Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1870-11-30
Secretarr Cnx,s Pnsitinn-

heredrement Of Gen. Cox from Presi-
dents Grants cabinet wss made under q
cover OF complaints and insinuations,
that seemed to intimate that the Presi-
dent wa so very indifferent, if not op-
posed, to certain reforms in government
service, thatthe Secretary Of the Interi-
or, weary and worn out with opposition
from politicians and lack of supportfrom
the President, had withdrawn in very
disgust from a position he couldnot long
er occupy withouta compromise Of moral
principle. The MeGarrahan claim, the
Indian policy, and the alledged interfe-
renee with the clerks in the Interior De-
psrtment, were referred to in such a
manner as to warrant the inference that
on these questions Secretary Cox and
the President disagreed-the President
being in sympathy with ancient routine
and established usages, while the Secre-
tary was the champion Of the friendless
cause OF Civil Service Reform and gener-
al political morality. We confess that
we felt the influence Of the ~far-reaching
shock to public feeling that spread over
the nation when the report Of the resig-
nation Of Secy. Cox, with the supposed
cause thereof, was published. 1t would
have been most fortunate for the future
Of Gen. Cox, had subsequent fun and
/ detailed investigation sustained the wis
dom and justice Of his apparent self
sacrificing course. But with the light Of
later information that has been thrown
upon the several points Of supposed is
sue between the President and Secre-
tary, it is almost impossible to discover
any red justification for the somewhat
abrupt leave-taking Of the Secretary Of
the Interior. 1t does not appear that
President Grant at any time intsrfered
with the affairs Of the Interior Depart
ment, except that in the contest between
McGarrahan and the Idrsi Mining Co.,
he instructed the Secretary not to issue
title deeds to either claimant for the
reason that he thought that probably
both parties were trying to defrsud the
governmental a large quantity ofvalus-
bic mineral land, and that the matter
should bemore thoroughly investigated.
To this proposal, it is stated on authority
Of the President, Gen. Coxnever object
ed. The statement in regard to the
fraudulence Of the claim is confirmed by
the letter Of Gen. Butler, who was a
member Of a Congressional Committee
appointed to examine these land claims.
In the matter of elerkships, the Presi-
dent says he never had any dispute with
the Secretary on the subject From the
I S~ecretary's accession to the Cabinet until
the time he retired the President says
he does not remember to have asked Mr..
( Cox to appoint a clerk or to dismiss one.
] He has made it a rule not to interfere
with the heads Of departments in the
matter Of appointing and controlling
their clerical force. When the question
of assessing the clerks in the Interior
Department for election purposes came
I'D the President was at Long Branch.
Whatever complaints may have been
made to him by the members Of the
National Republican Congressional Com
mittee, or by the chairman Of Republic
| can associations relative 10 Mr.. COx's
order against taxing the clerks, he paid
no attention 70 II. He says be never had
any communication on this subject with
the Secretary or any other officer Of the
department. BE simply allowed Mr..
Cox aud the politician to settle this
among themselves. So far as he was
personally concerned there was no issue
/ between himself and Cox on this matter,
and he does not think Cox could have
intended that his friends should set this
down as among the causes which led
him to retire from the Cabinet.