The Portland daily press., 1873-07-02

Cadet to West Point, have UNANIMOUSLY de-
cided that Frank E. Hobbs residence is in
North Berwick, and he has been nominated.
1t would have been very satisfactory to me
to have nominated young Looney. in accord
ance with your and others, his and my
friends, earnest wishes but the Committee in
their examination were governed by printed
rules made by the War Department, and
young Hobbs being legally eligible, could not
be prescribed.
Yours truly,
J. Fl. BURLEIGH.
That the matter may be fully understood,
we propose to make a simple statement of
fact regarding this case. Desiring to give
all the young men in the District a fair
chance to try for tine West Point cade tship,
Mr.. Burleigh appointed DR.. Jewett of South
Berwick, A. A. Strout, Esq, of this city and
B. F. Hamilton, ESQ.,, of Biddeford, COM
mittee to examine such applicants as appear
ed before them in Saco on given day. The
examination resulted in the recommendation
of Frank E. Hobbs, if it were found that he
was resident of the First District, and in
case he was not, Of William Fl. Looney of
this city. One of the committee Informed
us that Looney's examination was excellent,
Hobbs's being superior only in penmanship
and arithmetic. Hobbs claimed to be resi-
dent of North Berwick; but evidently his
friends thought that it was doubtful matter
as he came with documents to prove his po-
sition.
This left the matter more embarrassing to
Mr.. Burleigh than the original choice be-
tween all the applicants and he accordingly
requested the committee to complete the
duty which they had undertaken to dis
charge. The friends of young Hobbs, who
was in Maine less than week, Immediately
furnished the committee with mass of tes-
timony including the opinion of several
Washington officials, citing the law by which
they claimed that he was a technical resident
of North Berwick, though he had never lived
there. The young mans father, Thomas j.
Hobbs, ESQ.,, also sent very emphatic aft
davit that he was a citizen of North Berwick
and the selectmen of that town came to his
aid with statement that they consider that
town his legal residence.
Now for bit of Mr.. Hobbs history Thorn
as J. Hobbs during the administration of
franklin Pierce received an appointment in
one of the departments at Washington.
This was t,centy years ago. He has contin-
: ued there ever since. Shortly after, about
the time of the birth of the young man just
appointed, the family moved to Washington
and has resided there ever since. There the
young m: n received his education and if his
fafIor ho1 ofharm;ca an1ninvod fboro
would have been his residence. Mr.. Thomas
j. Hobbs is what may be termed political
eunuci, having held office through the adj
mlnlstratlons OF Pierce, Buchanan, Lincoln,
johnson and, thus far, of Gen. Grant. We
have letter from gentleman who when in
Washington, made particular enouires re-
spectinc the matter. The letter states that .
friend of Mr.. Hobbs informed the writer tba4
he Thomas j. Hobbs) had not voted in
Maine at State election for sixteen gears
A letter to gentleman in this city who took
an interest in the matter, written by q
friend of Mr.. T. j. Hobbs, admitted that he
owns a house in Washington, and, indeed
has all the surroundings of a man who in
tends to spend his days there. We are also
informed though we cannot vouch for it.
that the town of North Berwick has not beer
favored with a poll tax from the pocket Of Mr.
Hobbs for years.
Against all these facts we have the vigorou:
affidavit of Mr.. Hobbs that he is a citizen o.
North Berwick and is now impatient to sho y
that he is citizen by voting at the next
September election. There are those who
would have rejoiced i'm these demonstrations
OF patriotism in the perilous days of 1873
1t should here be stated that Louney's
friends were promised formal hearing be.
fore the Committee on this question but we
learn by the above letter that there was no
meeting and that they severally examined