Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1870-08-11
Letter from Sixth District.
The smith-Loadon Controversy,

The smith-L Ondon Controversy.
Special Correspondence Of Gin. Times.
LYNcHeURG, O., Aug 4, 1870.
Your issue of the I'd inst. con
tains communication signed sc.
G. o." which would provoke no re
ply were it not for numerous er,
rors Of fact and the false coloring
given therein to matters in them
selves innocent. Where all the
facts are known that letter will have
no weight with rght-thinking men,
and it is for those who had not the
fortune to be present at the con
venton, who may desire to cast
their ballots understandingly, that
the following
STATEMENT or FACTS
is made. And first as to matters
anterior to the convention. Near
" at the outset of his official career
Mr.. Smith was called upon by the
Commissioner Of Internal Revenue
to recommend some one from this
district for appointmentto to the COLI
lectorship of the same, the officer
by President John
son having resigned, This brought
forward many contestants for the
place from all the counties compos
ING the district except Highland,
Which, having the Congressman,
was thought to have no further
claim on the Government for pat
ronage Clinton county was di-
vided in its preferences; CIermont
likewise presented two or more
candidates, besides which the late
of Congress hailed from
there.
Brown county had the Assessor
an officer whose administration was
to be satisfactory to
the department There only re,
maned the county Of Fayettc, which |
presented united front for Hon,
James Purscll, the appointee. Sim'
pie Justice required his recommend
alton at the hands Of Mr. Smith
Here let me'digress so faras to say
that "E. G. o." would hardly have
made the statement that "Mr Pur-
sell was the most unsatisfactory
Collector the district ever had,'
&C., had he been aware Of the fact
that the revenue collected during
The first year of his term more than
louJled the amount collected in
any former year, with the rate Of
taxation much lower than hereto
fore, His vigorous administration
d only ."unsutisfactory' to delin
luents and OK, Revenue officers who
laye matters of Importance pend
NO on the crImiHdI side of the
United States Court for the South.
I'm District of Ohio, In the ap-
Of minor Revenue ohl-
,ers Mr.. Smith steadlasty refused
0 interfere, holding that, as the
ssessor and Collector were re-
for the collection Of the
eyenue, it was only fair that they
hould choose their own suhordin-
tes, This Of course brought down
.pouhim the enmity ofmany ofthe
disappointed applicants 1t is sim
ly impossible for Congressman
o please all his constituents in the
natter of appointments to Office
large majority Of those applying
must Of necessity be disappointed,
nd often the best rule as to the
manner Of an applicant is the man
en- IN which he bears his defeat
It is possible that Mr., Smith may
ave been unfortunate in some OF
lis recommendations, but ] have
ct to hear of any complaint eN-
ept on the part Of those personal
y oggricved, Mr.. Smiths course
n Congress certainly reflected the
ews ofa majority OF his constitu-
nts, The journal of the House
hows him to have been present the
ntire session. The work assign
d him in committee was perform
d to the satisfaction of his associ-
ties. Grant that he did not at
empt to make figure" The as
ertion that he did not is only a
TO his good sense, for
t is we'll to clll to mind in this con
,actior an off .nuotnl rcmark of