Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-10-30
Few Que.,Ion. for che no.s,

n rev NAuehNhOme lot bhe AhOehs
In spite of his rare success in debating
post-ofice appointments while in Washington
last week, Mr.. Atkins seems to have come
home in a most unsmiable and even despe- |
rate mood, for he declares in the Argus this |
week that some newspaper correspondent
the Montpelier correspondent Of the Boston |
Record, presumably
'Is breeding scab on his nose, and lie likely to |
learn how nice is to be pounded for what appears
paper for which he writes"
This brutal and scurrilous thrust is supple
mented on another page with an editorial
over column long, in which Mr.. Atkins at
tempts defence of his course in dispensing
the spoils of Office in the state in general and
in the matter of the Montpelier post Office in
particular. With the latter case we have now
nothing to do, but let us look for q moment
at what he says about the way things have
been done in the state at large
"what their tAtkn ms and smslleysl success has been
results attest aud 1t can be ruthfuy said that 10 ev
cry instance their honest efforts have been to first
that the public interests should not suffer, and after
that thing Of paramount importance should have
been cared for then the desires OF the Democrats Of
each locality should be carried out Men fAllible,
and the editor Of the Argus and Patriot is excep
on to the rule; but II he has erred the error has
been one Of judgment and not Of intent. To-day 10
looking what has been done in Vermont since the
4th of March last, he does not instance in
which either Col Smalley or he has recommended q
man for any position that they did not firmly believe
err have the endorsement OF the local Democracy,
and did not believe would discharge the duties Of
case has either OF them knowingly allowed personal
desire or prejudice to influence their action"
One of the first appointments, in point OF
importance, which Mr.. Atkins caused to be
made in this county was that of the present
postmaster at Jamaica. In that case 43 DEM
ocrats, to say nothing of 256 Republicans
asked to have one of their own number made
postmaster-these 43 Democrats comprising
practically all the Democrats in town, and
representing p times as many as have ave.
ragged to vote the party ticket in that town
for 81 years past But in spite of this ur.
gently expressed wish of the Jamaica Demo-
Gratis, Mr.. Atkins imported his own man from
another town and had him appointed. Does
he mean to say that this was earring for the
desires of the Democrats Of that ''locality ?"
Does he mean to say that in the Townshend
case he took any pains whatever to get at the
actual majority sentiment of the Democratic
patrons of the Office, but did he not rather
act on the trumped.up petition and charges
of one or two men who have small right to
call themselves Democrats and who have no
local standing which q reputable man would
care TO claim !? Does Mr.. Atkins mean to say
that his Wilmington appointment represents
the majority sentiment of the Democrats Of
that intelligent, thriving community? Will
he undertake to say that the Democrats of
West Brattleboro had anything whatever to
say about the choice Of their new postmaster,
in the face of the fact that he impudently
sent man there to make choice of some one
little matter whom, apparently-whom he
could have appointed? This list of questions
might be extended to apply to every appoint
ment which Mr. Atkins has caused to be made
in Windham county, with two, or possibly
three, exceptions, but it ia useless to waste
time and space with them.
We wish, however, TO cite one other in
stance to which we have not before alluded
in detail, and it is that of the Westminster
appointment In that case b. F. Sleeper,
presumably at Mr.. Atkins's suggestion, got
up petition to be made postmaster and got
upon it the names of less than one-half the
Democratic patrons of the Office and OF a
few Republicans, most Of these petitioners
being not of the better class Of either party.
The majority OF the Westminster people
strongly objected to Mr.. sleepers appoint
nent and a remonstrance was started which
was signed by more than One-hdlf of the
Democrats and by nearly all of the Re-
publicans within the range of the office.
There are in all some 1873 voters or heads of
families who get their mail at the Westmin-
ster Office, and the remonstrance contain ed
the names Of 100 of these, and all were men
OF good repute.
This remembrance whose strength as rep
resenting the Democratic sentiment of West
minister cannot be questioned, was taken to
Mr.. Atkins by the leading Democrat of the
town, a man Of substance, who holds impor-
tant offices and commands universal respect.
: The character and standing Of the remon.
strants were carefully explained to Mr.. At
| kins by this leading Democrat, and personal
solicitation was added that the change be moi
, forced Mr.. Atkins made pretenoe Of re.
ferring the matter to Geo. o. Guild of the
state committee, held the paper for a while
and ended-by appointing Mr.. Sleeper. A
: strong point might be made by comparing
the character, standing, and efficiency of his
= appointee with the like qualities in the mar
! whom he displaced, but we forbear, and sim,
ply ask If Mr.. Atkins counts this Westmin
ster case in the list of those where he has
a sought first of all the good Of the public ser
vice and "the endorsement of the local De
q mooracyP' The facts speak for themselves
, In the article Of which we are now writing
2 Mr.. Atkins complains that the attacks upor
8 his method of distributing the spoilS are in.
= stigated by his enemies in the party. Or
Q this point we have only TO say for ourselves
}. that, politically speaking, we know nothing
8 and care nothing about Democratic party
q quarrels. 1t makes not the slightest differ
q ence to us whether 1t is one faction or anoth
q er which either approves or condemns wha
4 the party does. In following up and expos
!. ing the Atkins methods We have simply made
a stand in behalf Of decent politics and gooC
goveTnment-in behalf of the people ant
i their clearly expressed will as against th,
Q arbitrary and irresponsible rule of a man VIII,
o only cares TO show bis personal power aud Sc
4 up In every town little clique of men who's,