The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-11-20
MAJ. Q. p. G. CLARKE,
The New Commissioner of Pensions.

The newly appointed Commissioner Of Pen
sion, Maj. o. p. G. Clarke is the son of the late
Hon. Joseph Clarke. of Madison County, n. Y.
He was educated at De Ruyter Institute and
Clinton Liberal Institute, New York, and after
leaving the last named educational establish
ment he read law for some time; but finding
that he had no taste for its practice, at the are
of u he located at Newport, K. l., where he
became part proprietor in coach building
establishment. devotinT, however, q great par
of his time TO art. In 1858 he went into public
life as member of the Rhode Island Legisla-
ture where he served with distinction for some
time.
At the outbreak of the war he entered the
military service in the 81 r. l., gradually as
cending the steps of promotion until he reached
the rank of Lieutenant Colonel In 1863 he was
honorably discharged from the service on ac-
count of wounds received in action. but soon
after entered the Veteran Reserve Corps as a
Lieutenant, and was subsequently, promoted to
Captain and brevet Major. Maj. Clarke was q
member of the board of organization OF the
Veteran Reserve Corps, and i'll the Fall of 1864,
when Hancoek's Corps was organized, he had
charge of that organization at Depot Camp in
Washington, until the force outgrew the size of
the camp; but the organization was completed
on the same basis on which it had been orig
inally projected.
In November 1866 he was finally mustered
II
years service.
In February, 1867, he accepted clerkship in
the Pension Office, and rising through the sew
eral grades was in 1876 appointed Chief Clerk.
This position he resigned in 1879 and took
charge of the Reform School Of the District OF
Columbia; but Congress directly afterwards
creating the Office OF Deputy mmissioner of
Pensions expressly for him. he returned TO the
Pension Bureau in that capacity. His connec-
ton, however, with the Reform School was not
severed, he still holding membership on the
Board Of Trustees of that institution.
In November, 1880, the President appointed
him a Commissioner to report upon the con-
struction of portion of the Northern Pacific
Railroad west of the Mississippi River which
duty he performed in an entirely satisfactory
manner. In 1881 Congress created the office of
First Deputy Commissioner Of Pensions and
Maj. Clarke received the appointment.
The public and private life of Maj. Clarke is
unimpeachable. and his education and expe-
rience specially fit him for the responsible posi-
ton which he has just been called upon to fill.
He has remarkable aptitude in the transaction
of the particular business of the Pension Office.
dispensing with cumbersome formaties which
occasion SO much vexation and delay, and reach
ing conclusions with rapidity and correct
ness which plainly show him to be the right
man in the right place. He is patient and
courteous IN the extreme with all who have
occasion to transact business with him, and
there is to-day probably not n man in the
United States who has keener sympathy for
him who has borne the battle, and for his
widow and orphans" The soldier element of
the country gives him an emphatic indorse-
ment, knowing from past experience that
equal and exact justice, without fear or favor,
can be his only policy of administration.