The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-04-20
Cndetship for New Jersey.


malignant attack was made upon the PREsI-
DENT through the Boston Atlas, paper
| protesting to be WING, for not complying
with the request Of Senator MILLER TO appoint
his son cadet, and for appointing person at
the request of Senator STOCKTON. We pub
! llshed a statement in vindicalion of the PREsI-
DENT against this charge, which was submitted
to Senator MILLER before it was published, but
which was not seen by the PRESIDENT.
Senator MILLER does not state whether he
was cognizant of the original attack or not, be-
| fore it was published; but we deem it due, as
well to ourselves as to Senator MILLER and the
| PRESIDENT, to say thus much to those pub
LEGATIONS, before making any comments upon
Senator MILLER's letter published in our paper
of yesterday.
As the Senator in that letter has deemed it
necessary not only to vindicate himself, but
10 renew attack upon the PRESIDENT con-
tanned in the Boston Alias, we have ieltit TO
be our duty to inquire into the facts, and to as
certain how much ground there was for Mr..
MILLER's complaint, that the "Whigs of New
jersey have not for the last three years been
able TO obtain from Wing President the APP
pointment Of cadet at large from their State"
In 1851 Senator MILLER applied for the APP
polntment Of his son as a cadet to the Military
Academy from the ten appointments at large made
by the PRESIDENT The PRESIDENT, consid-
ering that the object of comforting on him the
power to make these appointments was. to pro-
vide for class of persons who had no fixed re-
sidence, such as officers of the army and navy,
OF those presenting peculiar national claims not
likely to be recognised by the Representatives
of Congress, (on whose recommendation all the
appointments from districts are made, } found
50 many Of that class applying that he could
not comply with Mr.. MrLLER's request.
At the present session Of Congress Mr.. Mn
LER verbally renewed his request to the PRE-
sIDESr, and the President informed him that
he could not say whether he would be able to
comply with the request or not; that he would
be happy TO do so if he could consistently with
the just claims Of others; but it was his rule
never to give any promise in reference to APP
pointments in advance. This is all that ever
passed between Senator MILLER and the Pre-
sIDENT, verbally r. in writing, On the subject
of appointing a cadet from New jersey before
the appointments were made; and the Wing
Representative from that State never spoke to
the PRrsIDrNT in relation TO the appointment.
The practice at the War Department is, that
all applications for cadetships are filed in the
office Of the Chief Engineer. When the time
arrives for making the appointments. a list of
these applications, arranged by States, is trans
mitted from that Office to the SECRETARY OF
WAR, by whom they are submitted to the
PREsIDEST. This list was presented to the
President some days before the selections
were finally made; and after going through and
selecting such as should be taken from the
Army and Navy, it was found that there were
several vacancies, which might be filed from
civil life, and the President concluded to give |
one TO New Jersey. On examining the list. il |
appeared that there were but two names pre-
scented from that State-that of Mr.. GEORGE |
ID. BAYARD and that Of Mr.. WrLLErrs.
Not finding Senator MILLER or his son
among the applicants. the President suggest
ed that this must be an omission, as he recol-
lected that Senator MILLER had spoken to him
Oh tue SuuJeCt, ana as ne now lNOuInl ne could |
with proprety make the appointment, he would
be glad TO do So He therefore requested the
SECRETARY or Wan to cause a re examination
to be made of the applications. This was
done, but no application from Senator MILLER
was found, either for his son or any one else.
The PREsIprNT then suspended the appoint
ment for that day, and requested the SEcRETA-
Ry OF WAR to ascertain from Mr.. MILLER
whether he had changed his mind. The SEC
RETAgY Oh WAR accordingly directed his chief
clerk TO write a note to Mr.. MILLER requesting
him to call at the Department Receiving no
answer to this note, the SECRETARY inquired
about Mr.. MILLER, and learned he was absent
from the city. On reporting this fact to the
PEEsIDENr, The latter directed that Mr. Mn
LER's sUn should be appointed, saying that if
on Mr.. MrLLER's return it should turn out