The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-03
AN INFAMOUS INPAMY.

widow of brave Democratic Union soldier,
who had died of his wounds, she had as his
successor to the Office, discharged its duties
faithfully and efficiently for years. So salts
factory had her services been that she was
universally popular among citizens of all
shades of political belief, and it was confident
ly expected, under all the circumstances, that
she would be retained, and more especially be-
cause her husband had been Democrat. The
sentiment in her favor was so we'll understood
that Congressman Kleiner refused at first to
listen to any plea for her removal. But as has
already been shown, he was induced to change
his intention when the local press opened
abuse on him, and he finally succumbed to
the pressure and caused to be appointed the
editor of the town paper to the place. Sur
prised at this unexpected change, Mrs. De la
Hunt wrote to Mr.. Kleiner to get his reasons
for her removal. In reply he said: Evidence
deemed sufficient to cause your removal has
been filed, and your removal was ordered on
account of partsanship shown in the conduct
of the office during the campaign just closed"
And this is all-no specifications, no hint of
what the charges were, and no satisfac-
ton offered The edict has gone
forth from the star-chamber of reform,
and with chance to reply or make defense,
a faithful employee is dismissed, with an un-
necessary and unmerited smirch upon her
character. Naturally enough, this aroused
her Indignation and she replies in an open
letter to Mr.. Kleiner, the only way left for
her. "Had the government" she said, ''seen
fit to remove me without alleged cause, as it
had an undoubted right to do should re-
main silent; but when 1 am sacrificed by
falsehood, l may be excused if I protest
against it." She then Indignantly proceeds
to challenge her accuser to make himself
known, and to publicly attempt to
substantiate his charges. She asks only
what any honest man or woman
would ask under the circumstances, that her
accuser allow the people to decide between
them after the secret and cowardly allegations
have been made known. This is one Of the
funda mental, although unwritten, rights of
citizenship, and in most instances the law
comes to the aid of the assaled in their con-
test against secret assassins of character.
Concluding, she says:
Somebody in this community has sworn TO
a lie to accomplish that which could not be
done through the fundamentally Of truth.
For this. [ now publicly brand him as per-
jurer. | DO not propose to lie under the false
accusations of any untruthful coward WIS
thus resorts to secret assassination of charac-
ter to accomplish an unjust object Hence
I appeal in this public manner to the honor
and consciences of all honest men and women
to condemn, as / know they must, this in
famous attempt to do me an injury. say to
the government-take your postoffice, but
not under false pretenses. Do this and l will
utter no word of complaint, however Must
it may appear. Excuse me, my friends you
who have known me from my childhood,
and are witnesses of my daily and official life,
excuse me if | manifest some feeling over
this wrong. | cannot help it. War; with it's
natural and inevitable results, struck down
my husband, my protector and support. 1t
BATTLE whom I try to forgive; but that the
government, to preserve which he sacrificed
his life, should connive with secret assassins
and false witnesses to strike down his family
without ansopportunity of vindication, is
national disgrace and an act too cows rdly and
base for absolution."
The case of Mrs. De la Hunt, even if it
were an isolated one, is of character calculated
to arouse honest Indignation throughout the
land. Not content with turning her into the
street to make room for blusterer, the great
party of reform must blacken her character as
an official as an apology for the act.
Republican ofice-holders, men and women,
make no objection to being turned
out of place to make room for
Democrats. They all expectit and are ready
But the Democratic President, with Phari-
saical profession of regard for civil-service
reform, insists that removals of minor officials
shall be for ''cause" only; hence this specious
respect for the rule made by him. The dis
graceful letter of instructions secretly issued
to congressman by Postmaster general Villas,
with at least the tacit consent of the Presi-
dent, solved the Gordian knot of observing
the letter of the civil service rules and at the
same time getting the Offices. Charges-no
matter whether true or false-must be
filed, and that is enough; the department.
will attend to the rest These "charges," for
the most part entirely false and wholly con
temptible and cowardly, are filed away, and
the accused, in utter ignorance of their ma
ture, has no recourse from these amiable as
sassins of character.
The most astounding feature of this in
famous business-for it is infamous from con-