Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1861-08-24
The Indian superintendency


been conferred upon B. F. Kendall, Esq.
Ofthe reasons actuating the President in
making such an appointment we are
ignorant, but rs Republican,
We assert that Mr.. Kendall is entirely
destitute of any claim, and that he in.
participated in Democratic
precinct meeting in this place in June,
1860, the last one held before his de-
parture to Washington City to seek
office. In this Territory, up to the
time of his leaving, he avowed that he
"was Democrat, and expected to die
Democrat" He never dared to avow
sympathy with Republicanism until az
ter the Presidential election, and he has
yet to cast his .frstvote in favor ofthcir
candidates, or the principles Of that
party. Here, in his own town, by his
oppressive manner, and his peculiar
course, he cannot get corporal's guard
to support him for the humblest office.
"Veriiy prophet hath no honor in
his own country!
We blame not the Administration
for being deceived, for its time must
necessarily be absorbed in the porten-
t,ous affairs of a national trouble. In
the devotion to these grcatersubjects, we
find the solution of such course as
this anomalous appointment. 1t is really
matter OF pain thus to differ with the
ADMINISTRATION concerning an appoint
mcnt to Office, and IN this enlightened
community VIC claim no less devotion
and allegiance to it. Such an appoint
mcnt, however odious, is no ground for
disloyalty to the Administration, no
reason for disaffection, yet we cannot
blame anyone for feeling Inundated,
chagrined and mortified, who has toilcd
faithfully, disintercstedly and dcvotedly,
ever since the party had an existence,
with far more claims for prefermcnt-
not probably graduates of a college, or
even skillful lawyers, and yet blessed
with more sound judgment than this
political advcnturcr, who deserted his
standard in defeat and joined the Re-
publican party after its triumph, and as
the price of his apostacy receives this
Office as his reward.
But other than party reasons actuate
our objections to this appointment.
We do not believe Mr.. Kendall the
proper man for the place. True he has
scholarship, did graduate at Bowdoin, as
one of his biogmrhers in Washington
City urged so successfully to prove his
competency, but everyone hereabouts
knows that talented as he is, he has yet
to learn the first principles of every
day life. And now, in this juncture of
our Territorial affairs, when our large
bands of Indians are seriously disaffcct-
ed at delays in paying their annuities,
the hope for and prompt payment of
which is nowise increased by our
weighty national troubles, tho Nez
Perccs on the eve ola rupture in consc-
quence of the flocking in to their coun-
try of so many miners, with good rea-
son to fear that scccssionists are among
them, at work to incite hostilities and
multiply the difficulties of the Govern
ment that traitors in the States may
the better succeed in their diabolical
efforts, we need at this time man our
people have confidence in, or who, at
least, is worthy Of their confidence-a
man who possesses judgment, firmness
md courage, and not one of these quail
tiles have ever been attributed to Mr..
Kendall by his exceedingly few adj
mirers.
Our people asIe'for a reliable man at
the head Of this department; they care
not for brilliancy Of talent, expertness
as an attorney, astic oratory, nor
college acquiromsS(s. We know Mr..
Kendall's previous history-thc Presi-
dent, of course, was unacquainted with
it. He never told the President that he
was a lifelong Democrat until that
party was failure, nor why he especial
" coveted this particular place. lie
did not tell the President that he could
make himself rich in four years ont of
this Office, or he never would have been