The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1889-08-22
THE NEGRO IN THE EPosTOFFICE.
The Atlanta Constitution and Turn'om-
out-ClarkSon Lock Horns about the
Negro Clerk.

ATLANTA. GA, August l4.-In reply
to the statement of Acting Postmaster
General Clarkson sent out to the .Asso-
ciated Press in reference to. the appoint
ment of the negro clerk, Penny, to
position il the Atlanta postofice, the
Constitution will say tomorrow in
double loaded editorial.
'..That the authorities in Washington
are determined to distort the facts rela-
tive to the appointment Of the. negro,
Penny, to place in the Atlanta post
Office is clearly shown by the. telegram
which was printed yesterday. Nearly
every statement attributed to Acting
Postmaster General Clarkson, in. that
telegram, is false on. the,face Of it and
the telegram may justly be regarded as
a deliberate attempt on the part Of an
official supposed to be close to the ad-
ministration to deceive the public; with
reference to an event that has become
notorious. Mr.. Clarkson says that the
Atlanta postmaster. appointed Charles
c. Penny who stood at the head of the
civil.service list Of eligibles. This is
false. When Lewis appointed Penny
he was the lowest on the list oftwo and
Lewis did not discover until afterwards
that Sturgis, the white applicant, was
not eligible for he appointed him to 3
elerkship in another department: next
day. Lewis himself says that he ap-
pointed Penny to the position in the
registry department because he would
then be less liable to come in contact
with the public, but Mr.. Clarksoa says
that Penny was assigned to work in
the registry division, not in the same
room with the young lady, but in. an
other. The impression here sought to
be left on the epublic mind is false. Ex-
postmaster. Renfroe, who. knows a
great deal more about the workings of
the postomce here than Lewis, says
that the clerks in the registry depart
ment are necessarily brought into con-
tact and association. Mr.. Clarkson says
that the young lady and her father,
who was superintendent Of the registry
division and had the assignment Of
clerks, both resigned because the negro
had, been appointed to q place in the
office. That thisis absolutely: false is
shown by Mr.. Clarkson himself, who
goes on to say that there were five
negro clerks in the postotice under the
Democratic postmaster. :.
'"This attempt at whitewashing,
which emanates from Washington, will
not be successful; The people Of At
lanta know what they are; about and
in this progressive, liberal city public
sentiment is meyer at fault in matters
of this kind. If all that Mr.. Clarkson
has said is true, how is it that Mr.. Van
winkle, Republican, refuses to remain
on General Lewis bond? If the post
master did not violate the civil service
law, how is it that Judge Henry B..
Tompkins comes off his. bond on that
very ground and shows that the sp-
pointment of the negro was deliberate
and inexcusaHe? The Constitution
assures Nh GaEkson that neither. the
administration nor:any ofits servants
will be permitted to slander and mis-
represent Atlanta"
&, WASHINGTON, D. G., August IA
The above dispatch from Atlanta was
shown to Acting -Postmaster-Gene
tClarkson tonight and he was asked
what be had to say in regard to it. He
said:
II have no wish to follow the matter
up. l stated the official facts, the lit
eral truth. . The Constitution seernsc :
eaHe 3 been theasegiginal ansna,f aftas ttlslhg
W. w.rd sI' = : secohds scfie ha a'tel H. ne d
rev @rI al ana rushed Ell Lanford "eH5 n5
'o1,Tad ,peW MS right hand on Lanfardq, Lniorq and
'oalaer. or. AT that time thev h"toru.s "tors left 1