Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1857-05-01
mon. Ell.hn Nvhllslcsey.

Tho Washington correspondent of the
New York Courier d Eequiyer gives the
following sketch of tho public services of
this excellent and useful mani
Mr. Whttlesey's resignation of which !
advised you some time since, will take effect
about the 1st Of Nav, when he will be sue
ceeded by Hon. VIM. Medill, the late Dem
ocratic Governor of Ohio. The First Comp
trollcr has before him several cases of great
Importance, which he has been laboriously
investigating for months, and which the
Secretary of the Treasury and the President
desire him to dispose of. Ono of these is
tho great claim of Cormick, Ramsey & Co.,
referred by Congress to this Office, in which
they claim damages TO an amount exceed
ing 100000, for the canceling, by the late
Post Master General, of contract held by
them for conveying the mails overland, via
Vera Cruz to Acapulco, from Now Orleans
TO San Francisco. ..,
Mr.. Whittlesey is model Of faithful
and exemplary public servant. He was an
officer under Gen. Harrison in the War of
1912. In 1919 he entered the Ohio Leg
isature. In 1923 he was transferred from
that body to Congress, where he served
without intermission until 1889. During the
whole Of those sixteen years he was mem
bcr of the Committee on Claims. 1t is a
proof of the regularity with which Congress
ional duties were then discharged, that dur
ing this long term the Committee never
failed to meet on its appointed day, and was
never without quorum within five minutes
from the time of its assembling. Mr.. Whit
tlesey was appointed sixth Auditor by Gen.
Harrison in 194l. On assuming his Office
he called the clerks around him and inform
ed them that there should be no removals
except for cause known, and no promotions
out of the regular order of seniority of ser
vice. In 1s43 Mr.. Tyler violated this rule
and appointed a clerk over the heads of nu-
merous others who had faithfully discharged
their duty. The Auditor resigned. The
President declined to accept the resignation
and pledged himself TO the future observance
of the rule but declined to correct the past
proceeding. No appointment of successor
being made it was presumed that Mr.. w.
would continue in office; but, on the 30th
September, 1943, he invited the attendance
of his clerks, and briefly taking leave of
them returned no more to the office. Almost
the first of the appointments made by Gen
eral Taylor was that of Mr.. Whittlesey, as
First Comptroller. Gen. Pierce declined
to accept his resignation, and though po-
litical opponent of the Administration, he
continued to fulfill his duties with universal
acceptance through second official term.
Mr.. Whittlesey is remarkable example
official industry. Though now SO far adj
vanced in life, it has been for the last eight
years. his invarable habit to labor at his
desk from until 8, and again from until,
8 or o'clock in the evening. This vener-
able man has never contributed dollar to
the support Of any political party, or in any
manner to influence elections, beyond the
expense of printing his own ballots when a
candidate. He has never made speech in
support of his own claims to public favor,
and never a recommendation to be signed
by his friends, nor made an application in
his own behalf Such characters are rare in
any country, and especially so in this. He
proposes to return to Ohio, and to end his
days among his kindred.