The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-16

Useless Appeals for His Assistance In Pri-
Nnte Afinirs Which He Cnnnot Heed.

waite AhRirs when lie Cannot Heed.
From the date on which the President Of the
United Statos begins his annual message until
the close Of zach session OF Congress 200 to
! 200 letters arereceved each day at tho White
House. Even in the dull summer season tie
daily average IL fully 800. Only those of OBJ
vious Importance reach the eyes Of the Presi-
dent or even those of Secretary John Addison
Porter. They are all assorted by Mr. Por;ers
corps OF clerks Eighty per cent. OF them are
forwarded to the various executive depart
ments. and. by order OF the President. "A type
written form OF acknowledgment is sent from
the White House to the writer of each letter.
no matter how humble the &C correspondent or
how insignificant tho subject Of his commun-
cation. The letters received are all indexed.
and those retained at the White House arc
carefully and Systematically filed SO that il
evereneeded In legal trials or in tho nvesti-
cation Of crimnals,,thsy may be easily found
Many OF the letters addressed to the Presi-
dent are manifestly the emanations of disor-
deted brains. yet only a few are so hopelessly
unptelliRibe as to render reply impossible
Nearly every derar meut mGlntains 'cr0nk
tile.' but 1t is the aim 81 each to deal as cour-
teously as possible with all correspondents.
Strange as it may seem. the most unreasonable
letters received 10y the President are not the
productions oil FRANKS amt lunatlcs, They
come from the vast army Of the pain people
those who. with it'll" moro general intelli-
Eencr or better JeyclUped reasoning power.
would lie the back bona and sn.w" II tho ma
ton Most Of these letters are extremely
touching, as much for their had spelling. err.
r,rs OF syntaX and lame Io.ic. as for the rathos
the vehicles for every desire every hope and
every variety OF claim. real or imaginary. that
the hun an mind can conceive.
Scores OF these letters are filed with gratui-
tous suggestions and well-meant advice. APP
the r .s oy ba the Mrs.
persons " no cannot imagine how middle
aged couple with nuiet tastes can possibly find
dse for S5O.OuU a year. his sum would DO ex-
hausted in three DAYS were an attsmrt made
to ans ver all these appeals.
Executing requests for charity. the largest
number are from people who desire the Presi-
dents assistance in personal matters. Quite
number are from old lnion Veterans. who
imagine that their pension bus ness would he
eXpedit cd if the President who was once their
comrade in arms. would call on the Commis
least send an autograph letter in each case.
These numerous and sometimes pathetic ap-
eferred 70 the Pension ONCE there to lie acted
upon in the regular course of bus ness.
Fully as numerous, hut With much:s,s,s
cawber like indiyiduals who fondy believe
that the vaults Of the Treasury contain vast
wouId-b heirs of Joseph Ball Robert Morris
and William Penn II organized as military
force, w3ud be able II Point OF nHmbers, TO 70
ants to Tie mythics sia"o0,o066 popuIaTS be-
u
fund. derived from the "onhscation and sale OF
cotton 10y the United States Government dur
ing the civil wal No such fund exists.
plies alleged to have been taken by the Mon
army from southern landholders during the
'ivil war \ few OF these still unsettled claims
are Just and. in tho course OF time and the due
process Of law. will hspail. OTHERS have only
them were disallOHed years ago. by either tho
Court Of Claims or the Southern Claims Com
Congress for non proserutiGn many are OF
| tho variety known as stale because prosecu.
| ton has been so long delayed that all persons
having actual knowledge Of the facts are either
have not the slightest foundation Of fact on
which 10 Pest
Most oi these claims have been pending for
many years, either before Congress or the
Court Of Claims. Doubtless many more wears
will clupse before thay are all finally settled.
The claimants however, becoms impatient.
Of the laws or ignorance Cf thu fact that the
preS !ent himself must obey thos" laws, i'm.
pore him aga and again to usc his personal
influence In III" furtheranre OF their claims.
| They repeatedly advance tbs statement that
all he has to do is to order" the payment OF
this or that claim and tho Secretary Of tho
| Treasury will he compelled to nay It.. All let
tiers relating TO money matters ultimately
| reach the Treasury, but. as should he we'll
known, the Secretary cannot diaburIe cent
| Of the country's funds without an appropria-
| ion therefor by Congress
Tho women who write LISTERS to tho Presi-
| dent are not all ignoiant hu one fault seems
| common t" !'S Per cent. OF them. They write
nages CT unnecessary ietall with regard to
ments with the most delicate and poetical lg-
ursS Of speech. Vet omit the essential in'orma-
ton on Itch their claims are Laced; They
dresses and proofs Of identity OF the parties
| directly concerned: but battery, nowery
rhetoric and religious sentiment abound.