The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1869-07-03
THE REMOVING POWER-ITs
ABUSE.

ABUSE.
The Superintendent of tho mint at
San Francisco has succeeded in accom-
plishing what few men ever accom-.
plish in office, namely--in admins.
tering the affairs of the mint so as to
disarm party animosity and leave no
place for criticism to hang complaint
upon. lie was appointed by Presi.
dent Lincoln some six years ago, ut n
time when the affairs ofthe office were
in an unsatisfactory condition. He
brought with him the confidence of
the business men of San Francisco.---
He restored order and established dis
cipline in all the departments of the
office aud in the management of its IN
tricate affairs. lie reduced the loss
in waste, from n large sum annual
ly to one that was insignifcantly
small and although government al
lows the superintendent fixed
amount to cover such loss, yet Mr..
Swain never ayailcd himself of the
allowance. And in all respects his
management was allowed TO be unex-
ceptionablc. One would suppose that
with such IN official record the Super.
intendent stood in no danger of re-.
moval Mt the hands of President,
one of whose strongest and most cx-
tremely partisan supporter he had
been. But Mr.. Swain was not n rcla-
tive nor the partner Of relative OF
General Grant; neither was he n
General in the army and per consc-
quence his removal followed. \ por-
tion of the Pacific delegation IN Con
sress, including Senator Casscrly,
made almost supcrhumaE exertions to
prevent the confirmation of the new
appointee And in these efforts they
were backed by the most respectable
men Of all parties in California. But
an obscquious Senate, most of the
members OF which had axes 10 grind,
confirmed, after long delay, the ap.
pointment Immediately upon this
result, the more influential and decent
men of the city tclcgraphcd the Pres.
| ident TO withhold the commission; tho
Chamber of Commerce telcgraphcd
4 spirited protest TO the ncw appoint.
mcnt and 4 similar request that tho
commission be withheld. At last a
brothcr-in-law Dcnt) ofthe President
tclegraphed TO the same effect. The
relationship card was undoubtedly =
| trump, for reluctant consent 10 with
hold the commission was given. Not
withstandiAg the united, prompt and
energetic protest aud the promis,
made under this extraordinary pres
sure 10 withhold, the commission ha,
been issued and Gen. In Grange as
sumcs charge of the mint July lst.-
Now what remarkable contrast thcr,
is between the way the republican
party receive the displacement Of ~
upright and competent official by Gen
Grant and the way il received the at
tempt to dieplace the same officer b,
President Johnson. What volume
of abuse have been hcapcd upon tn
democratic party for putting partizal
friends in office and what counties
newspapers have tccmcd with dcnun
Citations of "thc abuse of the appoint
ing Power" 1t was To- prevent thi
very thing that the tenure Of oflic
law was passed. 1t was for aitcmp,
ing this thing that Andy johnson
was impeached Aud what demo
cratic executive, in the exercise Of HI
prcrogativcs, ever attempted to def,
an almost unanimous public wish an
To so far outrage all the decencies q
official life as 10 displacc an Office
simply because he happened not t
have been educated ut West Point o
, not to be Il relative of the President
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