Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1861-03-12
Letter from Postmaster General King.

The following letter, on a matter of con
siderable interest, was written IN reply to
certain interrogatories put by the Hon.
Nj jenkins, Il representative from Viz
ginia, 10 the Postmaster-General:
Posr OFFICE DEPARTMENT, Feb. -.
DEAE SIR y oar letter Of the 20th
inst. i received, requesting distinct and
specific answers 70 the following intcrro-
-ato-ics viz.
/. What are the grounds of the re
moval Of Thomas } West. late Route
Agent on tac line from Grafton to Parks
burg. a. and Of the substitution ofan0ther
person in his place
> Why is 1t that these proceedings
have been carried out on nav part without
allowing You any inlorm@ ton Of my con
templated action?
8 L pom whose suggestion | was led To
remove Mr. West, and by whose recon-
incubation | was induced u appoint his
successor?
+ And finally, whether the same poll
cv OF the secretly ecapitating your frieu
is to be acted upon hereafter a. a settled
rule Of the Department
These are plain questions stated nearly
in your own language, and in view Of the
custom which for number Of years has
prevailed in the Department of consulting
Members of Congress in regard to APP
p0intments and removals in their respec-
tive districts. it Is not unnatural and per
haps not unreasonable thatyou should ask
them. But YOU viii excuse me for re
marking IN all kindness, that. in the first
place it IS contrary to the rule of the De
p2rtment to communicate written answers
to such inquiries; and, secondly, that the
right which You seem To claim of controli-
ing the appointments in your district has
no existence in fact Excepting the com
parativelv few cases in which the law I'M
poses this duty ON the President and son
ate, the power Of appointing the officers OF
this department rests exclusively with the
Postmaster+iencral, who aloneis respon-
siblc for its proper exercise. BY courtesy,
the member, when agreeing politically
with the Administration is very generally
cons .lted with respect to appointments in
his district but his advice Is by no means
considered binding on the Department.
nor is the Postmastel't'cneral precluded,
even By courtesy, from making removals
or amendments on satisfactory informa-
ton. A. in the present instance, exclusive
" from other reliable sources. Nhenthe
member is politically opposed to the Ad-
miniStration, it Is not usual to consult
him
Here ! might close but since YOU have
asked these questions, evidently under an
honest impression that it IS my duty to
answer Thorn. | viii disregard the rule so
far rs to reply 10 the first second and
fourth, simply stating with reference to
the third. that respectfully decline giving
the name Of the parties by whose sugees-
tions and Recommendations l have been
guided in making the change.
To the first, then, ! have to inform you
that Mr.. West was removed for leaving his
ruotc without permission from the Depart
ment, and actively engaged ina movement,
the ayowed object Of which isto induce the
withdrawal Of Virginia from the Union.
In other words, he was discharged Tor un-
dertakinc to destroy the Government from
whose treasury he was drawing the means
of daily subsistence, and whose ConstitJl-
ton he had solemnly sworn to support.
-FOUR second and fourth heterogeneous
may be answered together. ! did not adj
wise with vou. because had good reason
to hel ieye thatyou were yourself honestly,
! doubt not fully committed to the seccs-
sion interest in your State As TO the pol
lev to be pursued in the future toward your
friends in Office, can speak only Of what
may be done Ia the few remaining days OF
this Administration, and hesitate not to
assure YOU that if. during this short time
amy other case like the present comes Ie-
fore me, | shall esteem it my Imperative
duty to pursue the course adopted in this
instance
This being not strictly an official letter
| may ba pardnn"i for adding that | anu
for the Union without reservation. equally
against di~uniunists ut the South and
Aholitiouist~ at he North, and for the just