month after his accession, that he wanted to attend to
the Southern question, but that the office-seekers took
up all his time. His successors have not fared any
better. Every aspirant wanted to "interview" the
President, even when the appointment was not in his
gift. The greedy throng pressed on at Washington, and
if some came back empty-handed, others succeeded in
carrying off the places by sheer importunity. The Re-
public was regularly looted. "If ever," said Lincoln
on this subject, "this free people, if this government
itself is ever utterly demoralized, it will come from
this wriggle and struggle for office."

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