men turned away with disgust when the dignity of the National Government was asserted by such exhibitions?
Of course, sir, some of the understrappers caught the lusty spirit of the chief executioner. It was a burst of civil service reform, and the principle which governed it appears with striking clearness in the following correspondence:
U. S. Internal Revenue Collector's Office,
Fifth District Missouri, Carthage,
Missouri, October 3, 1870.
My Dear Sir: It becomes my painful duty to inform you that the course you are pursuing in regard to politics in this State is of such a character, in my judgment, as will in the end prove detrimental to the true interests of the Radical party of Missouri. Such being my view of the matter, I am compelled to inform you that your resignation will be received. In doing this, Colonel, it grieves me to the heart. As an officer you have been honest, worthy and true; as a business man you have exceeded my most sanguine expectations; as a friend I believe I have no more devoted in the State. All of our transactions have been of the most pleasant nature, and in parting at this time let me assure you of my friendship, let me assure you of my well-wishes in all your undertakings (save politics of the Brown kind) in the future. As we have always been friends, let us so remain.
This is as we expected, when I was with you last. Let it be understood as having been your own motion, that you voluntarily resigned. I am anxious that it should be so. None will be the wiser for me, for my feeling toward you is the same personally.
Please retain the records and do the business of the office until I can send your successor to you to transfer.
Very truly, your friend,
Geo. D. Orner, Collector.
Colonel Daniel E. Saunders,
Deputy Collector Fifth Missouri District,
Sedalia, Missouri.
