The National tribune., 1880-02-01
Petition to the President for the Removal of
Mr.. Bentley.

and is intended for signature by oil officers and sol
diers Of the late war
We do not know from what source this form Of
petition originated, nor even from what State We
expressly desire to state to the Commissioner that
is no device of ours, nor, so far we know, does
start in Washington. That it expresses very
general idea cannot doubt, for we know that the
dissatisfaction with Mr.. Bentey's administration is
very general and very great and we regret to say
very well founded. There is manner of doubt
that Mr. Bentleys withdrawal from this office would
be eminently popular; that there would be great
sigh of relief from many hearts if he would step
down and out We have reason to suppose
however that Mr. Bentley will ever have the wis
dom to recognize this great public demand, or the
grace to retire before retirement is forced upon him
He has initiated Cncinnatus in his readiness to
leave the plow but he will not initiate him in his
readiness to abandon Office. That style of virtue is
superhuman and does not grow in Wisconsin, or
! perhaps anywhere else in these days. Yet it looks
if it might be that these scattered clouds in his
sky may yet gather into storm enough to blow him
out of the seat in which he believes himself fast
anchored And of this possible storm this neat
petition is one of the forerunners
1t states among other things that he never served
.
war or any other war
This is undoubtedly true and, although service
in the field is not an indispensable requisite to the
tenure of such an Office, it undoubtedly would be a
great help to the full understanding of cases arising
out of service
The second ground in this petition is that he was
very ordinary lawyer in small town in Wiscon-
sin, and not man of any National reputation.
I Al, Al
facts for is very certain that he is very ordi-
nary lawyer STILL ano we do not envy him the
: National reputation he has acquired
This petition goes on to assert substantially tha
the weight of his office has been thrown against all
claims, just or unjust 1t then asserts, as we have
' done heretofore that this office belongs of right to
Q true soldier" And this we believe in now as
/ always
Above all other Offices this demands thorough
soldier, of honorable and active service in the
, field who knows what the conditions of service
were weleducated and well-read lawyer of expe-
rience position, and of high reputation, and such
men are to be found by an Administration that
E chooses TO look for them.
But there must be a vacancy before such men are
looked for. We believe that no one thing could be
done by the existing Administration more popular
and more just than to relieve Mr. Bentley from the
load under which he is ground down, and let him
} retire from task 10 which he is unequal and then
fill his place with large-brained ro1g-hearted
officer of good reputation and large experience who
can and will bring order out of chaos justice out OF
pigeon-hoes equity of red tape business method
out Of perversity, and thus make the Pension Office
) blessing instead of a nuisance
And if Mr. Bentley docs not want to be relegated
e to the wlds of Wisconsin, there not consulates
Indian agencies and many other places where there
/ is nothing be done and therefore frst-rate open
o ing for his peculiar talents
?, Think of it. Mr. President for it is worth serious
! consideration even at this late hour.
? We name man, have one in our mind but
y in the long array of your comrades in the war