Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-02-15
THE PRESIDENT INTERVIEWED.
He Sets at Rest Certain Im,,iacatle False
hoods

hoods.
Special Telegram to the Inter Ocean.
WASHINGTON, Feb. Representa-
tive Willets, of Michigan, called on the
President to-day, and had quite con
versation upon political topics, during
which the President made some interest
ing statements concerning political
matters and the appoin tmcnts that have
called out newspaper comment. Speak
OF the South Carolina issues, the Pres
dent disavowed any intention Of ap-
pointing Democrats to Office in that
State, unless it should be found i'm
possible to obtain suitable Republicans.
The appointment of Northrup as Dis
trict Attorney, he declared was consist
ent with his intention, as his Replican-
ism could not be Justly questioned,
and he had the strongest kind of Repub-
lican Endorsement, beginning with Gov.
Chamberlain. Any hesitation he had
felt in this case had come from other
than political causes, and he was con
WINGED that Northrup had greater fitness
than any other candidate pressed, 1t
was true that his appointment was re-
commended by Hampton, but not on any
ground that impugned his Republican
ism. Regarding the present situa-
ton in South Carolina the Presi-
dent spoke hopefully. He said that
while he could not find fault with the
prosecuting of Republicans when there
are grounds OF accusation, the fact that
no Democrats were not prosecuted was
not very pleasing to him, because he did
not believe that Republicans were guilty
OF more than half the crimes. On this
point he spoke with earnestness and
plainly, and remarked that Hampton
was as fair a man as there was in the
State. He had allowed negros to organ
izc militia companies, had appointed
colored men as justices of the peace,
and to other local offices, and although
Republicans did.not so believe, he was
convinced Hampton was trying to do
the fair thing.
The president then alluded to a state
ment which appeared in these dispatch
es, and for which Senator Gordon $
friends were authority. that he had Civ
en- to Gordon the appointment of ca
detshipat-large at West Point, which
he had refused to many Republicans.
This, he said, was not true There
were 300 applications for these cadet
ships at-large, accompanied by volum-
lnous papers, from which he must Sc
lect ten before June next but as vet
no appointments had been made, and
none promised The. President added
that if one Of Gordon's friends was ap-
pointed, it would be because he was
found on examination to be one of the
best ten men, and not because Of per-
sonal influence. He referred quite
feelingly to criticisms upon some of the
appointments of honorary Commission
ers to the Paris Exposition. Two ap-
pOlntments were made upon the recon-
mendation OF the Governor Of each State,
and his connection with them was mere
ly formal, consisting Of adding his name
In approval, and that was all. He had
no authority in the matter further than
this, and he did not believe he would be
justified in refusing to approve any nom
nation that might be made, and did not
feel responsible except III a general way
for the men selected.
Willets came away convinced that the
President was firmly decided to make
no more appointments Of Democrats,
except under such circumstances as he
alluded to when no suitable Republi-
can can be found.
Some days ago Senator Edmunds ad-
dressed letter to the President, inclos-
ing. a number of newspaper slips in
which certain appointments recently
made were criticised. Among others
alluded to were that Of the cadetship
referred to in the President conversa-
ton with Willets, the appointment of
Northrup as District Attorney for
Louisiana, and that Of Beriah Magoffin,
of Kentucky, who, as Governor of Ken
lucky, insulted President Lincoln when
he called for troops, as one of the Com
missiOners to the Paris Exposition
The President replied briefly by letter
to MIR. Edmonds giving very much the
same explanations as he gave to-day to
Willets, and which were said to be en-
tirely satisfactory to Edmunds, as far as
the Gordon and Magoffin eases were con-
cerned, In regard to Northrup, Ed
munds does not agree with the Presi-
dent.
In an interview tonight the Presi-
dent declined to give this correspondence
for publication, but stated that he had
decided to appoint Capt Millward, who
had served with him in the war, as AS
sistant Commissioner to the Paris Ex-
position from Kentucky, lie stated
that the other letter Of Edmonds' in
reference to the mutual relations Of
the President and the Senate had been
referred to secretary Evarts
Senator Edmonds tonight also refus-
ed to furnish for publication his CORES
sondcnce with the President.