THE SECRETARY, 1878-1887 403 
analogous set who have succeeded them. On the other 
hand, political corruption was rife to a degree which would 
now be impossible and almost incredible. Individuals 
were honest; but using government funds for the benefit 
of the party in power was hardly reprobated. When the 
immense appropriations necessary to carry on the war 
were made, and business of the executive departments 
multiplied many fold, stricter methods became necessary. 
Each succeeding secretary drew the lines tighter. Con- 
gress strengthened its hold on the strings of the public 
purse. Annual surpluses were no longer carried over; if 
not expended the Treasury reclaimed them by law. Con- 
sequently when the political revolution of 1884 took place 
and the party in a minority for nearly a quarter of a 
century carried the elections, the methods of the execu- 
tive business were good; the system of checks and 
balances was so perfected that both government and 
officer were protected, except in the rare case of indi- 
vidual turpitude. 
When the inauguration of 1885 took place and the 
prospect of many political dismissals in the departments 
grew bright, Washington, beside the influx of men of 
standing belonging to the victorious side, was invaded by 
thousands of eager office seekers. 
The pressure for place was terrific. Newly appointed 
officers of the higher grades were almost overwhelmed 
by the demand. Many of them came to Washington 
for the first time since 1861, with the idea that the Execu- 
tive Departments were dens of corruption. The new civil 
service law was sufficiently established to make wholesale 
dismissals from the clerical staff purely on political 
grounds an awkward and probably unpopular action. 
When the new functionaries began their search for the 
