The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1868-03-26
any Of the removals then made were
based upon thst ground. -

sor Of the second congressional distrio
for. the collection Of internal revenue
appointed by Mr.. Lincoln and confirmed
by the Senate, aud was universally rec
ognized as an unexceptionable officer
aud an honest, worthy man.
The Democrats assured him that he
would be andisturbed in his Office if he
would contribute reasonable sum to
their canvass. This he refused to do
They then asked him to remain neutral
This Likewise he refused. lie worked
hard for the party aud contributed
financially to its success. What was
the result? The party triumphed, but
Mr.. Wilson was selected for destruction,
A gentleman who vas satisfactory to
the opposition was nominated for the
Office; but the notice Of removal did
not reach Mr.. Wilson until after the
session Of tho Senate had commenced.
1t was precisely such case as the at
tempted removal of Edwin NJ. Stanton
during the session Of the Senate. Mr..
Wilson refused to deliver up the office.
He claimed that he was still assessor,
just as Mr.. Stanton claims that lie is
still Secretary Of War. He came to
Washington armed with written opin-
ions Of some of the leading lawyers of
St. Paul that he (Wilson) was still le-
gally the Assessor. What was the re-
suit l need not 90 through all the
details. tits sufficient to say that this
faithful officer, whose only offcnse was
his Republicanism, was removed while
In the actual possession Of the Office and
Republican friend Of yours appointed
in his stead. And when Mr.. Wilson
tor he is poor man-sought the petty
Office Of inspector Of internal revenue
he was told by one Of the gentlemen
confirmed by you that he could not be
appointed, as he was a friend to Mr..
Donnelly; unless he would agree to
work for MIR. Ramscy's reelection to
the Senate.
The negative of the Senate" was
used in this case very effectively.
II you have not united with Andrew
johnson and Daniel S. Norton to con-
troll the patronage Of Minnesota, it is at
least singular coincidence that Mr..
WINDOWS wishes in the first district
aud mine in the second have been per-
sisteotly ignored, and that you and Mr.
Norton have together gathered the
cream Of the chole transaction. A
plain man would conclude that, having
the cream, you had MIXED the COW, or
1t least held the bucket while Mr..
Norton MIXED.
This may be called "the negative Of
tho Senate" bnt it is at least "a new
name for it."
Mr.. Wilson is a Republican; so is
Mr.. Stanton. Mr.. Wilson was turned
out for his Republicanism 60 was Mr..
Stanton. Mr.. Wilson claimed that be
was still in possession Of his Office; 50
does MIR. Stanton. An attempt was
made to turn MIR. Wilson out by force
and seize the books aud papers of mis-
Office. A precisely similar attempt was
made in the case Of Mr.. Stanton.
Andrew Johnson has been impcach-,
ed, and will be removed from office for
the attempt in the case Of Mr.. Stanton.
What shall be said of the Senator who
in the case Of Mr.. Wilson permitted
the attempt to succeed, aud voted to
confirm his successor, and who will now
probably vote to remove Andrew John
son /?
You are right when you say that my
list Of twenty names does not include
all "the estimable Republicans iu that
district )" but you do not say that you
will confirm none but "estimable Re-
publicans."; On the contrary, l have
been informed that you have written to
st. Cloud that one of the appoiatees
would have to be Democrat to satisfy
M. Norton.
You say you will not confirm elm
proper persons" 1t seems that in your
Indignant Reuben Richardson is not,
IN "improper person" to hold the Office
Of postmaster at St. Cloud, for you
have refused to reject him, although
bis nomination was nearly year before
the Senate and in the entire control of
your ''ncgative." I fear some such
"proper person" mig ht 60 into the
Land Office.
Now, if you were not satisfied with
my list of twenty nominees it seems to
me the fairest course would be to say
which Of those ''estimable Rcpubl-
cans" not enumerated therein, you
would be willing to confrm-not
"proper pcrsons," but "Republicans."
The list L have suggested includes lead
ing men in variety of localities in or
adjacent to the land district. I have
not asked the gentlemen named therein
whether they are my friends or not 7
believe them to be good and true Re-
publicans, who will use the cmoluments
and influence of the Office in question
to strengthen the hands of the Repub-
lican party, not to destroy it.
1t is possible, if you really mean to
confirm only Republicans, that you
could submit names not contained: in
my list that would be perfectly satistac-
tory to me end to the earnest Republi-
cans Of that region OF country. But I
cannot withhold my NEGATIVE, and
create Offices for Democrats to ill. L
want no more of the Reuben Richard
son business.
I have made no statement herein that
I AN not able to sustain by ample proof:
I regret the necessity which compels
this correspondence; but I am neither
70 be inundated, misrepreseuted, nor
extipguished BY platitudes. '
You greatly mistake the temper Of
this House, radical and resolute as it is,
if you imagine that it will be willing
to place additional power and patronage
in the hands of a taithless and danger
Gus Executive. The House, which has
lately impeaehed Andrew johnson as
the great criminal Of the nineteenth
century, is not the body to increase,
willingly, his power for evil. If you
can rise into that elevated region where
such considerations have no weight, and