Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-07-16
he Probate Court pe.dloolk.

THE CORRESPONDENCE PRECEDING COL. WEB
sTERs sUsPENsI0N-HB RESIGNATION RE-
QuEsTED-HIs LETTER IN REPLY.
The correspondence that took place between
Col. Amos Webster, Register Of Wills, and the
Executive Mansion furnishes all the facts in the
case up to the proceedings which took place
yesterday in the Probate Court. as printed in
The STAR last evening. On the 3Oth ult., Mr..
0. l.. Pruden, secretary to the President wrote
to Col. Webster saying &C am directed by the
President to say that he desires your resigna-
ton" Col Webster replied on the LIST instant,
addressing the President as follows:
al have the honor to acknowledge the receipt
of your note of yesterday requesting my resig-
nation. President Hayes took similar action
during his administration. l beg leave to sub
init herewith my reply to him on that occasion,
together with letter of endorsement from the
judiciary of the District, and brief prepared by
member of the bar. who is the author of a book
on testameDtary law, a standard work in this
District. might also refer to letter from Mr..
Justice Miller, of the Supreme Court of the
United States, on file at the Executive Mansion
and to inform your Excellency that your prede-
cessOr decided that my appointment was excep-
tional and not subject to the ordinary law of
rotation in Office. The term of this office was
intended by the trainers of the law to be as per-
manent as that of the judiciary. Hoping it will
be your pleasure to consider the papers submit
ted before final action is taken and that this
may prove satisfactory answer to your request.
am, sir, very respectfully
Accompanying the letter is the statement re-
ferred to, dated July 20, 1880. and addressed to
President Hayes. to the effect that the appoint
ment to the office is provided for by section 90
of the United States Revised Statutes; that no
time is mentioned for the duration of the term
oil Office; and that the provision Of the cOnstitu-
ton OF Maryland, still in force respecting this
once, is to that the register of wills shall hold
his commission during good behavior. ''remov-
able only for misbehavOir ON conviction in a
court in law"
1t will be observed" says Colonel Webster,
THAT since the creation of the office in 1901
there have been but seven registers before my
self, all residents of the District of Columbia,
four OF whom died i'm office and two resigned
none having been removed to create vacancy
in the office. The records of the office show
that for eighty years it has been held by six
men confirmed by the Senate besides myself
Relying upon this series of precedents l have
felt that while my administration Of he
office was not criticised, but, on the contrary
met the cOmmendatiOn of the bar and public of
this District, l could confidently depend upon
the continuance of this long established course
with reference to the office. The office is not
lucrative, the business of this branch of the Su-
preme Court of the District of Columbia being
small and very little litigation carried on therein.
The fees were liked in 1901 and 1924, when money
was more valuable than at present. 1t requires
.unremlttlng attention and hard work to transact
the public business and make more than living
out of it for the support of family. Clerks and
expenses of the office must be paid by the Regis
ter" He further says he had resigned his COM
mission in the regular army with the conviction
that he was giving up a life position to enter
upon another equally permanent.
July LIST, the date of Col. Webster's letter to
the President, the private secretary of the latter
called in person upon Col. Webster and stated
that he had been requested by the President to
demand his CWebsters) resignation Col. Web
ster not complying, nothing further was done
Ramsdell was announced and the order of sus-
pension placed in the hands of Col. Webster yes
terday