Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-02-01
Col. Clark's Appointment.

been appointed by the President and
confirmed by the Senate, Surveyor
General OF Dakota Territory. A few
days ago we heard that a Senator |
had made motion TO reconsider his |
confirmation and yesterday we receiv-
ed assurance of the fact. The matter is
therefore still pending. Why Col.
Clark should be used after this manner
is, TO say the least, subject for refec-
ton. We are assured that no effort
was made by him at this time to OBJ
tain the appointment. He was will
ing to accept it if rendered to him.
Gen. Dewey had held the office over
his term of four years aud was under
stood to have signified his intention to
retire. The President sent Col. Clark's
name to the Senate to be Dewey's
successor. The Senate confirmed
the appointment. II he is now re
jected it will be another case where
there is very superior man disgracei
for some unamiable reason. We shall
have the case OF man presented, re-
jected and disgraced not because of
a charge of anything wanting in him
as proper man for the State of
Wisconsin and the whole West might
have been picked over and man
more fitted for the position could not
have been found. The enemies of the
Republican party will also have
another case 10 remind us of-and as
prominent one as could be cited in
Southwestern Wisconsin where a
man known to be one of the highest
integrity, known to be one of the best
ability, known TO be one OF extra
ordinary industry and energy in at
tending to his duties, and known also
from first to last to be steadfast and
reliable Republican-we say, here
they will have another case to jeer
and gibe us with, saying "That's the
sway you do with a good man when
che is offered to you. You knew he
wouldn't sell any post-traderships
or contracts and you didn't want
him." We do not wish now to deal
| further with Col. Clark g merits. We
are unquslifiedly hostile to such treat
ment of hIm. He was one of the or
ganizers ofthe Republican party. He
held positions given him by that
party during the war in which had
he done as others did he could have
laid up stores of wealth and that
wealth would have helped him to
still better places. He chose, how
ever, to use nothing but his salary
and even that he contributed liber-
ally to the comfort and promotion of
those around him. Since the war he
has worked hard for the party and
the party has done nothing for him.
The Republican party has lost much
heretofore by it's ungratefulness tc-
ward men like him. 1t has acted as
II IL was certain OF ali this class OF
men anyhow, and must give the
verts, who through selfish motives
have joined it, in order TO keep
them. 1t has had too much success
10 that direction, for the effect was
to drive away the good old Repub-
licans who made the party. The
1000 Repu blican majority of Grant
county was cut down three years
ago by this policy to an uncertain
300. The 10000 Republican major
ity in the State was by this policy
changed to Democratic thousands.
The two years past the people
have generally been made TO
believe that the party had seen
it's mistake and would hencsfortb
honor It's own men. The effect
in this county was to raise our ma
iority again TO 864 and that ma or
ity gave us Governor Ludington.
Last year the ZANE policy brought
us up t. nearly 1000. If our pr M
Uses are fulfilled Grant would be
stronger Republican than ever. II
we go back upon them, the past
| may give some hint what will be.
come OF u7. The same is true of the
State Yet we ere not asking that
Col. Clark be made Surveyor Gener-
al because be is Republican. We
arge the appointment because it is
peculiarly proper one-because he
is the most suitable person that
could be found for that position, and
to put him up aud then put him
down in the way proposed would be
unworthy of a body of men such as
the u. s. Senate is supposed TO be
comnosed of. We trnst our Wisnnn-
sin Senators will act judiciously in
the matter