New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-08-09

Charles Francis Adams Accepts-Depar-
ture of the Fresident-Pieasonton Sus-
pended-Douglas AppOfhted Commits
sioner-Postal Money Order with Ger
many-Causes for PIeasonton's Re-
m0vai.
WASHINGTON, August 8.-Charles Francis
Adams has signifed his acceptance of the
arbitratorship under the Washington treaty.
The President has departed.
Commissioner Pleasonton has BEEN for
mally suspended. Douglas was. appointed
and is in possession of the office.
The postal money order with Germany
goes into effect October l., 1872, the North
German LlOyds requiring years notice.
The immediate causes assigned for Pleas
anton's removal in official circles are: The
revenue was not collected with efficiency (;
the revisal efthe rulings of his predecessors;
making decisions, the effect of which need
lessly lessen the revenue, and acting on i'm
portant matters without consulting Bout
well, wherein Boutwell, had a paramount
authority.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT
Office of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue,
August 8, ls7l.}
To the President:
In answer to your request, transmitted
through General Porter last evening, that
/ should tender my resignation of the Office
of Commissioner of Internal Revenue, can
only reply that, under ordinary circum-
stances, nothing would give me greater
pleasure than to accede to any request you
might make of this kind; but the cause for
making this request was stated by General
Porter 70 be the difference existing between
the Secretary of the Treasury, Mr.. Bout
well, and myself, as regards the govern
ment and management of thef internal
revenue bureau.
Mr.. Boutwell, claims powers which, under
the: laws of Congress governing That bu-
reau, are vested solely in the Commissioners.
The question is, therefore, purely a legal
one .and the psecedepts of our government
have been to have such questions, when
appealed to the President, referred to the
law officer of the government for his opin-
ion, and upon which the President would
base his decision.
This course was favored by Presidents
jackson, Tyler, Pierce, Van Buren, Fill
more and others, and has been the uniform
practice of the government. Knowing
these facts, and believing this to be the
proper way to settle any differences of
views as regards the law, which might exist
between the Secretary and the Commits
sioner addressed you communication
some time since, making an appeal for your
decision of the powers of the Commissioner,
under the act of July 20, 1868.
This appeal, as / understand it, is not t,
be entertained, but .the subject is to be
treated rather as a personal difference be-
tween the secretary and myself. In this
connection, it is proper to add that the per-
sonal conduct of the secretary has been
such as to preclude the tender of my resig-
nation until some opportunity is granted for
vindicating my administration of the Inter
nal Revenue Bureau.
Pleasonton's letter concludes, "In justice
to the public interests placed under my
charge, and the Importance to the taxpay-
ers of proper solution of these difficult
ties, must respectfully decline to tender
you my resignation, and trusting it may not
be deemed inappropriate, l will again re-
quest that your present determination may
be reconsidered, and an investigation of the
matter of difference between the secretary
and myself be referred to the attorney gem
eral for his legal opinion.
With great respect,
A. PLEASONTON, Commissioner