Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-06-27

The penchant OF many persons for writing
anonymous letters to public officials surpasses
ordinary belief There is scarcely man in
high public place who does not receive more or
less anonymous letters ia every mail delivered
to him; and the higher his position the more is
he target for the anonymous letter scribbiers.
Many Of these illusions are palpably from
cranks, while very many have the impress OF
minds that are ordinarily Intelligent During
the tendency Of Senator Bayard's resolution in
the Senate condemning the assault OF dynami.
ters upon public buildings in ondon the Sena-
tors were fairly deluged with letters and postal
cards, all without signatures, admon shing,
warning, and beseeeching them In regard to
Senators, a democrat, who had In previous
matters of legislation voted, as q general thing,
on on the side Of the Irish whenever that question
was lnvOlved, took occasion, soon after the in
deduction Of the Baysrd resolution, to con-
denim the dynameters and their apparent OBJ
remarks he expressed his Sympathy % for or ths h,s
irish IN all their legitimate purposes and de-
clared his belief that they were very much OPP
method which held the innocent equally liable
with the guilty, and which made "war upon
women Ttb;s s ana eh,ldren The day after synopsis
fuslons began to pour In upon the Senator, and
for days he was in receipt of them. They were
of different varieties. Some were threatening.
In tact most Of them were of that character.
One letter had at the top the ominous and
IMPRESSIVE DEATHS HEAD
and croSS-boDeS, and underneath was written
In red ink, as If to make it the more terrifying:
"Beware! You have sold yourself to the
enemies Of Ireland, but Irish patriots advise
you to retrace your steps. The ayenger is on
ests your doom is sealed
wild In character. One cautioned him that II
he voted for the Bayard resolution he could
never be returned to the Senate as the Irish
Americans Of his state would never forgive
him.
There was perhaps, not Senator Of either
Political party who did not receive annony-
nous communications upon the subject of that
resolution. The one Senator who opposed the
resolution vas fairly overwhelmed with con-
received letters Of the opposite character.
There is not member of the cabinet who
e; aoes not receive anonymous letters, giving
Ing his course. Nor does the anonymous writer
connne himself TO the mails. He frequently re-
sorts to the telegraph, and one Of the most pro-
voking experiences of a public official is to re-
ceive a telegram marked "collect," and after
paying for 1t to discover that 1T emanates from
some crank or theOrfSt who expresses his senti-
ments, but omits to sign his name. 1t is not
many days since Assistant Secretary Muldrow
received telegraphdc dispatch. the bulk of
which induced him to believe that ii must con-
tain matter OF ofiicias Importance Upon open
ing it be found tumble OF uninteligible jargon,
breakers Of PpSbe liz u In him bant snS
the same time Secretary Lamar received a
screed IS, signed n THE Bride Of Christ" It was
in about equal proportiens aud must have
emanated from some 1hnatic arsylum.
Since his retirement from public position
pension commissioner, charging, in bitter
terms, the defeat ofBlaine upon him 1t accused
Of the country and Of having drawn them S6,ens m
the republican party by making the Pension
office an eiectioheerfng bureau. "It was such
bigOted partiZanS, blind bigots as you" said the
writer, ':whO beat u.s.
THE PRESIDENT
is no more exempt from the effusions Of anony-
nous scribblers than other officials. Indeed
he is . shining mark for them. The prominence
of his position seems to render him a favorite
subject. Now and then he gets letter from a
"sincere friend" warning him of treacherous
foes within his household or cabinet, and not
aanireqaenhy y. ietterS without SIGNATURES are sd-
dorsing some most erhtnently worthy person
for appointment to Office. The fact that all
these,anonymous letters are consigned to waste
baskets without consideration, generally with
out even reading by the official to whom they
are addressed, never seems to dawn upon the
minds OF the writers. The volume rather in
creases than diminishes as. II. The writers fiat
tered themselves that all they would seek to
accomplish was attained.
Under the secesy Of anonymous letters vari-
Gus schemes, political, social and pecuniary, are
worked or sought to he worked in Washington.
1t has not been many weeks since an article,
having a fictitious signature, appeared in one
OF the city papers. purpOrting to give certain
inside facts concernng the politics Of one of the
of the state referred to received an anonymous
letter cautioning him that the article was writ
ten for the purpose OF doing him harm, but the
writer Of the communication addressed to him
could save him. The Senator treated that let
ter as he Was in the habit of doing those with
out proper signatures, but In the course of a few
days 1t tranSpired that the author of the pub
lished article and of the anonymous letter were
one and the same, and that his object was to
place the Senator under supposed obligations
and get his influence to procure an appoint
ment.