Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-01-09

what People Write to the President IN
Prominent O0eiWlS.


LETTERS TO UNCLE SAM.
what People Write To the President and
Prominent O0eiMls.
THE NAN WHO ONCE REPAIRED THE PREsr-
DENTS COAT ASKS A FAv0R-A GosSIPY
LETTER FROM A WESTERN PosrxASTER--
CURIOUS EPIsTLHs FROM THE OFFICIAL NAIL
BAG.
The multitude Of letters which are received
every day by government officials on everv
conceivable subject seems to be an indication
that there are great many people in this coun-
try who have fondness for writing letters. As
rule, the composition and photography gives
no evidence that the writer's have even the
slight literary ability which is required to
write good letter. The cramped handwriting
and eccentric spelling betrays want Of prac-
tice in the art Of writing, and very often the
paper bears the marks OF a stubborn struggle Of
the writer with the pen and ink. But whatever
else they may lack the writers have q coplous
store OF ideas, and the necessity OF giving ex-
preston to these thoughts is the motive Of
MANI of these letters. Among these cores
selfish lovers Of their e country Who wish 70 see
correct principles SO they sit down and write
10 the President and give him advice.
NOT A DICTATOR, BUT A DENocRAr.
For instance, take the letter from man who
writes In the following strain:
Dear Ffiend-I take up my pen, not as q die
tator, but as democrat and as a lover OF our
ing from a severe pain in my head. pray that
you may receive Divine guidance in your posi-
ton. have only one request TO make" Then
the writer goes on to say that some provision
should be made to pension all honorably dis
charged soldiers of the late war, and proceeds
that he should recommend such legislation.
with his love for his Country is not explained.
pearing In the same sentence that in the writer's
mind the relation was an Intimate one.
sH are ss1s who hsvs no
often, and with affection, of those in public
Office, and have the desire to smooth their
official pathway, and contribute something to
their amusement.
AN OLD OFFICIAL CHuM.
AS an illustration Of this type of q CORE
spondent is the following letter written BY a
western postmaster to an oficial in the Post
Office department, whom the latter declares he
never knew or heard OF before:
Dear Sir thought OF writing to you for
Some time as we have been old chuns in office
together and give you the General News about
here the Cropes are very good wheat so bushels
per acor, oats and Barley 60 IS bushels TO the
acor and fat Hogs way four and five Hundred
fitz Cooper had a calf kid by the cars running
owe it, old Kit Broak her Neck by falling in u
ditch the other day. Mrs. Rucker had big boy
old Bow She got o long all right and is or has
named her boy after you mother one Of our old
chums mrs Hill was sick and had Bouncing
girl
Old fan had Seven pups and Kept one and
called it (name OF the OFFICIALLY and 1t wares a
Brass Coler marked initials OF his na,ne.)
the wather is fine and apels look we'll would
write more but Eat to meuny Green apels and
they give me the Beler Axe
There is a crispness about these paragraphs of
local news and an attention to what other peo-
pie might regard as petty matters. which
spondent,' Of brilliant parts, lies buried in that
remote western post office.
TEACHING SCHOOL BY NAIL.
A school girl in Nebraska affords an example
Of another class OF Uncle SANS correspondents,
which is a very large one, and which includes
1t is those people who write for information,
and the questions range from complex ones of
political economy to simpler matters of routine
Interior department.. II write to you for inor-
nation. Our school got in dispute whether
could not decide, our teacher told US it would
territOries?''
spondence is attended to and tho attention
which is given TO even the most trivial requests,
the ane following reply of Acting Secretary Null
II have the honor to acknowledge receipt of
your letter of the 18th ultimo, requesting to be
capital, and whether it is governed as other
territories In reply, you are respectfully in
formed that the Indian Territory Is not an Or
ganized territory OF the United States, is not
governed as other territories, and consequently
has no territorial capital. 1t is Indian country
oSS6IPed by various Indian tribes among
Chickasaws and Seninoles, known as the fl We
civilized tribes, each OF them having an organ
lied government and capital city within its
own country. For five or more years after
1859 the Indians Of the territory under and in
pursuance of treaties made with some Of them
IN hnl oil n SonslS~
Okmulgee in the Creek nation, and that city
| was then. and for that reason, looked upon as
seR has
| no longer any claims to be considered as the
capital Of the territory
REPAIRED THE PRESIDENTS COAT.
Then there are the correspondents who en-
deavor to fortify their own little claim ON the
government with "reminiscences OF acquant-
| ance with the men in power, or perhaps some
reference to favor conferred in the past. a
specimen OF this kind is Il letter which man
wrote to the President, reminding him that he
once had a coat repaired ut his shop, and at
that time the writer was then able to confer a
favor which the President is now in position
to return. Would he not therefore be so good
as to drop the Interior department few lines
regarding my pension, AS they seem to be
rather SLOW ABOUT DOING anything FOR man
who cannot afford to pay lawyer at Washing
ton for his services.
AS the President probably paid the tailor for
mind that it was hardly n favor; but then pen
sion claim makes such transactions assume q
different character.
NOT PAID IN FULL.
Another pension correspondent, who wishes
to have full justice done to his physical con-
dition by his government. writes in the follow
ing strain:
81 received q pension from the Department a
few days since, was indeed glad to receive the
same, but was somewhat surprised at the
amount You only allowed it on direhea aud
as my lungs are fully as bad and did not get
any thing for that but perhaps 1t has been over
looked: Will you please inform me what the
difficulty is &C."
A SOLUTION OF THE SILVER PROBLEM
writer Of q financial turn Of mind is
| anxious to prevent the President from making
| a mistake. but he is doubtful Of the wisdom OF
writing to the chief executive directly, and so
he sends the following request to one OF the de-
partment officials: II wish that you would
| step over and see the President and say that I
think he Is OFT his base on the silver question.
Tell him think II he will pay the government
clerks in silver dollars the ship OF state will
soon right herself"
WANTS TO WRITE A NOVEL.
A Forlorn Aufhoress Who Writes "a
Santa Clans for Help.
The gentleman who takes from the city post
| office the letters addressed to 'Santa Claus