Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-01-08
UNEXPECTED
Was the Appointment of Gof-Ben Will
sons Opinion

Was the Appointment of Gof-Ben Will
sons Opinion.
WASHINGTON, January Prior to
tn Senate's going into Executive ses,,
sion Yesterday Senator Blaine displayed
tcndar solicitude in Gotf 5 behalf, in
troduced him to his brother Senators
in the cloak room, and in manifold
ways exhibited very
stroug Interest in Goff's Welfare,
certainly more than in any appointment
President Hayes ever before ma .e.
General Golf, the new appOlntee as
Secretary Of the Navy, is forty three
years of age, but has the appearance OF
being five or six wears younger. lie Is
about five feet eight inches high, tull,
round face, with youthful expression,
dark hair, cleanly- -shaven face, without
either beard or mustache, and, Wlthal,
is very handsome, prepOssesslng-
looking gentleman He was Union
soldier in the war, and achieved dis
tinction He served under Gen. Hayes
in West Virginia, where the two be-
came acquainted. He has a very ex-
cellent army record, and advanced very
rapidly. Going into the army as a
Lieutenant, he was regularly promoted,
ard came out as Brevet Brigadier-Gen-
eral. He belongs to one OF the best
families in that State. He lives at
Clarksburg. He has been United States
District Attorney for twelve years. He
was appointed to that position by Presi-
dent Grant in May, 1872, and was reap
pointed by President Hayes in 1871.
He has the
Confidence of Both Political Parties.
lie was a candidate for Governor
against Mr.. Mathews, and six years ago
was Il candidate for Congress against
Col. Ben Wilson. and was only b, aten
| by 1873 votes
Gen. God says that he received tele-
| gram from President HAYES on Tuesday.
| inviting him % come to Washington and
up TO late hour Wednesday evening
he had not the slightest conception as to
what the President desired to sea him
| about His nomination was sent IN
| about one o'clock, and he was unani-
mOuslv confirmed b fore hqll-past lour
something very unusual, exc pt in
cases where StTa'ur or cX Senator Is
nominated for an office, when the SEN
| ate usually takes immediate action Sen
ator Davis and Judge Jackson, Of Park
ersburg lthe latter of whom acCOmpan-
| led General Golf to Washington, were
both cognizant oi the fact that the ap
| pointment was To be made, but both
gentleman have
Nursed the Secret
wonderfully we'll Both Senators, Davis
and Hereford, were very active in secur-
| ing GOh's ) prompt confirmation. Gen.
Goff assumed the duties OF his new OF
fee this morning where an immense
amount OF official business has accumu-
lated IN the shape OF documents need
ing the official signature Of the Secretary
OF the Navy.
\ correspondent interviewed Colonel
Ben Wilson, the pre- sent Con-
gresham and Representative elect
from the First West Virginia
ginia District, of which General Coil is
a resident. He said: "Noung GoF is a
first class lawyerto b gin with; and then
he is one OF the best advocates in the
country. On the stump and at the bar
he is always eloquent and logical As
criminal lawyer he has
Few Equals OF His Age
in the United States. He is boyish in
appearance, and congenial." =" The Col
onel is himself an old lawyer, and has
enioved large practice, but said that
he had heard from "Nate " as he famll-
iarlv called General Goff, some efforts
at the bar that would have done credit 10
older lawyers of National reputation.
The correspondent asked whether Gen
eral GOf was not, in some former per-
iod, his competitor for Congress
"YeS." said Colonel Wilson, land an
honorable competitor he was, too. We
travelled together, ate at the same table
and sometimes occupied the same bed.
During that campaign my health was
not good, and
Nate V as as Kind
and attentive to me as my own son
could have been"
"Well, Colonel, you seem TO have
pretty good opinion OF the new Secreta'
ry,"
Certainly have"
Chow will ne iii the position OF Sec
retary OF the Navy"
CAS- well as any man could. Indeed,
| do not know OF any position that
President HAYES has to give that Gof
rould not fill. But what the thunder
are YOU asking me these questions for?
Won know | am Democrat, and not in
svmnathv with the Administration, and
nv opinion about the competency or
availability OF Republicans who are
prominently mentioned for high office
- G.. y