Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1885-12-31
1ally agress aQa 9akotaiaa
OLD AsE,s WAY.
why me Removed Democrats from
Onices-Onensive Partisans.

1
Washington, Nov. 25-Sipce March 4
Last the assertion has constantly been
iterated and reiterated ly the bourbon
wing of the democracy that on MIR. Lin
coins accession to power in 1861 q clean
sweep was made OF the democratic EN-
ployes in the various departments here.
Relieving this to be false in web and
false III wool, the State journal cores
pondent determined to Investigate the
matter. An oid-time Hoosier who came
into II of the departments as a demo
crat about thirty years ago, and who viii
remain TIL he diee, was found. he was
asked if he was IN bis position when Mr..
| Lincoln took charge OF affairs in 1861.
Yes, SIT; it Is true he replied, ''and /
was here several years before he was
elected"
Were there many changes made IN
the personnel OF the different depart
ments about that time-many removals,
| mean 7"
There we're q good many changes, it
is true, and ONE removals ALSO"
"What do yon mean by changes and
removals."
."You must remember replied the Of
ticer, 'tthat we were just on the V of a
rebellion at that time and these depart.
ments were crowded with traitors,
Hundreds of these men either entered
actively into the rebellion as officers OF
the confederate army-ior they were
southern gentleman or the sons of lead
ing traitors, and it would not suit them
to serve as vulgar privates- or they
worked in the cause Of the confederacy
on the outside. OF course new and loya
men had to be appointed to fill thu
vacancies. Then there were hundreds
more who refused to take the oath o
loyalty to the government, and the,
were asked to resign to men VINO wouit
= teke the oath. By the time these tw'
classes of traitors were weeded out i
almost made a clean sweep in som
lquarters. In fact, in some of the large
divisions there were only two or thre
men left to run the machine. Then til
vast increase in the business of most. {
the departments cauaed by the openin
of the war, required the immediate Fl
ing of all vacancies; and, as soon 6
Legislation couid be procured authoril
Ing 1T, q vast increase had to be mad
in the rosters of all, or nearly all, til
departments.
In filing the new positions thus CIR
ated were the loyal democrats discrim
mated against"
"Not at all. Only four requisites wei
demanded of candidates for places
I the evil service of the government,
honesty ,capability. f~aithfuluess. loyait.
If the appointing power was assure
that an applicant possessed these requ
sites he was pretty certain to be a
pointed, no matter whether he was der
oerat or republican. Some of them a
yet in place-in fact q large number
I'd them. Why, there are o few of o
Q Jackson's appointments yet in ofic
tit having held it right along for twent
four years under republican supremacy
"Then you think that if all the clerl
on who were in Office IN 1861 had RENAME
loyal, they would have been kept by Il
republicans during all these years."
!" have 10 doubt OF it. Only 4
traitors were kicked ont, or left
their, own motion; and by the ett
nal" and the old ~Jacksonian's eyes ia
~ blazed with patriotic fervor as
"a mentioned Old Hickory's expletive,
would not only nave removed them, b
run them out with bayonets!'