Year: 1877

wAsniSGroN, Sept 90 1877.
THE QUESTION OF THE OHIO CLERKS GOING HOME


TO voTE-EFFoRrs At A SENSATION SPOILED


SATISFACTION OF THE GOVERNMENT EN-


PLoYEs WITH THE CIVIL SERVICE RULES.


Tho newspapers have made unwarrantod sensa.
ton about the matter OF Ohio clerks gong homo TO
vote at the State election next month"; and many OF
them have becn deceived into publishing reports that
are grossly untrue. Last Monday morning tho
HERALD Washington despatch summed up the matter
In tho statement that tue ohio the government
service under pressure to go homo TO vote
and II they did would do voluntarily and at their
own expense Meanwhile the usual absurd stories
havo gotten into print that tho old draeooning sys-
tom had boen revived and that the clerks
were 10 be granted leaves OF abb
sence and that they wero being assessed
tor transportation and would bo forced to 90 to Ohio
and vote the republican ticket noiens vosns


The real facts thnt about week ago General
Grosvenor. Speaker OF the Ohio House OF Representa-
tives, came here TO impress upon Ohio men tho i'm
portance Of going home to vote. In company with
Mr. McGrcw, Sixth Auditor, he went through tho
Treasury and other dcpar tmcnts and made personal
appeal to tho Ohio mon to secure leave of absence
for this purpose. HIS conversation addressed to
Ohio mon only. No mention OF party made
Among his hearers wero the dozcn Ohio democrats
who hold Office In the departments, thanks TO tho
influence with this adm OF General Banning
A thirteenth Ohio man went far to procla i'm
opcnly his Intention to 20 homo to support the
Independent or Beatty movement In furtherance OF
tho proposition OF General Grosvcnor a meeting OF
Ohio clerks WINS held at Auditor McGrew's house,
among whom we're two OF the democrats referred to.
Its object to "dcviso ways and means' but tho
ways and means wore restricted to the privileges the
clerks ordinarily enjoyed. In tho Interior Depart
ment Secretary Schurz put his foot down n
nounced that employ6 could leave his desk except
upon legitimate leave OF absence. In the Treasury
Department Secretary Sherman was found to be
little moro lcncrt Any clerk desiring 6ve days IN
which go homo should have take tho timc OF his
absence out of tho thirty days allowed him by law.
but should he have had already exhausted this time
he should have to procure tho hve days from
fellow clerk who had not used up his vacation
ana willing to mako the sacrihcc otherwise tho
tmo OF his absence would be deducted from the allow
auce to DO credited him tho ensuing fiscal year.


This is all thcro is the point Of alleged gratuitous
leave of absence Inquiry in tho rank aud file Of tho
clerks under pledge Of confidence that would
bo revealed failed to discover the existence OF
subscription list tho fact OF threats OF dismissal
other punishment in Of refusal TO go homo to
vote. The clerks easier In their minds
sixteen yoarx What with the provision OF the Sundry
Civil bill making II misdemcanor for cmployG Of
tho government solicit receive money.
for political purposes, and with tho express declara
tions and known wishes OF President Haycs, as
uttered his civil service order and clscwhe:o tho
| man would be tool who should dare TO mako such
throat carry assessment paper around among
| his fellow clerks Tho clerks know this and under
stand how the President stands between them and all
harm. SO profound indeed is the conviction that tho
President Is sincere In his dcicrmi ON 10 divorce
the civil service from politics that the clerks, when
they spenk Of the curront topc SIMPLY that they
gong home vote. There Is qualification Of
their action by mentioning tho namc OF the party
they going to vote with. TO do 30 would be
treason against the administration.


1t IS not denied that tho republicans
the xious to 20 home, but so iar the numDcr
of clerks who intend to do so Is only about eighty
fui who are known to be democrats. These are
Ioah 10 go because OF the expense which for railroad
transportation slono Will average nearly $50 q
piece sum not to be despiscd In these II IRA
times. In most they induced to go by tran
tic appeals from candidates in close districts and by
letters from personal friends urging them to como
homo for the purpose OF helping the cause. There Is
neither fund to pay their way nor compulsop. The
report this latter effect Is alleged to bo device OF
the enemy TO Injurc the republican party by which
oven some OF the republican papors have been do
ccvcd.