Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 May 1886 — A POLITICAL MACHINE [ARTICLE]

A POLITICAL MACHINE

The following special Wa hington Letter to the Indianapolis Sentinel shows the Pension Department under Republicanisn an annex of the party, and that Senator Harrison’s committee finds the trail too fr 'sh. Read it: Washington, May 23.—The severest trial to which the Republican party was ever subject—one upon which more depends, is now in progress. There was nothing

either unpremeditated or impulsive iu General Black’s declaration that until a Democratic administration assumed control the Pension Office had become “all but an avo redly political institution.”— The evidence was abundant and in every quarter, but truth is always sensational. During the political campaign of 1880, Coloflel Dudley was second in Indiana, as a conspicuous figure, only to Dorsey himself. Indeed, but for Dudley as a lieutenant in the corrupting operations, the United States Marshal', liberating on straw b •il imported voters after arrest, the achievements of Dorsey, triumphing in the defeat of Landers, never would have been possible. All this, as Murat Halstead said concerning the nomination of Blaine, was in the air, as well as the evidence, circumstantial and documentary. Against the methods of Dorsey, tlm Republican party had the decency to turn State’s evidence, i which is now a matter of the black- ’ est record in the archives of the j Government. But for this, it is ' reasonable to suppose that Senator i Harrison would as readily have instituted proceedings to whitewash ! Dorsey or Dudley.

Evidently the purpose of the committee before which General Black is cited to appear is to drag slowly, embarrass with “the law’s delay.” The Democratic Commissioner of Pensions asks an opportunity to present all the evidence, clear the matter up, as with a reduced force he has cleared the accumulations of years from the pigeon holes of the Pension Office, and this it is evidently the purpose of the Harrison committee to avoid. The cunning of this is its supposed influence against the Republican party in the next campaign. Concerning the condition of the Pension Office, and the restrictions imposed upon the Commissioner in the transaction of business, but little is understood by the general public. Surrounded as he is by a clerical force of political hostility, it is a great wonder that he has been enabled to secur any evidence in the way of letters at all, as the festive certainty was to “burn this.”

To those who ask why a Democratic Commissioner continues to submit to the imposition of a Republican force, the following is an a swer: That vacancies occurring in the clerical force of the Pension Office, •hiring the fiscal year 1886, shall not be filled by promotion or original appointment until a reduction of 150 in all is made: and thereafter the number shall not be increased, and tke number in the second grades shall remain as existing when said reduction is completed. The last time General Black was permitted to face the committee he laid before it the case of ALONZO FRANCISCO, a corporal of Company H, Thirtyninth Indiana Volunteers, who enlisted at Madison on the 28th of August, 1861, and was discharged August 13, 1862, after a service of a little l«ss than one year. Francisco alleged in 1 is appilcation for pension that at Pittsburg Landing, April 7, 1862, he contracted a fistula. The report from the War Department set forth h's enlistment and the fact that he was discharged'for disability. The certificate of his regimental surgeon upon which he was discharged, recites the fact he “had this disease when enlisted, but got worse at Camp Nevin, Ky., in November, 1861.”

The Pension Office rejected the case in 1884, on the ground that the disability was not incurred in the service, but existed prior to enlistment. Some interesting correspondence was developed. There was a letter from a Mr. Thomas Graham, of Madison, Ind,, addressed to Commissioner Dudley, as follows:. September 14, 1882. Hon. W. W. Dudley, Washington, D. C.: Dear Colonel —If you can con-

look a little afte± the papers of Alonzo Francisco, No. 401,-777,--nd if all right you could hurry the matter along, it would be of advantage to us somewhat in the way of politics. We ave a big fight in this district against Holman’s reputed influence in getting business thro’ the pension office. Francisco was a soldier in my reg ment, and I think that if any soldier deserves a pension he certainly does. We are just opening the campaign here, and will make it red hot. Anything you can do to help us against Holman, don’t fail, as we have a man that will do all any one can to beat him. On September 19 the calls for military and melical history made on Adjutant General and Surgeon General, respectively, were made “special.” The case was afterwards referred to one of the special examiners of the Pension Oilice, and Dr. AV aterman, the regimental surgeon who gave the adverse certificate upon which the claimant was discharged from the service, reite ated his asseition that the disability existed prior to Mr. Francisco’s service. There was another letter in the case from the same Mr. Graham addressed to Commissioner Dudley, asking for favorable action. .’ he letter was to this eflect: Dear Colonel —My old friend and comrade, Alonzo Francisco, has just called to ask me to inquire about his claim, No. 401,777. If on could do anything to help it along you would certainly be helping a staunch friend of yours and one of the most worthy sohlierV that I know of serving in the rebellion. Please try to do something for him soon, and oblige your friend. Thomas Giiaj: am. On the back of the envelope containing the above letter appears the following:

Status to my desk for a personal letter. W. W. Dudley, Commissioner, 7-21-84. By order of Commissioner Dudley the case was allowed and a pension granted at the rate of 84 a month from August 14,1862, and 86 a month from October 4, 1882. The amount involved was over 81.100.

