New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-09-06
noes the collector Liveq

me contradicticn Of the death Of Gen. Downs
produced d profound sensation in political cir
cles In our city yesterday. The Administration,
in its desire to be rid of applicants for the va
cancy, acted rather precipitately in assuming
for q fact what was mere unauthentie tele-
graphic rumor. So common an occurrence as
The report of q mans death, before it has oc-
Cured, should have suggested greater caution
and more delay in the appointment Of his sue
cessor. An instance occurred in this State.
some years ago, which illustrates the necessity
Of this caution A report reached this city from
the Piney Woods, across the Lake, that Judge
McCaleb, Of the o.. s. District Court, had de-,
parted this life. The report was uncontradioted
for several days, and ives transmitted to Wash
ington President Tyler promptly acted upon
it, and sent a commission to Mr.. Crawford, a
member Of the Bar, to fill the vacancy Mr..
Crawford returned to the city-he was spending
the summer in the country, when notified Of his
appointment and found Judge McCaleb occupy
ing the seat to which he had been appointed
Mr.. Crawford, ever after, claimed the title, if
he did not enjoy the emoluments and perform
the duties Of Judge
The present case is a much more embarrass-
\ ing one. The President, acting upon the rumor
Of Collector Downs's death, appoints the Sur
+ veyor to the vacancy, which creates q second
vacancy, that has been filled by the promotion
Of the Appraiser to the Surveyorship, and the
\ Appraisers place has been filed by the Deputy
Y Appraiser. The Surveyor and Appraiser have,
we learn, been already qualified; but General
Downs's successor has not received his commits
sion, and if he had, We presume the appoint
ment would be void if the General is living
The effect would be to GUST Col Porter Of his.
comfortable berth, and to leaue him in suspense.
Or rather in the distressing quandary Of man
who, By the over kindness Of his friends, has
lost q valuable possession in the effort to get a
better post, To SO faithful political chief as
the q Old Caddo Horse this would be truly q
sad disaster. And yet shall we not--shan not
his party, for whom he has labored so efficiently
rejoice that General Downs is not dead And
if in that respect our hopes should be gratifed,
would it not be well for the Executive to profit
by this example, and not be in such hot haste
10 fill rumored vacancies, but to wait until au,
thentic intelligence is received of the fact We
can appreciate the anxiety OF the President 70
escape the opportunities of ofice-seekers, but he
must remember that ofice-seeking is one Of the
institutions Of the country, and the man who
assumes the bpnors Of the President must take
these with all the cares, responsibilities and
duties attaching to the office. President Pierce
can not claim IN exemption from these troubles
The right to seek an office is enc Of those in
alienahle rights for which our fathers fought.
We trust, therefore, that President Pierce will
not again shirk this responsibility especially
that he will not, in his eagerness to DO SO,
yield auch easy faith to the telegraphic honi-
oides Of some Of our most distinguished citizens.
Should the rumor really turn out to be mn
true, the numerous aattering obituary notices
he has received in the newspapers here and else
where should place the General on exceedingly
good terms with himself