The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-15
WARNING TO oFFIcE-HoLDERs.
The President Lays Down a Few Plain Rules
for Their Guidance.

The President Lays Down a Few Plain Rules
for Their Guidance.
Special to the Indianapoiis Journal.
WASHINGTON, July 14-In connection with
circular to federal ofice-holders, warning
them against participating in approaching cam
paigns beyond the exercise of their franchise
President Cleveland speaks of the matter of re-
movals in way intended to put stop to such
work as has been done by postmasters at Indian
apolis, Baltimore and other places. The Presi.
dent orders that there shall be no changes made
IN Offices on account of political likes and dis
likes, and that removals for offensive partisan
ship" as that term has been generally accepted,
shall cease. He means to inaugurate modera
tion, and to make as near impossible as lies
within his power preferment in office on account
of political bias, and to remove politics from the
government service.
The order was brought about by the conduct
of certain officials in the West, and particularly
by Collector Hunter, of the Lawrenceburg dis
trict. and officers st Fort Wayne. Indianians
went to the President and told him that tho
conduct of certain officials in that State was
bringing discredit upon the administration The
President made inquiry, and hence the procla-
nation. The order is as follows:
"ExECUTIvE MANSION.
''WAsHINGToN. d. g. July IA 1886
ITO the Heads of Departments i'll the Service Of the
General Government:
81 deem this proper time to especially warn
all subordinates in the several departments. and
all office holders under the general government,
against the use of their official positions in at
tempts to control political movements in their
localities. Office holders are the agents OF the
people, not their masters. Not only is their
time and labor due to the government, but they
should scrupulously avoid in their political nc
tions, as well in the discharge of their official
duties, offending by display of obtrusye parti-
sanship their neighbors who have relations with
them as public officials. They should
also constantly remember that their
received preferment have not invested
them with the power of arbitrarily managing
the political affairs. They have ne right. as
oficehoIders. to dictate the political action of
their party associates, or to throttle freedom of
action within party lines by methods and prac-
tices which pervert every useful and justifable
purpose of party organization. The influence
of federal oficeholders should not be felt in the
manipulation o political primary meetings and
nominating conventions. The use by these
officials of their positions to compass
their selection as delegates to political
conventions is indecent and unfair and proper
regard for the proprieties and requirements of
official place will also prevent their assuming
the actlVe cohuuct OF poIlIlcai campaigns Indl-
vidual interest and activity in political affairs
are by no means condemned. Oficeholders are
neither disfranchised nor forbidden the exercise
of political privileges but their privileges
are not enlarged, nor their duty to
party increased to peGnieious activity
by officeholding. 4 just discrimination
in this regard between the things citizen may
properly do and the purposes for which public
officer should not be used, as / say. in the light
of correct appreciation of the relation between
the people and those intrusted with official place,
and consideration Of the necessity, under our
form of government. of political action free
from official coercion. You are requested to
communicate the substance of these views to
those for whose guidance they are intended.
"GRoyER CLEVELAND"