Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-10-16
II.
How Gen. Holt was Appointed Post
master-(scueraI Browns Successor.

Having held the Office OF Commissioner
of Patents for some eighteen months, /
was, on the death of Postmaster-G General
Brown, appointed his successor. Let us
hear what Mr.. Thompson has to say in re-
gard, TO this appointment These are his
words:
- Alta Cabinet meeting some time afterward
President Buchanan said he felt that in appoint
ing the successor of Postmaster General Brown,
he must select man altogether different in his
disposition. Brown was good officer" said
he, but he was too good man. The depart
ment has suffered on account of his kindhearted-
ness, and we must find man who has no heart"
Several of the members suggested names, and
hnaliy sad Mr., President, have man who
exactly fills your description, He has not
friend in the whole world that know Of, and he
ils mas no heart no SOUL mean my Commissioner
There was a general laugh, and explained
that had no desire whatever TO push Holt, but
dent ideal of what the new postmaster should
be-. The appointment hang FIRE for scrcrdi tcocks,
lieved that my man Holt would make the best
Postmaster-Gcneral after all. So he APP
pointed,
1t would appear from this that Mr..
Thompson then knew little of my friends;
he knows far less of them now, and there
is no lamentation for this on their account
or on my own. If his coarse, billingsgate
remarks upon myself were intended as
wit, then il can only be said that
they approached it no nearer than
stenchy exhalations approach the fra
GRANGE OF the hower-garden. But the
whole OF this scene, as presented, is gro
tesquely absurd and incredible. President
Buchanan was, ut all times and every
where, a courtly gentleman, and his char
acter for dignity and stainless integrity
was never compromised throughout n long
and eventful life. That he could have
tolerated such a scene, much less being a
participant in it-such indecency of utter
ance and such idiocy of suggestion-in q
Cabinet council over whichhe was pre-
siding, is inconceivable: and TO hold that
he could is simply TO insult the memory
of statesman and patriot TO whom the
country owes a large debt of justice and
gratitude as well, which, when the pas
sions of the war shall have been wholly
hushed, the future will gladly recognize.
The slurring remarks upon Postmaster
General Brown--as though he had
been weak, and so incompetent
were put into the Presidents mouth
TO prepare the way for the op-
problous observations upon myself which
MIR, Thompson claims TO have promptly
made. Now, from the National Intelligefcer,
well-known and reliable journal then
published in Washington, we learn that
the President had his last interview with
the Postmaster-Generala at IL o'clock on
he night of the 9TH of March, 1859, and
that while standing at the bedside and
about to take his leave, the Postmaster
General said TO him: 81 have endeavored
faithfully to.discharge all my duties" To
which the President replied that his effort
had been successful, and that the whole
country would latest 10 has fdelity as
public officer and ue success thai had attended
has administration Of the department" Within
ten hours thereafter the Postmaster Gem
eral was no more. Does any man believe
that after the utterance Of these emphatic
and solemn words the President was capa-
BILE Of turning round and saying to his
had suffered" from Postmaster-G General
Browns administration Of it? But / now
propose 20 show that this Cabinet meeting,