Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-02-13

NC, as otner men would under such
circumstances, wanted to know if
any charges against him were the
cause for calling for his resignation.
It is simply direct insult to any man
holding Office, to call for his resigna-
ton in the Interest Of the SERVICE"
and yet declare that it is asked for
without in any way questioning the
fitness or integrity of the official. 1t
is simply a delicate way of insinuat-
ing that after all something is wrong
or else it is mean, contemplate, ly-
ing way of letting an officer know
that his place is wanted for another
man, and this latter is just what
Schurz made his Commissioner of
Pensions do. Schurz made Bently say,
we want your resignation in the in
terest of the service, when if he had
not lied he would have said, we want
your place for particular friend Of
Mr.. Schurz.
On receipt Of that letter asking his
resignation, Whitehill writes his
friend, DR.. F. H. Hood, Medical Ref
fierce, in pension.office at Washington,
requesting him to show his letter to
the Commissioner and if possible give
him more information touching the
pcremptory demand for his resigna.
ton, stating that he felt very anxious
that no should have NO cloud upon
his good name. The letter is toe
lengthy for our columns, but we
give the reply of DR. Hood as follows
Department Of the Interior, Pension
Office Harrington, ID. c.. May II, 1877
MY DEAR Doctor: Upon my re-
turn from New York this morning, /
find your letter of the 10th. have
just shown it to the Commissioner,
who will, 1 presume direct answer.
Personally, I can say nothing, only
that there are no charges against you.
The commissioner, it seems, thought
1t was best to make a change in the
board, and asked your resignation
instead of dropping you, for the
reason that there were no charges
against you. Iregret that it is not in
my power to serve you, doctor, but
most certainly it is not. Very truly
ETC., r. II. HOOP, Med. Director.
J. G. Whitehill, M. D., st. Louis,
Mo.
And here follows Bently's reply:
Department of the Interior, Pen.
sion Office, Washington, d. c., May
II, 1S77-DEAR SIR: DR.. Hood has
just shown me your letter to him oil
the 10th inst, relating to your resig.
nation as an examining surgeon. In
answer, have to say, that having de
cided that the interests of the service
required the reorganization of your
board, ! asked your resignation in
preference to dropping you, because
there was nothing affecting either
your personal or professional stand.
ing. am at loss to understand
why or how your resignation involves
80 grave results as you depict. Elk.
aiming surgeons are employed at the
will of the commissioner, and such
changes are made from time to time
as in his judgment subserves the in.
terests of the public service. Youl
resignation most certainly cannot af.
feet your standing, and have to re.
peat the request that Immediately up.
on the receipt Of this you forward it
Very respectfully,
J. A. BENTLY, Commissioner.
j. G. Whitehill, M. D., st. Louis
Mo.
DR.. Whitehill wrote still another
letter to the commissioner and thu
latter getting out of patience waiting
for the resignation and DR.. Weige
being very importunate for the place
DR.. Whitehill was dismissed, and thu
other doctors Of the board directed tt
no longer recognize him.
This is specimen brick of your
Carl Schurz immaculate civil service
reform. The serpent never more spe'
ciously beguiled Eve in the garden
than docs Carl Schurz sing of homes
~ and reform.