Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-01-21
SOME CAPITAL NOTES.
Warning and Advice to Office Seekers
New Lincoln Anecdots.


don't suppose, says the Washington
correspondent of the Philadelphia Record,
there are anv Democratic Ofice-seekers
in Pennsylvania, but if there are warn
them against certain blind guides which
will only lead them astray if they listen
to them. These guides are printed in
handy volumes, paper bound, selling in
the Washington marIet for from Is to %
cents apiece. There are half dozen va
rieties, gotten out by as many enterpris-
ing publishers, who think they can see
with their minds eye a rich harvest of
silver pieces just ahead. The title-page
of the best of these guides that l have
seen purpOrts to tell the anxious way
iarer exactly how to get an office under
the government without passing
civil-serYice examinatiOn-iust as
thought that was the only obstacle to be
passed. The impression sought to be
made is that If any ambitious young man
or woman buys this little manual he or
she will find an easy entrance into the
government service and an easy life in
the same. The desired information does
not appear on the first page of the book.
That and all the subsequent pages, ex-
cept the very last, are hlled with pictur-
esque descriptions of the fat offices hang
ing on the trees of the government para
disc, with their fascinating salaries
attached. They are all there, and in their
most attractive forms. Down at the foot
of the last page in the little book is a brief
paragraph which would seem humorous
10 any one not personally interested in
the search for office. 1t embOdies
all the "adVice" you can find between
the two covers Of the ssguide." and
is cOuched in smart terms that are
enthusiastically American. 1t begins
with the fippant truism that Gin politics,
as in every other pursuit, the longest pole
knocks the perSlmmOn." 1t Celebrates
this by advising the applicant for Office to
begin by getting the indOrseme Mt of all
the local politicians he knows, then of all
the state politicians, then of his Senators
and Representatives, and then of any
other influential men that he can reach.
Then it warns him that he must not eX-
pect success unless he is constantly, in
season and out of season, pressing his
application with closest diligence. Pos
sibly after a year or so of this sort of eff
fort he may get something" This is
true enough, but it's not worth 10 cents.
My advice to the 0tficeseeker is much bet
ter and cheaper: Don't"
think l have a new LincOln-StantOn
story. AT least, the Congressman who
told it spoke as though he had just dis
covered the document which is its basis.
II vas an dppliCdllOu lOE Il CudpldluCy III
the army, with series of Endorsements
by Lincoln and Stanton on its back, which
ran over the available space on the APP
plicatiOn and down on slip of paper
which had been added 10 receive them.
These were the Endorsements, each being
Dated "Dear Stanton Appoint this
man a chaplain in the army. a. Lincoln"
Dear Mr.. Lincoln: He is not
preacher. Z. NJ. Stanton" Three or four
months elapse, evidently, and then we
have: "Dear Stanton; He is now. A.
Lincoln" Dear Mr.. Lincoln: But there
is no vacancy. L. NJ. Stanton" "Dear
Stanton Appoint him a chaplain-at-
large. A Lincoln" "Dear Mr.. Lincoln:
There is no warrant of law for that. E.
NJ. Stanton" Dear Stanton: Appoint
him anyhow. A. Lincoln" "Dear Mr..
Lincoln l will not. Z. NJ. Stanton"
And he didn't. But apparently he told
the applicant that he could leave his APP
plicatiOn on file, for there it is among the
dry old Documents