Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1893-01-05
A DISGRUNTLED OFFICE SEEKER

The editor of the Greeneville Demo-
crat, who pants for the opportunity to
distribute mail in the Greeneville post
office under the incoming administra-
ton, is intensely disgruntled because !
advocate retaining the Union veterans
in Office, without regard to politics.
This was expected. This editor wants
no suggestions in that quarter, simply
because they fall with deadening thud
upon his toes.
Championing the cause of the old
soldier, on my part, is no new fact, but
since it is here directly challenged, for
the benefit of the knight of the greasy
quill, | will set in contrast and opposi-
ton the words of a battle SCARED vete-
ran. and a Democrat at that, uttered
ten years ago by Captain John Ryan.
The circumstances are these 1t was
my fortune to be elected Doorkeeper of
the House of Representatives of the
Forty Seventh Congress, in 1881. When
l was elected to that Office | found a
roll of fourteen men, created by Con-
gress for fourteen disabled Union SOL
diers. Upon this roll l found five dis
abled Union soldiers who were Demo-
Gratis in politics, viz: Captain j. w.
White, Hugh Lewis, Captain John
Ryan, John Rome and James j. Nc
Cornell the balance'of the Democrats
on the roll had seen no special serv-
ice-in fact, some had served only in
militia companies since the war. De-
string to do absolute justice to these
veterans, regardless of their politics, |
instituted a roll of distinctly disabled
Union soldiers, fourteen in number. l
did this by retaining the five Democrats
before mentioned borne on the roll
and appointed nine Republicans to sue
coed the able bodied Democrats. This
was done upon my W motion, and
was two years before the passage of the
Civil Service Law. The fourteen men
thus appointed are there today, save
two, removed by death. My action
was SO manifestly just that Congress,
by law, has made the removal of these
men impossible, except for cause, and
that charges preferred shall be report
ed to the House of Representatives and
sustained by the House before the
D~oorkeeper can remove them. This
was done regardless of politics and
pressure for place. When | left the
Office Captain Ryan, In behalf of these
manned veterans, in presenting to me
an elegant testimonial of their regard,
said you honored us on account of
our records instead of our politics re-
m%embering our sacrifices and forgetful
of our political sentiments or opinions.
You, sir, have been our friend.n The
contemplate suspicious of the editor
of the Greeneville Democrat are light
as feathers, easily to be borne with
these hearty, substantial words behind
me.
Again, he is disgruntled because
many Democratic veterans in the First
District voted the Republican ticket in
the last election, and so attribute to me
what he calls dirty tricks to deceive
and prejudice voters'-a circumstance
that l never heard of until l saw it in
his sheet, and certainly do not believe
that any such an idea ever emanated
from any Republican source.
Still again, he is afflicted because l
gave the army record of the ex-Union
soldier postmaster at Greeneville, and
said that he ought to be retained in Of
fee until his commission expired. He
says it shows OF nay part cheek, poor
sense and bad judgment in wanting
him retained, because l was opposed to
is appointment Well, it is ads.