The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-11-22
WASHINGTON.
The Political Quarrel Should Stop
What j. Altheus JOhnsOns Esq.
Saws Of the Matter.

Washington. D. c., Nov. II, 1893.
Editor Press and Banner:
The enclosed sheet ts copy OF the eonelud-
ing part of letter which / have written to
Mr.. Maxwell, Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General, who controls the appointment OF
postmasters. bad received good many let
ters concerning applications for post offices,
and, without undertaking to commend any
particular applicant, have written TO the
| Department at some length, speaking OF the
situation and referring by name to influential
whose endorsement Of an applicant would be
| a guaranty Of fitness for the Office. When
had compassed that part OF my letter. re-
ferred to the present not.action policy OF the
administration in the manner shown on the
enclosed sheet. think say nothing that 1s
not justly warranted by the facts
Johnstone sticks bis Pahs into Latimer,
disabling him, and then seems unable, 10
do anything himself I think 1t a pity that
u few men come here from South Carolina,
| each claiming TO represent the Democracy,
racy; and 1t Is equally 10 be regretted that
! the administration permits such wrangling,
giving by its inactlon quasi-endorsement to
| the unseemly contest.
rny letter was the most satisfactory account
it had had Of the situation. 1t was the desire
OF the office when called day or two ago
that should commit to writing what wish
| ed IL to consider. ]. Altheus Johnson.
The following is the extract referred to:
81 do not want to make remarks that may
seem 10 be officlous or pragmatical; but very
] many of the best people OF South Carolina
think that the Administration here might act
without reg trd TO the personal squabbles that
are indulged in bya few politicians. A few
| Repi esentatives make charges and counter
charges and apparently put q whole people
under the odium OF non-fealty to the prin-
ciples OF the political party in W hich they
| were reared. The man who holds the Gre
dentials as Representative from the Third
Congressional District OF South Carolina,
| and the man who would like TO hold them,
| come here and jower about the question o1
patronage to the disgust of the people they
| are claiming TO represent; and good people,
people who feel that they are better than
| either OF the lowering parties, smart under
the opprobriun which the Administration, by
Is non-a action, seems TO be putting upon them
I mean that the Administration. listening
apparently TO the wrangling OF few poiti.
clans, who represent nobody SO much as them
selves and who have disgusted all that they
claim to represent, is by Its non-action caus
ing the country at large to predict populism
and all that sort Of stuff, Of people that are
welded TO Democracy and whose fealty there
to is cruelty slandered when a Democratic
| administration stands aloofand listens to the
charges and counter-charges Of those who
wish to control the patronage OF that sec
i ton.
This letter Is written. as above said, not In
favor of any particular candidate, or set
l candidates, but asa protest against policy
which, by dignfying the personal wrangles
OF few politicians, Is prescribing whole
people as deserlers Of their political faith."