Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-08-26
POGIBIGAEa
MIR. MASON, SECRETARY TO THE MICHIGAN
TERRITORY

| IGHhlIORY.
The Detroit papers state, that the appointment bv
the Pre- dent OF Mr.. Stephens Thompson Mason son
OF me late Secretary Of the Michigan Territory 10 sue
coed hs father In ha, office. has given great dssas-
faction TO many OF the ctiz oil roit, the ground
oil the youth aud supposed in-om potency Of the per-
son appointed public meeting was held on the os-
| es.cn' and memorial was adopted TO be transmitted
TO The President, demonstrating ain't the appoin
ne foiiowios exract from the memorial 10 given in
he papers;
"The person thus appointed TO an Office Of digni,v
and trust your memorisiisis have known but short
time. To large maj 1ri,y Il them, although residents
IN the same city, he 10 personally entire stranger.
They know only that he is yet a minor with charse-
ter aud rules OF action Informed and with all the as
sociaons and habits 10 his age. OF bis sapa-
city, hey have no means OF judging; of the estimate
which his father, tho late S.srrary, whom he must
De Wei known, has formed OF his ability, they have
conclusive evidence In tho fact, that al other Young
man has been employed the principal clerk in the
once, while the sou has only held the subordinate
OF an Associate.
your memoraliss would respectfully, but earnestly
and nrny remonsrae against ths conniiia TO the dis
c'euon oil one so young aud uniuformed and inc xper
cneed oil The vast powers which the Ordinance and the
several acts oil ngress provide shall be exercised by
the Secretary, in contingency, which has hitherto
'ttn happened, aud IL likely fr, queny to here
after.
alt scenis that The Ordinsauc. OF 1887 and the acts
OF Congress relating to the government of the Terri
tory, not only render IL the duty OF the .cretsry $50
keep the acts OF The Legislature, and the public re-
coeds OF he District and the proceedings OF the Cover
nor In his Executive Department. and 10 transmit au-
ennis copies Of such acts and proceedings every SIX
months TO CoDgrss hut ID ALEC provides that in the
event OF the dea.h or nation OF ;hs Governor the
secretary 10 author zed and reque ed succeed TO all
The powers and 10 all duties Of the Exesu
tive Department Of the Government
huer epumersung the powers and duties, which
might thu, devo've upon him, the mortal proc eds:
Your memoriaiss would empha icalIy ask wbe-
her u was ever contemplated by the grave
o! mis- Union, Ma, powers So various-,o moment
so frsugh in lter exercise, wi h consequences Of
"wes or VIC" 10 the dearest right Of the people of
Michigan, should be for moment entrusted 70 one
nhn h Ir,f, IN
rage who has not attained the age al which he would
be eligible by the act OF Congress any office sphat.
ecer under the Territorial Laws; one whose minor
ny ITSELF is an apparent, palpabe alton from
holding freehold estate OF solitary acre OF land nn-
less !, be conveyed in irDst for speefi. purposesi
whether one, whom his father ha, heretofore employ
ed only as an assistant clerk shall be presumtd 10 nos
sess such preeocy OF talent weight OF character and
strength OF Judgment, as TO entte him to bis high dis.
tnction:"
The matter respecting Mr.. Mason, lies in a nutshell
e nv enarac'er conduct or capacity can be i'm
pugned; What then is the difficulty! 1t is feared that
ne WI" DE guiy oil some OF those acts of ndiscreon or
error, from which unfortunately neither youth nor aga
are exempt But why is every maxim of humani1v
and justice 10 be reversed and he 10 be presumed s
certain duties belonging to that ilcer, but having no
necessary connection with the Secrearys duties must
be performed by him. But these will on the ar
rival OF Governor and Mr. Mason will be Confined to
the proper duty of the Office that of recording the Fx
ecuuve proceedings II enough say, that when an
evil happens through his misconduct The people can
diatey interpose the proper remedy But till then il
would evnce an utter disregard Of the anes dictates of
justice, 10 remove from oihce person who has done
nothing TO deserve H. merely because apprehension Was
entertained or affected, that he would do wrong
[W. Globe.
