Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-06-26
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington, Jane 10, 1898.

secure in the positions they hold, n,
matter how often or how radical tn
change in the administration an,
heads of departments, surely the I'm
ion veterans should be that class, par
ticularly the crippled ones. This ii
not a matter into which politics SHOULD
enter at all. Long ago Congress en-
acted a law stating in the most ex
plicit language that these men should
be given preference in all places
of the civil service, but I am sorry to
say that this administration has vic
lated that law right along whenever
some position, outside of the clas-
sified service, which was held by q
veteran was wanted for a democrat,
and not satisfied with that Assistant
Secretary Simms, took advantage of
the lack of appropriations by the last
Congress, which made the dismissal
of sixty eight clerks from the General
Land Office necessary, to dismiss a
number of crippled veterans among
them. 1t was a needless act of cruelty
and it doubtless seemed all the harder
to the Union veteran who had left an
arm or leg on some battle field to
know that he has been discharged
from the service of the United States,
for which he fought, by ex-confeder-
ate, who at the same time was fight
ing against It.
Two of these crippled veterans, with
only two legs between them, who
were dismissed called upon Assistant
Secretary Simms, who himself lost
leg on the confederate side, and who
was once Governor of Mississippi, to
ask for reinstatement, and if the con-
versation which was reported to me
as having taken place between them
really did occur, and believe it did,
the veterans certainly had insult add
ed to the injury that had previously
been done to them. When they plead
ed for reinstatement because of their
crippled condition preventing them
earning livings for their families out
side of the government service, Mr..
Sirnms told them that there were
many crippled ex-confederates who
ployment from the government and
without being helped out by pensions
from the United States Your cores
pondent does not believe in reviving
or keeping alive the prejudices of the
war, but he does think that the treat
ment meted out to these Union vet
Grams is an everlasting disgrace to
this administration. The son of a
confederate officer said of the dis
charges of Union veterans: sThese
men gave four of the best years of
their lives to the preservation of this
government, and if I had my way it |
should be high treason to dismiss one
of them.
1t is rumored that Mr.. Cleveland
has concluded to call the extra session
of Congress earlier than September,
but members of tie cabinet deny that
any change has been made in the pro-
gramme or is likely to be made. The
pressure from New York city is par
ticqlarly strong for an immediate ex-
ira session but no one here expects it
to meet before September.
The verdict of the coroner's jury
which is trying to locate the blame for
the Ford's theater disaster, is expect
ed early this week.
Although the officials at the State
still maintain silly air of
mystery about the resignation of Min
achieved more notoriety in one min
Ute, by lowering the American flag in
Hawaii, than he had been able to get
n all his previous life, there is little
doubt that he has resigned and that
his successor has been selected. He
never would have been made minister
1T all except to attempt to legalize
he Illegal acts he performed while
lcting as "my personal representa-
ive'', a position unknown to the con-
Ititution or laws of the United States.
There are reasons for believing that
lis resignation was not voluntary, but
vas requested by the administration
or several reasons, chief of which is
is anxiety to crawl out of the awk-
ward position in which Blount's acts,
While acting under its carefully pre-
Jared instructions, have placed it.
The democratic Congressman have
orced Postmaster General Bissell to
ret down from the high horse upon
which he climbed in the early days of
he administration, and it no longer
equires charges against republican ..
ourth class postmasters to get their
laces for democrats The edict has