Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-11-04
THE SECRET RECORDS.
How Republican Sleuth- III Oun d s
Hunted Democrats Ont of Office.

OF the Treasury Department, in the
course of an investigation recently which
necessitated the overhauling of some
dust-covered department records, came
unexpectedly upon several bushels o.
papers which are revelation OF Republi.
can methods in the palmy days before
Civil Service became even hope. The
documents, from which quotations are
made below, are the official records oi
the Treasury, and are an interesting
legacy from the grand party which
is now seeking restoration tc
power upon the "glory of its past
history" and it's "unexampled record
The documents exhibit a condition oil
affairs unparalleled in the history of parti-
san warfare save amorg the petty mon
archies of the Feudal Ages, when the
refusal to swear fealty meant instant
death. In these old records runs story
of barbaric persecution that would never
be believed were it not that the black
lists stand over the dreaded signatures
of those Republican executioners who
swung the official ak. Human sleuth-
hounds were kept in training by the
Treasury Department to prosecute a
tireless hunt for evidence against the
employees. And where no direct or even
indirect proof could be found that a
clerk held views other than Republican
suspicion that he had a leaning towards
Democratic principles was sufficient to
behead him.
THESE WE'RE THE REASONS.
Such was the relentless energy with
which these cold-blooded prosecutors
nosed out their victims that no consider
alton for long years of duty, faithful SER
vice or manifest ability averted for
moment the official guillotine. Old and
valuable clerks were discharged because
they had mo Republican influence )" be-
cause they were Democrats; because
appointed by Copperhead influence"
because recommended by Johnson.
Such fatal qualifications as those were
much more than enough to drive the most
valuable clerk from the service. But
when the Department had been pretty
well cleansed of these dangerous parti-
sans it became necessary to satiate the
craving of more greedy Republicans, and
further search was made for clerks of
doubtful faith. Then it was that the
most astonishing excuses were invented
for continuing the beheading to make
room for Administration workers. One
woman was quickly discharged after
years of hard and faithful service be.
cause she was "a rebel and of a very
bitter Washington family" The head
of another fell because he was
a Southern sympathizer. An
others because he was "border
ruffian during the Missouri troubles"
Still another was discharged because he
was the newspaper Correspondent OF
the National InteHigencer." Many were
got rid of because it was learned that
they read Democratic newspapers, and
several fell under the axe simply be-
cause they had bet on the election of
Democratic candidates. And in the case
OF George Barry, faithful and valuable
clerk in the Bureau of Statistics, the axe
fell because he swallowed the New York
World, advertisements and ALL"
This is only chapter i'll their intermin-
able story of outrageous partisanship
which marked the Republican depart
mental reign of terror at Washington
during the years following the war. Many
were the clerks who were put out simply
because they were "Irish," and many
there were who were removed only be-
cause they had friends who were Demo-
Gratis. The edict of the headsman was
final and beyond appeal. Wholesale dis
charges were made on the whispered sus-
picions of Republican heelers, and no
evidence was too slight to warrant dis.
missal. These are facts, and the unsa-
worry legacy left by the party of "unex-
ampled record" is on file among the
archives of the nation-a disgrace and a
shame to the men who held the reins of
power.
ARECORD TO BE PROUD OF.
Here is a copy of one of the documents
headed: "List of ladies in Mr.. Neale's
division, Registers Office, who are op-
posed to the present Administration ="
Mrs. Q. Lawrence, no claim doubtful.
Mrs. Hoe, from Virginia; no claim.
Mrs. Johnson; no claim.
Mrs. Julia Sidmonds, Baltimore, Md;
Democrat.
Miss Emma Cuppy, Democrat.
Mrs. Mary Killarol; no claim ; ap-
pointed by Copperhead influence.
Mrs. Laura Martin no claim appoint
ed by Copperheadi influence.
Miss Micklin mo claim; no Republi-
can influence.
Miss Fannie Cordero; no claim.
Mrs. Borro put in by Johnson.
Mre. Payne; put in by Johnson.
Ulsb LlZZl0 OtoWdIC, VI O0laWaro, put
in by Salisbury and no claim.
By "no claim" is meant that the clerk
was not of "the faith" It made no diff
ference how faithful and competent she
was. Mrs. Borro's offense, like Mrs.
Payne's, was in having bad President
Johnson's Endorsement. Every one of
these ladies was dismissed, as shown by
the records of the department, and not
one of them was permitted to say word
in her own behalf. Several of the dis
missals entailed great suffering and dis
tress upon families dependent upon one
poor woman for support.
Here is another list of employees
whose heads fell under the axe of merci-
less Republican persecution:
David V. Ventrer, in Comptroller of
Currency's Office, is Connecticut Cop.
perhead from Haddam, Conn. His wife
keeps boarding-school in New York,
and has always supported herself.
Mrs. Sophie Kroehl, Registers office,
Neale's Division. Rebel or Democrat
same thing.
Miss Annie J. Shirley is a Virginia
Democrat. She is in the Division of
Records and Files (Library).
Miss Helen R. Stanford, in same
division (Library), is Rebel and from a
very bitter old Washington family. Miss
Stanford has half-brother in the Inde-
pendent Treasury, named Charles w.
Sandy, who has occupied a position in
the Treasury since 1865.