The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-12-31
RANK PARTIsANsu1p,
Republicans Removed from Oncs Without
just CRuae,

~HTN""N
WASHINGTON, Dsc. 3O,-Ths rank par
tizanship Of some OF the bureau officers ol
the present administration leads them to
take advantage Of every opportunity that
offers to get rid Of a Republican. One Of
the most persistent enemies oI a Rspubli.
can clerk Is Third Auditor Williams, OF
the Treasury, who halls from some God
iorsaken community In Indiana. Ho it
was, when appointed, that caused the pic.
tures OF Grant and other prominent sAylora
Tot the Union to be removed from ths walls
OF the othcs, where they had hung for
many years, and relegGtsd them to the
shades ol storeroom, Soon as he en-
tered the Treasury Department he began
q systematic warfare upon those who hap
pensd to differ from him in politics. One
OF the frst TO feel his wrath was clerk in
the office named 7, H, SyhheEd, q Union
veteran, who, sinCa the war, has resided
in Virginia,
Williams dismissed him because, as al
legged, Sypherd had gone to Ohio and vot-
cd for Blaine and logan In 1884; and,
furthermore, he had contributed 10 tho
campaign fund Of the Virginia Republic
cans, sypherd was enable to show that
he did not vote In Ohio, that he did not
even have o residence there, and that the
object OF his visit was to see sick rela.
tive. He admitted that he had Contribut-
ed 10 The campaign fund ot the Virginia
Republicans, but In doing so had only ex.
erClsed his right as an American citizen to
spend the money he earned as seemed to
him best, II was thought after invsstiga-
ton that case ot "pernlclous activity"
as tho phrase went after "otfsnsiye pal-
tisanship" was dropped, had not been
made out, A short time ago 6ypherd was
walking with two Of his fellow clerks, one
OF them being an sI-Oonfsderate from
West Virginia, about the proposed
memorial bridge across the Potomac, to
Arlington, 10 commemorate the services
which Grant, Lincoln, and other eminent
men had rendered the republic, sypherd
was In favor Of the project. The OK. Con.
fsderate expressed the opinion that
the country had done enough In
the way q erecting monuments to
not In favor oil anything more Of the kind
unless the names Of ex.Oonisderates
should be placed side by side with the
Union Chieftains, sypherd rejojnsd by
saying that he hoped hs would not live to
see the day when those who fought against
the Union would be placed upon an
equality with It's defenders. In two hours
from the time he uttered the words, he
was dismissed by Auditor Williams for
having engaged In q political discussion.
The other two clerks, being Democrats,
were unmolested. They slGIl hold their
positions. 1t was noticeable when As.
Sistant Secretary Smith was appointed 10
succeed Charles Il. Coon In the Treasury
that he was In favor OF running the de-
partment In the interest Of the New York
Democratic machine. Republicans were
discharged right and left, and men only
who had distinguished themselves by
fealty to tho Democratic party put in their
places. The President found II necessary,
by reason ot the Mugwump complaints,
10 call q halt, Smith WAS given a chance
to explain.
When he told the President that he
could not consistently with his feelings as
q Democrat omit an opportunity to turn
out q Republican and put in member ol
his own party, the President, because Of
the pressure brought to bear by those
who demanded the redemption Of his
pledge TO civil service reform, requested
Smiths resignation. The office Of assist
ant Secretary was conferred upon Gov.
ernor Thompson, Of South Carolina, who
had made something Of q reputation as q
civil service reiormer. The new sppointee
did not disappolnt the expectations Of the
retormers, and matters went very smoothly
for time in the Treasury. Bu. things
have changed again. Itis noticeable that
since the return Of Secretary Manning to
the department the party. az has bsen
falling right and left. One Of the first
strokes severed the official heads OF q
number OF deputy auditors and officials Of
equal rank. The inference Ia plain that
Smith was appointed by Manning to do
Just what hs did do, and now that Man.
ming has recovered his health sufficiently
to once more take the helm, he hiss re.
sumed the policy which he marked out
for Smith, and which led to the request
for that gentleman's resignation. II was
Manning that inauguratsd the policy Of
diSplaClng Republicans by Wholesale, and
he proposes to keep up the business.