National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-09-28
FOR THE PRESIDENT.
To Decide whether tho Civil Service
Law IL violated with His Consent.

LAW ~ Niolhteu WIN MS COnsents
WAsnINGToN, d. G., Sept. 25, 1sS6.-MR.
PRESIDENT; ! have just been removed from
the classified service OF the Interior Depart
ment upon the ground that am Republic
car. 1t is not my purpose TO complain to
you that the ground OF my removal sun
just, or to ask to be reinstated. But there
are facts connected with my discharge
which Gre such n gross violation OF your
well known policy and pledges that ] feel
II my duty as citizen and friend TO
honest government to communicate them
TO you.
Some time ago discovered that the. OIL
cials Of the pension bureau, In which was
employed, desired to remove me from
office, and that having no cause Tor doing
go other than my Republicanism, were de-
termined to hunt up something " possible.
AT first they accused me OF violating the law
and my oath Of Office by giving information
privately TO q certain pension attorney OF
This city This charge / Indignantly de-
MED. / had never seen the attorney In
my life, and besides | proved concluslvcly,
by records In the office, that l could not
have given the information.
Being defeated In this, their next move
was to ask for my resignation upon the
charge that had been abusing the COM
missioner, ridlculing his administration Of
the pension office, and making other un-
manly charges. l again protested my inno-
cence Of their charges, stating that II they
wanted my resignation because | am Re.
publican l would give II to them, but
declined to leave the office under such
Infamous charges. i asked the privilege OF
defending myself, but they informed me
that the evidence against me was positive
laborer In hotel having overheard my
conversation--an lntimated that my defense
would be Of no avail. then demanded an
investigation, and told them would not
leave the office until had an opportunity
to answer their charges. Knowing that the
charges could not be sustained, they failed
to order the investigation. The gentleman
who manufactured the latter charges after
ward confessed the fact to me In the pres
ence OF a witness.
Now / receive notice that my services
are dispensed with. Upon asking the cause
/ am Informed by Gen. Mclean, acting
commissioner, that II is due to "outside
pressure.n
lie stated further that l am q Republican
and that this is Democratic administration;
that "the Republican party has been threat
ening us and saying that we dare not turn
Republican clerks out, and we arc going to
show them that we can do IT," He then
predicted that from now on there VIII be
scores of Republican clerks discharged, not
only in the pension office, but throughout
the departments generally.
Mr.. President, although deny all Of the
charges against me and challenge compari-
son Of my record with that OF any other
clerk, am not speaking in my own behalf,
but In behalf Of those who are still In sus-
pcnse, many OF whom have no other means
Of support. You have asserted that ga
public Office is q public trust" and re-
peatedly promised that retention In office
should be governed solely by efficiency aud
devotion 10 that trust. While your friends
feared ana your enemies hoped that you
would not sustain these pledges, the great
body OF the people believed that your mo-
lives were sincere, and they determined to
stand by you in your efforts TO reform the
public service. Yet hundreds OF honest,
faithful, and efficient clerks, who relied
upon yourword and did all In their power to
prove themselves worthy Of their positions,
have been discharged by your subordinate
officers for no other reasons than that they
are Republicans-though often upon pre-
text which assailed their honor and Integrity.
Still no protest against such action
comes from you. These facts point to but
one Of two conclusions you are either uu-
aware Of the action Of your subordinates,
or approve OF their course. The former is
not probable, and the latter, In view Of your
public declarations TO the contrary, is hardly
becoming the exalted position, which you
occupy. At my rate, the people are grow
ing tired Of waiting for the era Of reform
which you promised them. They do not
hold you responsible for the act OF another
unless you indorseit. But when your chosen
representatives do an act they do 1t In your
name, and your silence approves 1t. Prom.
isss may win support. but the penalty fol
violating them is sure 70 follow. YOU
pledges to reform the civil service placed
you In the white house In 1884, aud unless
you repudiate the conduct OF your officers
the record OF your broken promises will
surely bar your entrance to II In 1888. Very
respectfully, JSo. w. LANGLEY.