Political Assessments

Every dtpartment and bureau at Washington has beeu thoroughly oanv-isf-ed for subseriptions to the Kepublioan campnign fund, as if to illnstrate Hayes' service orJer of June 22, 1877, which declared "noassessmentfor politioal purposeB on offieers or subordiniitos should be allowed." The methods for raising money are preciseb those which were practiced untler Grant. the salarios are all regulariy assesseá in advanee. at a fixed percentage, to bring a certain amount into the treasury of the CoDgressioual Coinmittee, of which that emiuent roformer, Chark'S Poster, isnow the direotiog mind. A collector, who rooeives 5 per cent. ou tho toll he gatliers in, goes around with book iuto all the public office, takes down tho names of the subscii bers, and, afc the close of the month, those signatures are recognizcd by the disburt-iug officer as authority to deduct a certain portion of the saïary of the clerks. Nearly all the chiefs of bureaus and divisions. who draw large pay and perform little service, have set an example to their subordinates by subscribing moro than the sum assessed ou their salaries, iu order to mako their loyalty oonspionons. At tost there was a partial resistance to the aBBessments, under the delusion that the civil-service order had some meaning, and that those who obeyed its letter and spirit would be protected. That error of judgment was eoon oorrected, for it was discovered that every person who refused to be afssessed was reported, and John Sherman ordereá summary dismissnl in his department and its branches as the penalty for reousauey. The Sixth Auditor's Office, which settles the Poetoffice accounts, and is known as tbe Botauy Bay of the treasury, with 300 or more clerks, was selected as the ftrst point of attack; and, after one removal for this causo, the wholo force feil in and even sought to subscribe as a nieasure of self-protection. Hayes gave his name to head the list of contributors, which of itself was a warning to the whole army of officeholders that they wcre expected to do likewise. But he has not yet paid in a dollar to the fund. He is willing enough to sco the poor clerks made to pay, but, with $50,000 n year and nearly everything free that makes up the actual cost of living, ho locks his iron chest and intimates that his name alone onght to be snfïicient, because his exaniple put tons of thousands into the political exehequer that inight not have got there witliout it. He has shown himself in this matter to bo a doublé fraud. Fii-3t, by encouragiiig assessments which he had formally declared shoulünot be allowed. Secondly, by leuding his name without making it good with a money value. The consistency of bis character has boen maintained in this duplicity. If he had been an honorable man, even after the crime by which he reached the Presideney, Hayes ■Roald havo seen made good the advances of moaey which Zach Chaudler had loaned for his benefit, after John Sherman and others failed to redeem their pledges. But he never lifted a fingor to pay what every gamblfir, even, would have regcrded a a debt of honor, and dismissed it as a trifle nnworthy of attention. He first bogan by cheating liis opponents, and now he cheats his f