The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1885-06-04
Washington Letter.

WASHINGTON, May %, 1SS5-Slnce
l last wrote you a change has come
over the bright illusion of official secu-
rity in the breasts of a large number
of republican office holders. There
have been numerous dismissals during
the past week, and nine-tenths OF those
who remain see ever before them Dam
ocles' sword labeled your turn next"
The dismissals have been chiefly for
offensive partizanship and also for dis
honesty, insobriety and general untit-
ness. The new administration is be-
ginning to know its ground, get its
hand IN and to overcome its native
bashfulness. 1t will learn more day by
day, and the rascals will 20, and go
with accelerated velocity.
The recently appointed chiefs OF bu-
reau to whose attention cases of sus-
pected wrong doing has been brought,
feel themselves handicapped by the re-
publican clerks who are subordinate to
them, but upon whom they cannot de-
pend for cooperation. When papers
are referred to these clerks for lnvesti-
CATION and report, they are placed in
possession of the movements OF the en-
envy, and they are quick to take advan-
tage of their confidential position, and
to play the traitor by informing inter-
ested parties outside the departments
that Investigation threatens. Ii is mot
difficult to see how valuable and I'M
| pOrtant such information is to the old
rings and ringsters that have had and
still have this underground wire and
back stairs connection with the treasu-
ry and other government departments.
Clerks who have been in collision, and
actually in guilty partnership, with
claimants and others dealing with the
government, obtain the 4rliest infor-
nation of proposed investigations
and are enabled TO cover up suspicious
appearances and foreWarn their outside
iaccOmplices.
The disadvantage of democratic off,
cials is that they stand solitaryF and
helpless at the heads of their depart
ments with no subordinate whom they
can trust. They are in the condition OF
a general whose army is Jreacherously
serville and whose sentinels are col
leagues of the enemy. The new admin
istratlon will never recover the holy
cross Of political purity at the head OF a
host of republican infidels.
/ The discharges for offensive partizln-
ship during the past week have been
chiefly from post offices, and a ma ior-
ty OF them have been in Virginia, but
every day witnesses u number Of dis
charges from the departments here in
this city. They consist chiefly of those
clerks who were absent from their
desks during the late campaign, maxi
ing speeches for Blaine, organizing re-
publican clubs and doing other cam
paign work while drawing paw as
clerks. This rule of offensive partizan-
ship, if impartiaIly applied, win slay
its thousands. A goVetnment clerk has
no more business to be an active parti-
zan than bank clerk or hod cal rier
He is employed to do certain clerical
work, and he should do that work moi
as republican or democrat, but as a
clerk. When he neglects to do the
work he should be peremptorily dis
charged, as he would be Il he We're a
clerk IN any private business house.
Apart from discharges and runners oil
discharges, clerical lie in the immense
counting house OF Uncle Sam is FOL
what it used TO be. There is more
work, less play and better health. Tbs
republican employe has gloomy, care
worn face, but he is keeping better
hours, and bringing forth fruit meet for
repentance. Offices that have been for
years in arrears with their work are
now up to date, Since it has been Civ
en- out that protracted absence from
sickness shall be subtracted from the
thirty days vacation allowed each
clerk, there has been a remarkable de-
cline of sham sickness.