Evening star., 1933-10-29
Capital Sidelights
By WILL p. KENNEDY.

The difficulties Of the present ad-
ministration In making political ap-
pointments to fill vacant Offices, COM
monty known es patronage" which has
its particular local emphasis in the long
postponement Of announcing the Sc
lections for District Commissioners, Is
an old story about the White House
Practically all the Presidents have had
more or less of the same trouble-since
Washington himself looked upon this
task as zone Of the most difficult and
delicate parts OF the duty Of the office"
George Washington on May S, l789,
five days after his first Inauguration as
wrote to EdwaTd Rutldge Of
the well known handwriting of THE
Father OF His Country is well pre-
served, ara on Washington's birthday
anniversary 10 years ago photostat
copy made by r. c. Ballard Thurston
Of Louisville, KY. former president gen.
eral Of the Sons Of the American Revo-
luton. a famous scholar and historian,
was presented to the then President
Calvin Coolidge. who observed that at
the very beginning Of the republic the
question Of presidential patronage was
q difficult one.
In the manuscript division Of the
Library Of Congress, in No. Z. pages
44-45. Of the Washington Letter Books,
there Is to be found O copy Of the
original letter. The original letter of
President Washington-agreeably to the
custom then obtaining-was copied by
a clerk or secretary into letter book,
which has been carefully preserved.
The copy Of the original thus made Is in
excellent condition.
In the original letter q few of the
words, here and there. have in time be-
come obliterated, but these are supplied
by the copy contained In the letter
book.
In this letter the human side of
Washington Is clearly revealed. At
tention Is particularly called to the
paragraph next preceding the last,
when, in speaking Of the claims Of one
who has been strongly recommended
for presidential appointment he says,
among other things, that from sys-
tenn which I have prescribed to myself
I can say nothing decisive on particu-
lar appointments: yet may be allowed
to observe in general that nothing
could be more agreeable to me than
to have one candidate brought forward
for every Office, of such clear preten-
sions as to secure him against compe-
tition"
This sentiment. no doubt. has been
prayerfully breathed by every American
President from Washington's time to
this good hour.
Washington's letter is as follows:
My Dear Sir: / cannot fail Of being
much pleased with the friendly part
you take in everything which concerns
me. and particularly with the Just
III -, 81 t. 1ort
great sacrifice which I consider myself
as having made for the good of my
country. When had judged, upon the
best appreciation ! was able to form
of the circumstances which related to
myself that it was my duty to embark
again on the tempestucus and uncer-
tain ocean Of public life I gave up all
expectations of private happiness in
this world. You know. my dear sir,
had concentered all my schemes, all
my views, all my wishes within the mar
row circle of domestic enjoyment
Though I fiatter myself the world
will do me the Justice to believe that,
at my time of life and in my circum-
stances, nothing but conviction of
duty could have induced me to depart
from my resolution Of remaining in
retirement, yet I greatly apprehend
that my countrymen will expect too
much from me.
fear, If the issue Of public meas
ures should not correspond with their
sanguine expectations. they will turn
the extravagant (and / may say undue)
praises which they are heaping upon
me at this moment into equally extrav-
agant (though I will fondly hope un-
merited) censures.
So much is expected, so many unto
ward circumstances may intervene in
such a new and critical situation, that
I feel an insuperable dif1dence in my
own abilities; feel in the execution of
the duties Of my arduouS office how
much shall stand in need of the
countenance and aid of every friend to
myself, of every friend to the Revolu-
tion, and of every lover of good govern
ment. I thank you. my dear sir, for
your af1ectionate expressions on this
point.
anticipate that one of the most
difficult and delicate parts Of the duty
to nominations for appointments.
receive with the more satisfaction the
strong testimonials in behalf of Mr..
Hall, because hope they will tend to
supersede the difficulty In this instance,
though from a system which I have
prescribed to myself I can say nothing
decisive on particular appointments:
yet may be allowed to observe in gen.
eral that nothing could be more agree
able to me than to have one candidate
brought forward for every Office OF such
clear pretensions as to secure him
against competition.
Mrs. Washington Is not here but IS
shortly expected: on her arrival I will
offer the compliments of Mrs Rutledge
and yourself to her. In the meantime
I pray you to believe that am, with
sentiments Of the purest esteem and
highest consideration, my dear sir,