American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1855-07-21
From the Washington Orgdn.l
THE AZN TEAS FALLENs

Ix26 xA&-A kxxAS x4AA&1INh
For months past, the vultures who sur.
round the Presidential mansion, have been
crying aloud for the dead body of John Will
son, late Commissioners 0. the General Land
Office. The President, during this time,
has been moved by every conflicting emotion
that any heart ever experienced. Between
the desire of gratifying the demands of po-
litical vultures, and the desire of avoiding
the consequences of appointing an incompe-
tent man to this responsible position, the poor
man has suffered intense agony OIL this ques-
ton a..
And who is there, when compared with
Mr.. Wilson, that is competent to the dis
charge Of the various and arduous duties of
that office? Not q man in the nation. We
say, comparatively, not a man. There are
thousands who can sign their names-thou-
ands who can decide somehow the complex
questions which arise in that bureau--but
fwho is there, that sufficiently understands
the multitudinous acts Of Congress--the
hundreds Of decisions Of the Supreme Court;
the numerous treaties the thousands of
precedents--lhe countless forms, bearing up
on the public lands--the government titles
and private rights? Who is there among
the political Cormorants demanding public
pap, for parti2an service, that can perform
the high duties Of this post, without involv-
ing the department. in confusion, and involv
ing thousands of honest men in legal war
fare to maintain their .rights9
We Know solaetHHg, Tor we nave seei.
much of The working Of our land system,
through the operations of the General Land
office--we have Professionally had years of
experience and years of observation in these
matters commencing twenty years ago, and
coming down to the present time, and we
do not hesitate to say, that no man can be
safe and reliable Commissioner Of the Gen
eral Land Oflice-no man can properly and
satisfactorily perform its duties, who has not
had long and constant framing inside the
bureau. Compared with the buLeau, the i'm.
portance of having thorough practical men at
the head of all the other bureaus under the
government, dwindles into absolute insigni-
ficance.
Nearly all the land titles in thirteen States
and half dozen TerIiories-the bounda.
ries between million Of farms-the rights
of States and Corporations Indian and o.
ther reservations, depend upon the General
Land Office and if that office be thrown into
disorder and confusion, by tho recklessness
or incompetency of its Com missioner, there
would be no end 10 the strifes, contests and
litigation which would ensue therefrom in
nearly one half of this union.
Thousands upon thousands OF people wo d
be wholly ruined by heartless speculators.-
by suits-attorney's fees and costs
Above all other officers under the govern.
ment, that Of Commissioner of the General
Land Office, should be shut out from the an.
proach Of politicians should be entirely
free from their contamination. The people
the farmers--the pioneers of the West
the soldiers of our wars, their widows and
orphans; these demand that the aeneta land
Office should not be approached by broken
down political hacks, by political hucksters
or by political cormorants; and yet, to the
shame and disgrace Of this administration, in
defiance of pubic opinion, reckless of pub
lie sentiment and public justice, the mouth
piece of this bankrupt cabinet proclaims
that the removal of John Wilson was made
"smely on political groundsp
The Washington Union, of this morning
distinctly says, under its editorial head ao
follows:
"We have, in another column, amounted
tho re moval Of John Wilson from the office
of Commissioner Of the General Land Office
and tho temporary appointment of George
G. Whiting, Chief Clerk Of the Department
of the Interior in his place. II nay be pro.
proper for us 10 sag that this change has been
made solely upon political grounds
We have placed the last two lines in ilal.
les, 10 arrest the eyes of our readers. The
most competent man for tba, post in the ma
tion confessedly SO, undenably so, is, then,
by the official declaration Of tho Cabinet
mouth piece, displaced "solely on political
grounds But, whilst we point to this at.
knowisdgtment Of the dainnibg fact, that tile
interests Of the whole West Northwest and
Southwest, are jeopafded TO mako room for
some paitizan, who demands reward for
his devotion 10 The rotten cause he has sup
ported, We have no occasion TO thank the
mouth piece Of the Cabinet for such guilty
coufresi'e