Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-26

that all officials who have TO DO VIII tnosc
laws In the South are appointed Win REFER
epce 10 partisanship and act wttb reierence
TO thunder. II these charges oe True 'us
FederaI otllcc.holders OF The South must
he. az n body, a most valuable auxiliary 10
your committee. "a their zeal In your cause
Ia the price Of their tenure, and tnelr III.
gotten gains form sort OF surplus iuhd
for tie .paymen, OF voluntary con~son-
ficns.v
Your assumption that al Federal officials
are Republicans would seem 10 ne q''dSt
confession OF the truth OF these charges
but assure YOU, Mr.. Jones. thai IN my
own instance your assumption Is erroneous.
am not Republican. and never nave
been. | was not appointed with reference
10 partisan ,hip. as I stated In writing 10 tne
appointing power that " appointed
should discharge my duties In = non-lar-
tisan manner. And have not scsed win
reference TO plumber, as the following 'tatc'
mcnt will show: 49,,
Twas appointed In March. 1881. In the
following August two parties were Drought
before me, one charged with violation OF
the revenue laws, and the other win yio'a-
.ion OF the ciyitrlgbss act. sent both On
10 the Federal court grand jury. These are
the only judicial acts ] have ever per-
formed. ] tried to make the costs a. light
as possible, and have observed that since
that time arrested parties, though residing
and apprehendCd much nearer to me
than 10 any other commissioner, have
been taken TO remote places and urea
before commissioners who are well-known
Republicans. do not, OF course, say that
this has been done with the object OF max
ing fees. do not speak OF The object, as |
have never been informed Of IL, but simply
mention the fact. / made a careful search
Of the United States Revised Statutes TO
ascertain what fees was entitled to In the
two cases above mentioned, and figured M
$40 in the aggregate. IL seemed small
for the service rendered. and l mentioned
It TO a revenue officer. who ADVISED me 10
ascertain the proper charges from very
bright" commissioners wel'-knOwn lie-
puhlican-in remote part Of the diisrict
This commissioner kindly made out a bill
Of fees for me, which he said be was in thc
habit Of charging and receiving for similar
services, and was much gratliied at find
ing il aggregate $3.50, an achievement
which regarded as not only bright, but
brilliant. had also earned about - by nd.
ministeling oaths TO revenue officers nj the
rate OF ten cents an oath, rs allowed 10y
law. SO ] sent in my bill against the Gov
eminent for the sum OF $ll.9j, itemized
and certified with great solemnty. All my
charges for administering Oatbs were re-
joctod. and some OF those for judicial SER
vices were also rejected. received war
rant for about g, which, with 81 subse-
quently collected for administering oaths
Ia revenue oilicers-in all about SIS the
total emOluments received from my Office.
Under these circumstances, Mr.. Jones,
the voluntary contribution which | am re-
ouested 10 send YOU would not materially
assist you, even If ii should be OF the whole
OF my official income. past and present.
And 10 FER cent. Of income (Which | be-
icve is the amount eXacted by Senator Ma
hone from officials in Virginia. woIld, As
YOU observe, be only seventy ceuts, 4 sum
wholly inadequate to furnish "dTineS
around" TO YOU and yOur committee to dis
rel the gloom which settles on you Ike
pall when YOU contemplate the popular
wrath and Judgment TO come on YOU and
Your candidate. Finally, Mr. Jones, as
matter Of principle respectfully but firm
" decline to contribute anything to your
committee: end shall do all in my power
TO secure the election OF Mr. Cleveland, be-
licying that then the ciyiI-service reform
act will be enforced and respected in spirit
as well as in letter, and that all public Off
cas will rest safe from the eXactions OF
politicians Of your stripe, under the shadow
OF its protecting Igis. Yours, &c,
w. ID. DABNEY,
United States Commissioner.