Another interesting case developed was the case of CHARLES 8. BCHORECK, A Captain of Company C. One Hundred and Seventy-eighth New York Volunteers, who served from June 18, 1863, to January 21,1865. It was shown that in his application for pension Captain Schoreck stated that “while engaged in battle” at Pleasant Hill, La., in April, 1864, he was taken with pains in his abdomen, which he thinks were produced by strain (while under excitement), and the same has continued to grow worse until a most distressing case of hernia is the result. He further states that he was not in any hospital on account of the disability. The report of the Adjutant General, taken from the company muster rolls, showed that the claimant was marked as “present” from the time of his muster until May, 30, 1864. He was subsequently reported on the returns to August 31,1864, as “absent, sick since June 23, 1864.” He was again reported “Sick at Jefferson Barracks Hospital since October 31, 1864.” It appears that the Surgeon General has a record of the captain’s treatment in the officers’ hospital at Memphis, Tenn., from June 23, 1864, until July 24,1864, but the disability appears to have been “acute diarrhoea.” Neither the Adjutant General’s or Surgeon General’s reports corroborate the claimant’s statements as t > hernia. As in the case of Francisco there is brought out the inside history of this ca-e also. A letter dated January 20,1882, Chicago Postoffice, from J. A. Fife, was received at the Pension Office January 24,1882. This communication is quite interesting, and we

publish it just as it was put in evidence. Here it is: Dear General: You will remember Captain Charles S. Schoreck, of the Fifth Ward, one of our men who was a delegate to the famous Springfield Convention.— It seems that his pension papers have been in since 1878. He feels quite bad and ugly that lie has not had some position, and says even that he has been to many of the politicians for positions, and to get them to hear from his papers. He is poor and • eserves all ho can get, and I think it a good scheme to have the matter settled as soon as possible, for that will heal him up and make him feel better. Now, will you take the trouble to have this matter brought up as soon as possible and advise me, for I will shut him up in some way; and, should they prove satisfactory, it will bo in our favor wo need all these men. The number of claim i 5291,011, filed in June, 1878, Charles S. Sehoreck, of C Company, One Hundred and Seventy-eighth New York Volunteer Infantry. The evidence is al] in and examination of Medical Board made out and report favorable. Al alters hero are in good shape and getting better ev ryday. Hoping to hear from you soon, your obedient servant, J. A. Fife. P. S.—Please have the communication to me, so I can tell him or talk to him. This letter bears this indorsement: “Dear Dudley: Please make this rase special. John A. Logan,” and then be ow appears the following: “Make special. W. W. Dudley, Com’r, Jan. 25, ’82.” There was also in the case the following note, bearing the file stamp December’6, 1882: General Dudley: Aly Dear Sir Will you please make the case of Captain Charles E. Sehoreck, late of One Hundred and Seventy-eighth New York Volunteers, No. 291,011, special, and oblige, yours truly, John 1. Logan.

As shown by General Black’s testimony before the committee the claim was allowed in December, 1882, and 11 ic rate fixed at 810 per month from January 22, 1862, and 820 per month from September 21, 1881. The first payment of pension was over 82,200. These are only a sample of the cases of which there are thousands in the files of the Pension Office. Is there a fair-minded man anywhere, who, after reading these, will deny that politics had much to do with granting of pensions under the Dudley regime? Senator Voorhees said on Saturday: “No committee materialized to receive General Black when he last appeared to testify. The symptoms are of a great weakness on the part ot the investigators.If they possibly could, with anything like credit, they certainly would withdraw. But that neither the Democratic C ommissioner of Pensions, nor his friends in the Senate, will al’ow. The Republicans may delay, but they can not prevent the publication of the whole truth. The enormity of Commissioner Dudley’s offense, at first, by no one was properly understood. W have more than enough evidence to convince the public that the Pension Department was used to influence electoral results in every part of the country.” General Black, in your opinion, then, has a case?” “To be sure he has A case, and he will establish that fact beyond the possibility of a doiibt.” “Suppose the committee will avoid giving him an opportunity to lay this proof before the country?” “For that we are amply prepared,” the Senator answered. t “In that event General Black will dump a cart load of evidence into the Senate, an example Twill follow speedily with another-cart load.” Dudley was not alwayssubterranean in his methods,' bdt' frequently the boldest of the; political operators.