Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-23
AN oLD-TIME OFFICE SEEKER.
An Ancient Letter Dug Up by Appoint
ment Clerk Holcomhe

An Ancient Letter Dug Up by Appoint.
ment Clerk Holcombe.
In delvins through a mass of antique
official literature today Appointment Clerk
Holcombe brought up the following old
and unique application for appointment:
BLUFF SPRINGS. Cass County, Mo-,
September Is, 1S49.
Dear Sir: This Is to inform you and
through you the President that I am will
ing to accept Of an office under this admin
istration. provided 1t pays well. But have
very little expectation Of getting one.
consider myself qualified to fill almost any
ONCE: but there are hundreds Of others
who are as well qualified as I am, and per-
haps better. I consider myself an honest
man; but there are thousands Of others
equally honest. ] am q political friend of
the President; but that Is no good reason
why j should receive an appointment I
am a stranger to fame and fortune; but
that is no good reason why 1 should not
receive one. / should Of course like to have
the best office; but beggars must not be
choosers. I should like to have an office
near home: but do not wish any honest
and capable officer turned out in order to
make room for me, who am untried. ! am
poor man; but do not wish to plead pow
erty. / am q farmer; but that argues
nothing for or against me. / am also a
surveyor; but there may be great many
better ones. I am a self-taught man; but
I have much yet to learn. 1 have the repu-
tation Of q great mathematician but do not
wish to boast of 1t. / have a small family
but everybody else either has or wishes
to have. i have lived several years in Mis-
souri,; but 1 am yet unknown to fame.
have sought Office, 1t is true; but 1 have
seldom been successful I see a great many
offices bestowed at Washington city, either
with or without merit; but none has fallen
to my share. This looks somewhat strange;
but how could 1t be otherwise? The great
probability Is that never will obtain one
but who knows? You may perhaps think
/ am testing with you in thus applying for
ONCE; but I assure you / am in earnest.
You may accuse me, too. Of egotism and
arrogance In thus addressing you; but how
can I expect an Office unless I ask for it!
You may perhaps wish to have my charac-
ter before appointing me to office; but, in
deed, I would not exchange my character
for any office whatever. I could. perhaps,
get good Recommendation from my neigh
bors: but do not wish to ask them to tell
q lie for me. II you wish q reference to
some one high in office will refer you to
the Hon. John F. Ryland of our supreme
court; but he knows very little. II anything,
about ME. II you can do nothing for me
In the way Of office please write to me and
say so; but make no apologies. shall
await anxiously an answer to this letter
but / shall be agreeably disappointed II ]
get one. My address Is Pleasant Hill, P.
o. Cass, alias Van Buren,, county, Mo-; but
what of that? In looking over this COM
munication see as many personal pro-
nouns as il IL had been written by Col.
Benton himself; but I assure you 1t was
not. could write more, but fear I would
be wasting time to no purpose. No more
To Thomas Ewing. secretary of the home
departmeft. Washington city, D. c.