Men
go unemployed for year and suffer
all manner fprivations because they are
not lucky enough to fall into vacancy.
There is such a direful attraction in
the public service that they have no
heart for anything else.
Of course there are many men in the
service who adorn the place they fill.
They take pride in their calling, and
as they grow venerable in harness they
enjoy the reward of universal respect.
One of these old landmarks is Capt. Isaac
Bassett, who has been an assistant door
keeper of the Senate for 40 years. He
has been in the continuous service of that
body for S. years, first as page and
then as doorkeeper. His father was a
messenger in charge ofthe Senate cham
Der from 1896 to 1S4o. This indicates
that Bassett comes from a faithful
and loyal stock. He is a queer old
man, whose once coal-black hair is now
as white as snow. The thin locks he
carefully puts up in papers every night,
and when the papers are removed the
ends of the hair roll under in one con-
tinuous wave.
Bassett, who was a young chap fol-
cnainDer, was appointed page at the in
stance of Daniel Webster. At that time
the Senate only INDUCED in the luxury
of one page, and Webster induced the
Senators to agree to two-one for the
Wings and one for the Democrats.
Bassettt has great veneration for the
early statesmen of the republic. He is
the only man who can identify the desks
used by Webster, Clay and Calhoun
These desks were Clipped and other
wise defaced by relic-hunters. Bassett
had them repaired and painted to look
much like the other desks that they
could not be distinguished. Then he
changed their positions in the Senate
chamber, and at this day he is the only
person who can locate the Senatorial
furniture used by those illustrious men.
He has the ancient Bible on which
every Senator was sworn in up to the
beginning of the rebellion, and this he
takes profound pride in showing to the
curious visitor, pointing out worn spots
e5avtlhees. GQyer.. where great men have
er of the Senatorial snuff-boxes. lie
mourns the fact that there is only one
snuff-taker left in the Senate. That IS
Senator Hampton. The snuf-boxes
are kept filled, however, with fresh
snuff, and occupy their accustomed
places on each side Of the Vice-Presl-
dents chair. A few days ago the SEN
ators presented Bassett with a silver
snuff-box as a token Of their esteem.
Bassett is most agreeable type OF the
government employee. 1t is not a per-
functory calling with him. He follows
it with pride and enthusiasm and Is is 2
credit to himself and the place he holds.
But to the average man in the public
service in Washington it would be an
escape from the dry-rot of intellect II
he could be induced to cut loose from
the traces and go into business that
invites independence of thought and
action.