Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-03-02
Letter from postma..er-GeneraI king

Letter from POstmaster.Genera1k King
The following letter on a matter of con-
siderable interest was written in reply to GER
tain interrogatories put by Hon. Mr.. jenkins,
Representative from Virginia. to the Post
MASTER General:
PosT OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
February %. 1861.
Dear Sir--Your letter of the 29th instant
is received, requesting "disfinct and specific
answers to the following interrogatories,
viz:
1. What are the grounds of the removal of
Thomas J. West. late route agent on the line
from Grafton to Parkersburg, Virginia, and
of the Substitution of another person in his
place?
2. Why is it that these proceedings have
been carried out on my part without afford
ing you any information OF my contemplated
action?
5. Upon whose suggestion l was led to
remove Mr.. West, and by whose recommen.
dations was induced to appoint his sue
cessor?
4. And, finally, whether the same policy Of
secretly decapitating your friends is to be act.
| ed upon hereafter as the settled rule of the
Department.
These are plain questions, stated nearly In
your own language, and in view of the Gus
| tom which for a number of years has pre-
| vailed in the Department of consulting mem.
| bers of Congress in regard to appointments
! and removals in their respective districts, II
is not unnatural, and perhaps not unreason'
able, that you should ask them. But you
will excuse me for remarkiug, in all kind
ness, that, in the first place. it is contrary to
the rule of the Department to communicate
written answers to such inquiries; and, sc
condly. that the right which you seem to
| claim of controlling the appointments IN your
| district has no existence in fact. Excepting
| the comparatively few cases in which the law
| imposes this duty on the President and Sen
ate, the power of appointing the officers Of
| this Department rests exclusively with the
| Postmaster General, who alone Is responsible
for its proper exercise. By courtesy, the
member, when agreeing politically with the
Administration, is very generally consulted
| with respect to appointments in his district
| but his advice is by no means considered
| binding on the Department.; nor is the Post
master-General precluded, even by courtesy
| from making removals or appointments on
satisfactory information, as in the present
| instance, exclusively from other reliable
sources. When the member is politically op-
posed to the Administration, it is not usual
| to consult him.
Here 1 might close. but since you have
honest impression that it is my duty to an
swer them, will disregard the rule so far
as to reply to the first, second and fourth,
simply stating. with reference to the third
that L respectfully decline giving the names
of the parties by whose suggestions and re-
concentrations have been guided in making
the change.
To the first, then, have to inform you
that Mr.. West was removed for leaving his
route without permission from the Depart
ment, and actively engaging in movement
the avowed object of which is to induce the
withdrawal of Virginia from the Union. In
other words, he was discharged for underta-
king to destroy the Government from whose
treasury he was drawing the means of daily
subsistence, and whose Constitution he had
solemnly sworn to support.
Your second and fourth interrogatorles
may be answered together. / did not advise
with you, because had good reason to be-
lieve that you were yourself, honestly,
doubt not, fully committed to the secession
interest in your State. As to the policy to
be pursued in the future toward your friends
in office, can speak only of what may be
done in the few remaining days of this Ad-
ministration, and L hesitate not to assure you
that if, during this short time, any other
cases like the present come before me. L shall
esteem it my imperative duty to pursue the
course adopted in this instance.
This being not strictly an official letter,
may be pardoned for adding that L am for
the Union without reservation, equally
against Disunionists at the South and Adolf
tionistS at the North, and for the just rights
of all sections in the Union.
have the honor to be, very respectfully
your obedient servant,
HORATIO KING.
Hon. A. G. Jenkins, House of Representa-
tives.