Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1863-10-10
Agents for the Standard.
SATURDAY MORNING, OCT. 10, 1868.

The Surveyor General and his Traducers'
The name of the Surveyor General Of this
Territory has, for the past two years, been
crowded into more newspaper articles of our
press and that of Oregon, than IF any other
one individual on the coast. This being un-
deniable, we trust, we will be pardoned if
we devote brief space to the man who has
engaged so much Of the attention, and called
forth so much the venom, of some of our CO.
temporaries. Indeed, we may say the war
against the Surveyor-Gcneral commenced
months prior to the time when he assumed
the duties of his present position, and has
been waged with relentlessness as remark
able as it has been bitter, ever since. Occu-
plying as he does, warm friendly relations
with the President, and several men,
bers of the Pacific delegation in Congress,
nothing has been done affecting our local in
.erests, in which he has not been dragged in
by one party or the other, and made the OBJ
iect of their unbounded censure and abuse.
We have tried in vain, to follow the whole
sale charges which were made few months
ago, affecting his honesty and integrity, to
some authentic and responsible source, and
have invariably found them to proceed from
gross pcrversions of truth, or violent person.
al enmity. These charges fall on their own
foundation; and a shrewder, if not more
honorable, policy, has been adopted, of
foisting the responsibility of all failure of
the different departments to meet the real
or fancied requirements Of our people, or
of every slur cast at the Administration,
upon the Surveyor General. Victor Smith
charges that our "worse-t han-none" mail
service on the Sound is attributable to DR..
Henry; and Turney is no less loud in laying
equally as groundless charges on the same
shoulders; while Holbrook Of the Oregonian,
whose envy and self-esteem induced him to
oppose the Union nominee for U. S. Senator
in the Oregon Legislature, few years ago,
is laboring under huge accumulation Of
bile, because Col. Baker was elected, not
withstanding his efforts. and DR.. Henry
had the good fortune to be friend Of the
gallant hero, instead of Mr.. Holbrook. The
motives and objects of this abuse are too
apparent to require comment, and it would
pass but for little, if political jealousies did
not add relish to the dish. We can blame
neither Smith, Turney nor Holbrook for abus-
ing the Surveyor-General, fer they would be
something more than human if they did not,
still we regret that their spleen should be ex-
perforated anew BY those who have not the
excuse of the defeated triumvirate. No hu-
initiation is greater to many politicians than
that others should possess influence which
they cannot command, and hence, no means
are left unturned by which they can perceive
a glimmering Of success TO lessen and sup
plant that influence. We believe this general
rule to have no exception in this instance {:
we can certainly see no other motive which
should prompt the continued warfare against
man whose official and personal department
are characterized by rectitude and justice.
There are those who have shown dispo.
sition to charge the defeat of the Union NOM
inse for Congress in the late campaign solely
upon the Surveyors General, Notwithstanding
he was absent from the Territory during the
greater part of the campaign, and conse-
qucntly could have had nothing odo in inAu-
encing the choice Of the convention which NOM
mated Mr.. Raynor, and was in no manner
responsible for the result Of the election.
It is true, his name was banded forth during
the canvass, as a very convenient means Of
keeping the prejudice alive which could not but
find Judgment in the minds of many honest
minded people in connection with the whole
sale charges published broadcast throughout
the Territory, and Of afording plausible pre-
text in case of defeat.
We regret that this underhanded game
should still continue to be played. The Off
DIAL acts of the Surveyor General, are before
the people, and subject to their criticism,
and approval or disapprovc!, and we have
yet to learn that he has not discharged his
duty with zeal and fidelity. If aspiring dem
agogues choose to adopt this method of dis.
posing of one whom they choose to believe
stands in their way for prefcrment, we have
yet to see if such selfish policy can be ulti,
mately successful
~ A monument is about to be erected t
the late Samuel Colt, the revolver manufac
turer, at an expense Of $4,000.