The following stotemsn, o. Nj. Rowisnd with re-.
gard TO misePresena ion, circulated against s. r. Ma.
son. recently appointed Secretary OF Mishiesn il pub-
lished az an act OF justice From this Il appears that
the Individual who succeeded in tronSacting almost
all The accumulation" oi the business dutinx "fhs
greatest press, incident TO the close OF le eisatge
sonnc-who performed thu labor, b,ih of the princi-
pal and deputy. wi an energy and success which in
diea,ed an"excellsnt capacity" and who has hereto
fore given en- ira satisfaction 10 the olise he now ills
10 persesued by the siiou, for other reason
,hao because ne has received 'he appointment from
he p e'ilent, and because. TO the language OF
Mr. Pit, he is guilty 'of the dtrOcious Of being
a yoHng man.
There il nohipg 10 the laws Of the Territory which
makes tbs age Twenty years essential the hold
ing of this appointment The law REQUIRES that ths
Secretary shall hold 500 OF land a, qasIiica
ton, and IL IL pretended 10 the publications. that enc
under age cannot hold lands. Thi, is an error A
minor can hsld land but carrot cOnUsy il. Now the
fact being that NJ Mason enjoys this requisite quail
hcaon, the ohscon taxi in this instance establish
es only his disability 10 di'qnslify himself In truth,
the evil in ibis instance IL like most o,her ds!re sse
under The prefen, administrator, imaginary. A few
days ouy will elapse before Governor, la whom the
Territory Can entirely confde will present himself 10
the people. few weeks VIII give them Secretary
Of ui age, VINO will not in ihe Interim Tor ever, we
heiieve,) thsnd sgainJt the ntsrest wishes OF the
Territory. Those who demonstrate Against his
sppoiu men know him well. They admit his worth
They koov that IL they did not hasten TO complain
nov, brief space Of time would put an end TO
every pre x, that they hope 10 urge; and therefore
they wi ely begn TO cry on! before Mr.. Mason took
the GA Of Office.
Wii ,hs Am rican people be excited by a cause Of
trouble and alarm for which lilllo time must furnish
an iofaiible remedy And may not soliet little
indulgence for the Chief Magistrate ws was dispos-
ed 10 paTonzs who belong 10 he stock Of the pa
irio Geo. Mason, whose Intrepid spifi, was among the
hrst That gave Impulse to cor neutrality-suspicious. enef-
Qi Cd nd yh,s
by his great ability in'osei in'o The Institutions of our
country, ale ADD National, more OF tbs democratic
elem nj ihsn would but for hin have been found ia
them. Ibid
From the Democratic Free Press
have read memorial from rlatu ciiiz,D Of De.
Ho rsmon'haicg sRaiost the appointment OF the pre-.
sent Secretary Of the Territory and have obseTv I'd with
equal regret and surprise that my position in The Sec
reaFy's Cffice has been seized upon az an argument
sgsins the quai 6saions ard ea2aeiy OF thu preoent
ocumben l dsepa u y duly ows the late SscreiaFV
and act o. duly 10 the present incumbent 10 state
that " insreDees drawn from my being employed in
'be ofice, are both eTfone Gus and nnius'
My being employed was originally occ asiOned bv ih
necessary absence o. The late Secretary on other public
duliss ard bss sose continued from the same esuse
had always understood thai he present ineumbent
defended embracing different pursuits and that II YEA,
uncertain Al what none nj he might rOnmenee a diff.
rent bu'Dess; that there wa nei her MI olive NOS ia
c'i1anon to lake he Place hat ocsup ed 10 Inc Office
During The last sefeon n the Iegi.Ia i've CoupciI
besides acting olek in The q. sre,srv', Office Alec
eeted AZ private Secretary Tor be Governor and was
son'eq0en " absent from the office gseater part of
tho time; ard OF sUob times The duties Of he oca we're
dissba ged By Mr. y. T. Mason, IN manner which
ceria My DID DOT lead me- aby other person in nv
knowledge 10 conclusion deirmenia eitbsr 10 his
inoustfy mr. ability. AZ the end Of he session. during
toe gfeatesi pres Of busineSs Ia The Secretary tlse
va, so' hnsd 10 my room by ~ heal h, for seyefs
1 h. tnN