Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-10-04
THE HEsI.NATIoj Of TIFF posi-
MASTER GENERAL.
The Extraordinary Considerations
which Prompted 30.

Prom toe Nsfionsl Iutel genc-r. sept -
From the brief correspondence which will be
found in another part of TO days paper the read
CT will learn that the President has asked TO be
relieved from the services Of Postmaster Gen
eraI Blair, and that the latter has accordingly
rendered his resignation. which the President has
accepted.
The reader will perceive from DIR. LincolD's
letter to Mr.. Blair that the President bases hi
wish for tue resignation OF tue Postmaster Gen
eral solely on the ground that il would az the
present tine be relief 60 him. 1T pro-
ceeds, SAYS the President. from no dissatisfac-
ion OF mine with you. personally or officially.
= our Uniform kindne- adds the President
"has been unsurpassed oy that Of any friend,
and Il can most truly Say that IN the three years
and a half during which you have administered
the general postofhce | remember no single
complaint against YOU in connection therewith.
When the President by his own express Ian
suage thus publicly excludes all legitimate
grounds for the removal of Mr.. Blair from the
cabinet he leaves the country TO guess at the
Legitimate considerations which have prompted
the step. We say "the removal Of Mr.. Blair,
for have reason To believe that the determination
of the President in this matter took Mr.. Blair as
much by surprise as il has surprised the country
Nr Blair. il is true. as appears from bis note to
the Pre- sident, bad more than once offered TO re
sign whenever the President should deem II al
Visabe for the public interests that he should do
So Bat II will be observed that the President
does not ask for his resignation Oh this ground
o. far il il from being so, that the President
says he ''can remember no single complaint
against Mr Bair's administration of the PostOi-
/ fee Department and he therefore seeks the re-
f signation of an unsurpassed personal friend and
! of a fautless public officer for the simple reason.
! as he saws that it would, at the present time, be
I "a reliei" TO him
Was there ever before such confession this
I made by the Chief Magistrate OF the country?
! The only worthy motives which are conceivable
/ for the removal OF public functionary are eX =
cluded by the President. as if for the purpose OF
fastening upon himself the imputstion of being
/ Influenced by unworthy motives What these
unworthy motives are We shall not undertake at
present TO surmse. though We have received init
/ nations on the subject which we believe are en-
/ titled TO credence As the President has not left
himself any tenabe ground on which to stand in
taking the step he has Just taken it only remains
I tor him OF bis friends TO assign the particular
selfish consideration which has moved him 10
seek relief in the sacrifice of an unsurpassed
personal friend and OF public officer whom. ia
I the act OF the sacrifice. he admits TO be without
reproach in th9 faithful and capable performance
! OF his duties.
The immediate cause of the resignation of Mr.
Chase. as the whole country know, was differ
enee between him and the President with regarC
to the considerations that should prevail in the
appointment of public officer TO responsible
post in the city of New York. Mr.. Chase
thought that primary regard should be had tC
the public interest az involved in the character
Of the appointee The President dissented from
this view grounds of political advantage
And now, in the resignation of Mr.. Blair, w
have still another case in which such partisa,
considerations have prevailed over the obliga
lions OF private friendship and the interests o
the public welfare. 1t is in such instances a
these that all good citizens who believe that il i
the duty of the administration Ito assume a pc
sitiOn wholly independent of party in the pres
ent Crisis, can very clearly read the dnty the.
owe 10 the country