The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1889-11-22

70 EePublicaD Clvii-Service Isef0rsssers.
Listen a. This Tale az Woe

MIR. PRESIDENT: I have another case.
do not know how 1t may seem
20 the senate. but 10 me II Is in.
nnitcly full Of pathos and iadig.
nation Down on the Ohio river. In ono
Of our Indiana counties. Is the town OF
Cannelton. Tho post-ofilce there Is Of
the fourth class, and regret II exceed
ingly, because II withdraws from our
consideration here the case TO which I
am about 10 refer Isabelle do La Hunt
was the widow Of Major Do La Hunt, Of
the Twenty-sixth Indiana Volunteers
lie was Democrats Democrat before
the war. Democrat during tho war, .
Democrat after the war. or after his re-
turn from the army. lie was gallant
man. At Prairie Grove, in Arkansas,
he was shot down by wound entirely
through the body. Recovering from this
desperate wound, he rcjoined his com
mand and again received a rebel bullet
through his arm. Disabled by these
two wounds received in his count-ys
service, he was compelled TO leave the
army and return to Perry County, Ind.
In acknowledgment OF his Democracy,
In recognition. ! may hope, OF his gallant
service as soldier. the Democracy Of
Perry County elected him to one Of
the county Offices. But his days
were few. His vital forces had
been SO Slapped by the wounds
which he had received that it was not
long until sorrowing widow and one
only child followed the remains Of as
brave soldier as ever went out from
Indiana TO his last resting-place in the
grave. This widow. left with small
means. entered upon the work Of main
tanning herself and that soldiers orphan
boy. For many years her old father
was postmaster at Cannelton. and she
his principal and most efficient deputy.
Something like year or eighteen
months ago. her old father being beyond
eighty years OF age and unable to dis
charge the duties Of the Office, Isabelle
De La Hunt, the widow was appointed
on my request by Mr.. Hatton, then
Postmastcr-Gencral, to this little post
Office.
II there was in all this country one
person who by reason Of her sex, who
by reason Of her widowhood, who by rea-
son Of the sacrifice she had made in Civ
ing the arm on which she leaned TO her
country's service, was entitled to be
kept in Office. was entitled to have her
reputation guarded jealously by all men
who represented the Government, it was
Isabelle De La Hunt. Fearing, however,
that some person might be mean enough
to misrepresent her for the sake Of OBJ
tanning this little Office. she wrote to the
honorable Observation-Disclosures in March
last expressing her apprehension and
asking him in case charges should BE-
made against her to do her the favor Of
giving notice thereof. 50 that she could
refute them. and also informing him OF
her husbands service, death, OF her
financial necessities, and the further
fact Of her husbands politics.
Mrs. DE La Hunt was removed, and
neither to that appeal nor to later ap-
peal to know the character Of the vile
charges that had been preferred against
her was she given the simple recoDni-
tion Of an answer.
Now, Mr.. President, perhaps my dis
tinguished friend from Kansas, whose
command OF language 50 far surpasses
my own, might characterize this trans
action. perhaps he could touch 1t up q
little: but to me that work is impossi-
BILE. The story OF Mrs. De La Hunt car
ries its own pathos and its own indigna-
ton.
CHATTER H.
From the New York Evening Post. Mayg 1850
The Cleveland administration having
gone out, and General Harrison having
become President. Mrs. De La Hunt ap
piled for restoration to her old position
as postmaster. There was no doubt as
to local sentiment demanding the resto-
ration OF this most efficient and worthy
person to her old Office. She presented
petition more numerously signed than
that OF any other applicant, and repre-
scnting an overwhelming majority Of
tho patrons Of the Office. Of course
Mrs. DE La Hunt was reappointed to her
old position as soon as her old champion.
benjamin Harrison, became President?
On the contrary. the Office has been
given to John Zimmerman, who has been
chairman Of the Republican County Com
mittce, and whose only claim TO the
place is party service.
CHAPTER III.
From the New York Press, June II. 1891
WASHINGTON, June 10.-A reporter Of
the United Press to-day called the atten-
ton OF Mr.. Clarkson, First Assistant
postmaster-Gencral, to the post-of1ice
case at Cannelton, Ind. about which the
President has been criticised because Of
the appointment Of Mr.. Zimmerman.
Many papers have quoted Mr.. Harrison's
speech in the United States Senate in
1856 in opposition TO the removal Of Mrs.
Do La Hunt, former postmistress, from
this Office, and have criticised his action
in falling to appoint her now, whom she
was an applicant With Mr.. Zimn rman.
Mr.. Clarkson said: 1.-THE President had
made . memorandum directing the ap
pointment OF Mrs. De La Hunt, suppos-
ing the Office to be Prcsidcnt ial, but the
appointment was really Of the fourth
class, and had already appointed Mr..
Zimmerman upon the accommodation
Of Congressman Poscy, whose indorsc-
mcnts are usually followed In the dis
trict. knowing nothing Of the desire OF
the President for Mrs De La Hunts re-
appointment, nor Of the circumstances
~ tho case am inclined TO think that